Buzz February 2016

T’S ON GUIDE. SOUTH WALES WHA FEB 2016

INDIANA JONES, SKULLS, GOLD & MUMMIES...

TREASURES EXHIBITION

BUZZCOCKS POLITICS AND PUNK

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

DYNAMO “THERE WERE RUMOURS THAT I WAS A DEMON CHILD”

PLUS CARDIFF WITHOUT CULTURE? | JONATHAN DAVIES | KEN SKATES | ASSEMBLE

Theatr na nÓg yn cyflwyno cynhyrchiad TNN Theatr na nÓg presents a TNN Production

Theatr na nÓg yn cyflwyno cynhyrchiad Theatr naTNN nÓg yn cyflwyno cynhyrchiad TNN Theatr na nÓg presents a TNN Production Theatr na nÓg presents a TNN Production

MAW 7 – 12 MAR ’16 MATINÉE YCHWANEGOL GWENER 11 MAWRTH EXTRA MATINEE FRIDAY 11 MARCH

MAW 12’16 ’16 ’16 MAW 7 –712–MAW MAR 7MAR – 12 MAR

feb2016

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publisher EMMA CLARK editor LUKE OWAIN BOULT listings/music editor NOEL GARDNER advertising EMMA CLARK film technician (buzz tv) JAYDON MARTIN administration TERESA CLARK designer www.polar10.com contributors KEIRON SELF (FILMS), GWYN THOMAS DE CHROUSTCHOFF (CLUBS), LOIS ARCARI, MICHAEL BELL, CHELSEA BROWNHILL, GEORGE CAULTON, JANE COOK, AMANDA COZENS, JUSTIN EVANS, BEN GALLIVAN, EMILY GARSIDE, DAVID GRIFFITHS, ROB HARRIES, LOUISE HEATH, JONATHAN HERRON, ADAM JONES, CONOR KNIGHT, BILL KNOWLES, MONICA MARTIN, RHYS MATTHEWS, GARETH MOULE, LYNDA NASH, DAVID NOBAKHT, KIERAN OWEN, CHRIS PEACH, CHARLIE PIERCEY, HUGH RUSSELL, OWEN SCOURFIELD, CHRIS SEAL, AMY WIGGINS phone number 029 2022 6767 general enquiries info@buzzmag.co.uk editorial editorial@buzzmag.co.uk listings listings@buzzmag.co.uk accounts accounts@buzzmag.co.uk BUZZ MAGAZINE 220C Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff CF5 1GY published EAC PUBLISHING

10upfront

contents TREASURES cover DYNAMO

“I saw a boy in school playing guitar. He just looked so cool”

Now, you’ve got your rags to riches stories, like arenaheadlining illusionist Dynamo, who got bullied at school but learned magic and now goes to the pub and puts people’s phones inside bottles for bantz. But then you’ve got your riches to rags ones, like the swingeing budget cuts set to hit Cardiff’s art and theatre scenes.

We’ve deemed 'em both doublepagespreadworthy

28film

If you’re looking forward to seeing the movie Pride And Prejudice And Zombies, then you might just be a plank, but I do like that it’s directed by someone called 'Burr Steers'. His next project should be a film based on those Tango ads from the early 90s

30food&drink

Remember Shrove Tuesday? When people ate pancakes as a loose nod to a tenet of Christianity which they didn’t otherwise observe in anyway? Well it’s back – and in crempog form! Crempog is a sort of Welsh pancake, right

34previews

Lots of fun-looking tackle to chew on here before the cultural earth gets scorched’n’salted. If you’re going to any of it, I'd love to join you! Apart from The Rocky Horror Show, which I sadly won’t be able to make because I’m going browsing round hardware shops

42reviews

One of the songs on the Meilyr Jones album sounds like the theme to Grandstand. One of the songs on the Tindersticks album is kind of 70s style Afro-funk, but still with Stuart Staples’ muttery sad voice; it’s very odd but kind of good. In lieu of either of these things being mentioned by the assigned reviewers, I'm chiming in

47lifestyle

Every time we do a 'for him/for her' gift guide I expect someone to write in and complain, but to date no-one ever has. This Valentine special appears to be urging you to buy a personally engraved combination hammer/bottle opener for your man. Yep, that should probably do it

48sport

Editor Luke is Welsh and likes rugby. Jonathan Davies is also Welsh and likes rugby, so much so that they let him play it when he was young and talk about it on telly when he got older. So when the opportunity arose for them to talk on the phone about rugby and telly, it’s hard to say which of them was more excited

55listings

Catch me at the Cardiff Anarchist Bookfair on Sat 20 Feb, reading a copy of this magazine hidden inside an issue of Class War hidden inside another copy of this magazine

78competitions

Q. On which track did Hannah Wants collaborate with Chris Lorenzo? A: Me And Chris Lorenzo, Rollin’ In A Benzo

www.buzzmag.co.uk • www.twitter.com/buzz_magazine • www.facebook.com/buzzsouthwales BUZZ 3

roundup

WHAT’S ON OUR RADAR THIS MONTH.

BRIEFLY

EVENT

Festival of Diversity Following success after success, Festival Of Diversity XIII returns to Cardiff once more for a night of bright and vibrant Malaysian culture with music that can be enjoyed by all ages. The story follows Awang, a Malaysian warrior who struggles to survive after being captured as a slave in the year 1511. Told through traditional Dikir Barat dances and cleverly designed staging, this promises to not only be entertaining but also enlightening. From capture, to the sea, to hopes of survival, the story takes the audience along for the ride and introduces them to a way of life that was most likely beyond their ken. For an evening of celebrating Malay culture and thrilling to 16th-century derring-do, this is an event you won’t want to miss.

Festival Of Diversity, St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Sat 6 Feb. Tickets: £9-£11. Info: www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

pic Mike Beales

EVENT

Animal Antics Greet And Eat Fun for all the family and a treat for those who love anything creepy-crawly. As this is taking place over half term, these particular Animal Antics are something the kids would especially appreciate.

This is an interactive event that gets you to face a range of challenges that will introduce you to all kinds of little creatures and critters. Face your fears or just have fun in this interactive event, but beware, any forfeits may just include edible bugs so be sure to join in. For a great laugh that can also educate children and adults alike, be sure to make the most of this unique event.

Tickets are available on the Plantasia website .

Animal Antics Greet And Eat, Plantasia, Swansea, Tue 16-Thurs 18 Feb. Tickets: £4.50-£5.50. Info: www. swansea.gov.uk/plantasia

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OOH YOU CHEEKY MONKEY! All of you cheeky monkeys out there will be glad to know that according to the Chinese calendar, this is your year.

If you’re looking to celebrate, then the one of the best places to be is the Rainbow Casino. On Mon 8 Feb, the casino will be offering a buffet, a 'traditional lion dance' and a prize draw. Also worth watching are Cardiff University’s Chinese Society and the Confucius Institute, who are two of the city’s top institutions for the Chinese community.

Admission: free. Info: www. rainbowcasino.co.uk

• ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY! For some this may be a night of laughs; for others, a demonstration of incredible sporting prowess up close. On Sat 27 Feb, the Tramshed in Grangetown, Cardiff promises a mix of friendly competition and high stakes as the Pro Darts Masters kick off. But be sure to get your tickets now because with ticket prices at £25 (over 18s only, sorry kids), they won’t last long.

Michael Van Gerwin, Raymond Van Barneveld and Mark Webster will be the champion darters commanding the Tramshed oche tonight.

Tickets: £25. Info: www. tramshedcardiff.com

• PUT THE BASS IN YOUR WALK! Between Sat 27 Feb and Sun 6 Mar, the Powys town of Crickhowell welcomes visitors with 80 guided walks for the Crickhowell Walking Festival. From short walks along the Usk Valley to harder routes in the Brecon Beacons, there’s something for everyone at all levels of difficulty and duration to showcase some of the most awe-inspiring landscapes in Wales.

Admission: £6-£11. Info: www. crickhowellfestival.com

pic Chloe Chaplin

FILM

Massive – The Amazing Rise And Fall Premiering in Cardiff this month, Massive – The Amazing Rise And Fall is a documentary film which looks into the one of the most gamechanging eras of Welsh music: the Valleys-based explosion of heavy rock bands in the early00s. Telling the story of their various journeys, Massive features exclusive footage and interviews with bands such as The Blackout and Funeral For A Friend. Highly anticipated since being announced last year, fans of the bands in question will obviouosly be in its target audience, but there's plenty of interest for regional rock historians in general. The film will be followed by a Q&A with the team behind the project, along with a few other surprises.

Massive – The Amazing Rise And Fall World Premiere, Tramshed, Cardiff, Sun 7 Feb. Tickets: £8. Info: www. tramshedcardiff.com

Welsh on Duolingo

EVENT

Duolingo has taken the language learning world by storm with its completely free app available on Android, Windows Phone and iOS. It was launched back in 2011 with the intent to create easy to follow language courses that anyone can follow. With languages such as French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Russian and many more, Welsh has now joined the list. This is sure to be a great addition to the app as it’ll offer a new range of opportunities to people not only in Wales, but worldwide.

At the time of writing there are 11,000 signed up to learn with the app, while the total amount of adults enrolled in Welsh language classes across Wales is 18,000. This is one of the best places to learn Welsh, or many other languages, for free. If you haven’t downloaded the app already then do it now!

Price: free. Info: www.duolingo.com

St David’s Day Run

pic Texas Military

EVENT

Every year since 2003, the St David’s Day Run has taken place to celebrate Welsh pride and to raise money for local charities. Huw Lewis MBE is the man behind the idea, and thanks to him and many other people, charities like Help A South Wales Child have been given the help they need. Each year the event grows in strength with thousands and thousands of pounds being raised for these local charities. Originally the run was just 1K and 5K but a 10k class was added in 2009. Local acts will be providing entertainment and there is also a competition for the best dressed runner. If you can’t join in, the run is free to watch and every donation will help those in need.

But if you can run, and you want to run, make sure you register before Fri 18 Feb. Bute Park, Cardiff, Sun 28 Feb. Admission: free. Info: 08442 438438 / www.stdavidsdayrun.com BUZZ 5

roundup

WHAT’S ON OUR RADAR THIS MONTH.

PIXELATED SQUID AND THE WONDERS OF THE UNIVERSE Luke Owain Boult speaks with Senior Manager at Milford Haven's Torch Theatre, Jamie Rees, about the bizarrely beautiful Pixelated Squid And The Wonders Of The Universe.

How would you describe Pixelated Squid And The Wonders of The Universe? What are they about?

Do the two performances have much in common?

If so, what?

This is a dance double bill that has been put together by Creu Cymru ('Create Wales' in English) because of the complementary nature of the subject matter in each piece. The first piece is about exploring life of the sea through dance and the second piece explores the universe. So it pretty much covers most of the world around us. In pure dance terms it’s quite varied in nature with hip-hop and street dance mixed with contemporary dance and comedy. Yes, dance can be funny! And ‘The Universe’ element of the show is particularly humorous as it sets the voice of scientist Brian Cox to music and dance, something that has never been done before.

Well in one sense they’re worlds apart, because of the sea element in one and the space element in the other, but what binds them together is that they’re both perfect for audiences who are new to dance. If you’ve never experienced contemporary dance before then make this your first experience – it’s out of this world, in more ways than one.

What do you think people will take away from it?

pic Karol Cysewski

People will take away breathtaking dance, laugh out loud humour and a thought-provoking experience at the theatre. Pixelated Squid & The Universe, as a title alone makes you think and wonder doesn’t it? This show will make you think about the world in a different way – it will also make people think about dance in a different way.

Just watching the Canadian/Swedish duo from Tentacle Tribe who perform Pixelated Squid in the first half of this show and the way they use their bodies in the most fluid and beautiful way to depict diverse creatures of both land and sea through hip-hop dance is breathtaking. Bear in mind these two dancers have performed with Cirque du Soleil – so this is top class stuff coming to Wales. Likewise with Karol Cysewski’s Wonders of the Universe – which makes up the second half of this show – I never thought contemporary dance would make me laugh out loud, and this does.

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Pixelated Squid And The Wonders Of The Universe, Torch Theatre, Milford Haven, Tue 23 Feb. Tickets: £7-£11. Info: www. torchtheatre.co.uk / The Riverfront, Newport, Thu 25 Feb. Tickets: £7.50. Info: www.newportlive.co.uk / Taliesin, Swansea, Sat 27 Feb. Tickets: £9-£11. Info: www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk / Muni Arts Centre, Pontypridd, Mon 29 Feb. Tickets: £3-£7.

Info: 03336663366

Banff Mountain Film Festival

Anton & Erin - Just Gotta Dance!

A Night of ELO

Paul Carrack

An Evening with Floyd Mayweather

Philharmonia Orchestra

Rumours of Fleetwood Mac

The Classic Rock Show - Part 2

Fisherman’s Friends

Thursday 4 February Dydd Iau 4 Chwefror

Wednesday 10 February Dydd Mercher 10 Chwefror

Monday 15 February Dydd Llun 15 Chwefror

Thursday 18 February Dydd Iau 18 Chwefror

Monday 1 February Dydd Llun 1 Chwefror

Tuesday 9 February Dydd Mawrth 9 Chwefror

Saturday 27 February Dydd Sadwrn 27 Chwefror

Sunday 7 February Dydd Sul 7 Chwefror

Friday 12 February Dydd Gwener 12 Chwefror

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roundup

BOOK NOW

WHAT’S ON OUR RADAR THIS MONTH.

X-FACTOR LIVE TOUR 2016 Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff Tue 1 + Wed 2 Mar Tickets: £23.55-£62.75 Info: 029 2023 4500 www.motorpointarenacardiff. com ELLIE GOULDING Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff Tue 8 Mar Tickets: £41.30 Info: 029 2023 4500 www.motorpointarenacardiff. com

pic Mooganic

?

SOUTH WALES SECRET #62 Pink Bay Beach

Composer and Emmy winner for Outstanding Music and Sound for Animal Misfits, Brolly Brollyman reveals his South Wales Secret.

South Wales-based composer Brollyman has written scores for a wide variety of clients, from the BBC to PBS. His music is characterised by a sense of childlike wonder.

“Usually I have several conversations with the director or producer of the programme,” he explains. “This is a collaborative process so I can often improve upon their ideas, or twist it slightly left of centre. The most important thing is to understand the emotion of the scene and then decide how to play that.”

He then describes what had first drawn him to music: “I saw a boy in school playing guitar. He just looked so cool. I thought 'I want to do that'. So my mum saved up for a guitar.

“Myself and Carl Evans, who now mixes all my music, formed a rock band called LaRoche and used to spend hours in his mum’s living room

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learning to write songs. I remember one song called High School Love... enough said.”

From writing songs in his friend’s mother’s living room to winning an Emmy, he describes how he reacted to the win: “Disbelief. Even when I look across my studio at that very shiny gold thing it still amazes me, although I am very proud to have brought it to Wales.”

Brollyman then reveals his South Wales Secret: “As a dedicated sea angler I would have to say places along the south Wales coast where I not only fish but enjoy the peace and quiet, surrounded by nature. Pink Bay in Porthcawl comes to mind.”

Brollyman Productions. Info: www.brollyman. com

TOM: A STORY OF TOM JONES THE MUSICAL Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay Mon 7-Sat 12 Mar Tickets: £15.50-£35.50 Info: 029 2063 6464 www.wmc.org.uk LITTLE MIX Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff Sun 13 Mar Tickets: £40.30 Info: 029 2023 4500 www.motorpointarenacardiff. com RUSSELL HOWARD Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff Sun 13 + Mon 14 Mar Tickets: £34.72 Info: 029 2023 4500 www.motorpointarenacardiff. com MARIAH CAREY Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff Mon 21 Mar Tickets: £45 Info: 029 2023 4500 www.motorpointarenacardiff. com HAIRSPRAY New Theatre, Cardiff Mon 21-Sat 26 Mar Tickets: £16-£35 Info: 029 2087 8889 www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk

WEIRD SCIENCE MEETS HIP HOP IN A DANCE DOUBLE BILL THAT IS OUT OF THIS WORLD

TOUR:

TORCH THEATRE, MILFORD HAVEN - 23 FEB, 7PM - TORCHTHEATRE.CO.UK | 01646 695267 THE RIVERFRONT, NEWPORT - 25 FEB, 7:45PM - NEWPORTLIVE.CO.UK/RIVERFRONT | 01633 656757 TALIESIN ARTS CENTRE, SWANSEA - 27 FEB, 7:30PM - TALIESINARTSCENTRE.CO.UK | 01792 602060 MUNI ARTS CENTRE, PONTYPRIDD - 29 FEB, 7PM - TICKETSOURCE.CO.UK/MUNIARTSCENTRE | 03336 663366 BOROUGH THEATRE, ABERGAVENNY - 2 MAR, 7:30PM - BOROUGHTHEATREABERGAVENNY.CO.UK | 01873 850805

upfront

DYNAMO Out of this World One of the world’s top magicians, Dynamo has spooked everyone from Noel Fielding to Pharrell, and now he’s taking to the stage to blow the country’s minds. Luke Owain Boult speaks with him about the nature of magic, bullying, and whether he’s a wizard or an alien.

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“I think it’s about 62 times a day,” laughs Dynamo when I ask him how often he gets asked if he’s a wizard or an alien. “They ask me all the time!”

Dynamo is a man (or so he says) with a spectacular gift. Not only is he one of the most gifted magicians on the planet, and likely of all time, he has an incredible passion for what he does.

“My grandpa got me into magic,” he says. “When he first started showing me magic, I wasn’t interested in performing it myself. It was just something that my grandpa would do and I was blown away by it. But then, when I was at school I had a bit of a hard time.

These kids used to bully me – they’d pick me up and put me inside wheelie bins and push me down hills, that sort of thing.

“When my grandpa picked me up from school one day he saw what happened and taught me a technique to take away people’s strength, which meant that they couldn’t pick me up anymore. I tried it the next day and it worked. That was my first ever time performing magic and it was a defence mechanism, not a performance piece.

“Then at school, there were rumours going around saying that I was some demon child because I’d managed to take the bullies’ strength away. My grandpa thought it was quite funny so he showed me more things that would scare people away.”

The way in which Dynamo speaks so openly about

these experiences with bullying is humbling. What advice does he have for people being bullied today?

“In this day and age you have cyberbullying, which didn’t exist when I was a kid. Now you can’t even be online without it and it’s horrible. One of the worst things I did, and one of the worst things you can do, is not tell people. It wasn’t until I told my grandpa about the bullying and he realised what was going on that had been going on that he managed to find a way to get me out of that situation.

“Speaking up and not being afraid to talk about it is the first step to moving forward. Don’t feel embarrassed by it, because it happens to a lot of people. The more we talk about it, the more we can stop it.”

In the here and now, meanwhile, one wonders if Dynamo's life as a master magician takes the magic out of something you truly love. Can he still be thrilled seeing other magicians perform?

“I definitely have an idea on certain things but it’s different with true masters, like David Copperfield and Derren Brown. Even for me it’s very difficult – sometimes I’m fooled and blown away by what they do. I’m always looking for a performance that’s going to amaze me again and remind me of when I first saw my grandpa do magic. It’s not necessarily about what they’re doing, it’s the emotion that they create when performing.

pic Andrew Timms

“Obviously, I’m a magician so I can probably work out a lot of the magic, but seeing how they present it and perform it is what I really look forward to – that’s the bit that can blow your mind. It’s like when you look at a musical performer – when you watched Michael Jackson, he was magical because he was such an amazing performer.”

Dynamo, like the great musicians he talks about, is an ever-evolving entertainer and showman. This month, he's taking to the stage in his first ever live theatre tour.

“When I first embarked on this crazy tour idea I was very nervous, kind of apprehensive and, well, crapping myself. But I’ve done 55 shows now, and since I did the first five, I enjoyed it so much that I look forward to going on stage every night. It was hard for me making this transition from TV because I didn’t want to lose any intimacy. I’ve always seen myself as that guy who’s just like everybody else, but blows your mind. I didn’t want to lose that when going on stage.

“I was never able to go on stage when I was younger – it had never really been a desire of mine and it’s always something that I’ve been scared of. But then over the past few years, I wanted a new challenge in my life. It’s a major achievement for me.

“If you come to the show, you have to be prepared to get involved. It’s a fully interactive show. There’s

moments where every single member of the audience is involved, doing magic at the same time.”

Bearing this new-found love of live performance in mind, then, is Dynamo planning to return to our screens?

“I’ve been doing a lot of TV spots for the tour itself as well. I’d love to do more television, but I’m not going to be doing any more Magician: Impossible. That section of my magical career is done with.” What strikes many about Dynamo is his imagination with illusions, and he seems eager to push boundaries.

With such a busy schedule, just where does he get the time – and inspiration – to work on creating new illusions?

“I get a lot of inspiration from seeing a special effect in a movie and thinking ‘That would be cool to do live – without special effects’. I get so much inspiration from film. I’ve also been performing magic for about 20 years now, so my mind now works where it’s constantly getting ideas and getting inspiration.

“I’ll be out with my friends and they’ll say ‘can you do magic with our phones’ or ‘can you magic up that girl’s phone number’. They’re always challenging me, getting me to try things, and often I end up getting pictures in my head. That’s where the phone in a bottle came from. I was in a bar in Bradford, and I put someone’s coin, a 50p, into a bottle. After seeing that, someone says, ‘Can you put my phone in

a bottle?’ I said, ‘Well... not sure to be honest’. But I went away, thought about it and the next time I saw that person I put their phone in a bottle!”

Dynamo’s steely blue eyes rarely give anything away, and look to contain a mix of mystery and cheeky confidence. Having done some extremely dangerous illusions, such as walking down a building, has he ever feared for his life?

“Sometimes, but I try not to think that anything could go wrong. My manager makes sure that everything is put into place, so of course safety is of utmost importance. But there's always a risk.

I’m touching wood now because I hope nothing ever happens.

“I think, for me, taking those risks is important for pushing my art form forwards, and always pushing the boundaries. They say no risk, no reward, so I feel like I have to push myself to keep delivering the magic.”

Dynamo: Seeing Is Believing, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wed 3-Sun 7 Feb. Tickets: £45. Info: 029 2023 4500

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upfront

pic Fred

Cardiff Without Culture? Movement With huge cuts planned for the arts in Cardiff, Amy Wiggins investigates the possible impact on the city and the movement determined to fight for their way of life.

C

ardiff council has been steadily making cuts and budget limits over the years, but recently there has been talk of making them much more drastic, which has worried many in a city that's becoming ever more culturally vibrant. Naturally, there has been retaliation. This is where the Cardiff Without Culture? movement comes in. Planning to create a peaceful resistance to these cuts, the group was formed in the first week of 2016 and have lined up many meetings and petitions to which the public can contribute – openly or anonymously – over the next few months. However, with the final decision being made on Thurs 25 Feb, there’s limited time to act.

Cardiff council have stated that they intend to forward the removal of £430,000 from arts venues across the city, while making further plans for the removal of budget for arts grants to organisations; this figure stands at £68,000 currently. Venues popular with tourists and families, notably St. David’s Hall and the New Theatre, are also in the budgetary firing line. A total of over £700,000 is due to be cut from the arts and culture sector, as part of £45m of savings which need to be met by 2016/17.

From the announcement's inevitably frosty reception, the Cardiff Without Culture? movement was almost immediately born. They are a group of people, led by freelance producer Laura Drane, who feel that over the years Cardiff has neglected its art and creative side in favour of sports and wheelie bins.

Having recruited local residents, major arts leaders and organisations of all sizes, CWC? take part in meetings including a council public consultation process where they will have the chance to voice their opinions, and hopefully create some kind of compromise for the

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occasion.

In its own way, the very notion of a Cardiff without culture has brought so many people together as to create a micro-culture itself. People from all over the city have assimilated for a passionate and justified cause, spreading a message of creativity and hope throughout the community. If this continues, perhaps they will actually get their way and come to some kind of compromise with the council.

Having the occasional budget cut isn’t something new to the city and by this point it has become a numb annoyance for the public, but action is rarely taken. This time, however, there's a sense that this may be a cut too far.

The public have started to band together to protect not only a necessity for our tourism and economy, but also a way of life to many and living for others. A city without culture is hardly a city to begin with.

Granted, there are some that will say that the movement is overreacting and it probably won’t affect things as much as they claim. However, is it worth the risk? It’s understandable that councils might be struggling with the continuation of austerity, but it seems unfair to cut so much funding from one particular aspect of the economy. Unfortunately, it seems that the idea of a Cardiff without culture is a threat that is steadily approaching.

A spokesperson for the City of Cardiff Council said: Like all local authorities in Wales, Cardiff is facing unprecedented financial pressures. There are difficult decisions to be made and the 2016/17 budget proposals which cover a range of services have been put forward for public consultation.

We are looking to change the way we deliver pic Steven Pisano services by exploring innovative new ways of working, supporting communities’ and partners’ capacity to deliver services and manage assets. The arts sector is no different and we are committed to exploring new ways of working to make the necessary savings. With the arts sector, we will continue to work with the Welsh Government and our external partners to promote and celebrate Cardiff as a great place for the arts. In terms of nurturing and promoting local talent, we will continue to embrace the ‘pop up agenda’ making good use of empty space in and around the city to provide further opportunities. The Council does want to review the costs, income and the way we manage our ‘cultural portfolio’ and a question is posed on this topic in the public consultation questionnaire. Rather than closing these buildings, we are working with our partners to explore new ways to manage them. A final budget decision will be made by Full Council when it meets on 25th February 2016.

pic Gavin Bray

Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism Ken Skates AM said: Wales is being far better protected by this Welsh government than England has been by the UK government. The reductions in arts council funding for England have been far deeper since 2010-2011 than they have been in Wales, and that’s because we want to make sure that Wales becomes a more active and more creative nation. It’s essential that we don’t just see the funding for the arts coming direct via the Arts Council Of Wales but instead coming from a number of sources. The more people that we have involved in the arts, the more investors we have in the arts and therefore a greater degree of activity will take place.

Giles Smith, co-founder of the Turner Prize-winning artistic collective Assemble, said: One of the things that are probably at risk is the community of art in Cardiff, which is the thing that we really enjoyed in our residency. I just think that diversity is really important in the city and I hope that we don’t risk too much because of the cuts made by the council.

In response to Cardiff Council’s plans to withdraw funding, madeinroath will be marching on Sat 6 Feb. Starting at National Museum Wales, the march will have a New Orleans-style jazz funeral theme to symbolise the death of the arts in Cardiff. While the message is obviously incredibly serious, the group want to make sure that people enjoy the march and keep it fun. After all, that’s what the arts, and Cardiff’s artistic spirit, are all about.

Cardiff Without Culture? Info: www.facebook.com/ cardiffwithoutculture / www.whatnextcardiff.wordpress. com / www.you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/cardiffwithout-culture pic Larry Lamsa

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upfront

TREASURES: ADVENTURES IN ARCHAEOLOGY

Celebrating the spirit of exploration and adventure, the National Museum Cardiff will be exhibiting a huge range of treasures from around the world as part of the Year Of Adventure, from an Egyptian mummy to Indiana Jones’ whip. Luke Owain Boult investigates.

“What is a treasure?” asks exhibition curator Dr Mark Redknap. “The official definition is something that's at least 300 years old and contains 10% precious metal, but there’s another definition: knowledge,” he says surrounded by a wealth of some of the most interesting objects to have been assembled in Cardiff. Treasures: Adventures In Archaeology is the aptly named new exhibition at National Museum Cardiff, which explores (no pun intended) the link between fictional adventurers like Tintin and Indiana Jones, and their real-life counterparts. The exhibition features a mix of relics from around the world, from a deformed Inca skull to an Egyptian Mummy, and treasures from inspired cinema like Indiana Jones’ very own hat, whip and jacket.

As is the case with history, the truth is stranger than fiction, and often stranger than the fiction it inspires. One of the key figures studied in the exhibition is Giovanni Battista Belzoni, a 6’7” Italian Egyptologist who, in his younger days, had joined a circus and became known as Patagonian Samson. Another of interest, who inspired Indiana Jones, is Hiram Bingham, an American explorer who, guided by Peruvian farmers, made the now world famous Machu Pichu known to the wider world. Adela Breton’s work with Mexican temples is also explored, with her watercolours bringing the vibrant colours of the lost worlds of the Aztecs and the Maya to life. Heinrich Schliemann, best known for discovering Troy, which was once believed to only exist in the realm of mythology, is also analysed, and alongside all of these fascinating explorers, exhibits from the cultures BUZZ 14

that enchanted them are displayed.

The idea of fact inspiring fiction is one that comes across incredibly well in the exhibition. There are obvious links between the elongated Inca skull, which was likely achieved by binding the head of a child with boards, and the elongated crystal alien skull from Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull.

However, the link starts to become problematic when the lines between fact and desire are blurred. Dr Redknap underlined the importance of keeping to the historical facts, and the inspiration historical happenings and artefacts can have on creativity. Interestingly, rather than dismissing archaeological fakes and flights of fancy as nonsense, the theme of jiggery-pokery in archaeology is embraced in the exhibition. Helmets adorned with spikes and bizarre flaps reminiscent of Mad Max are displayed. What could they be? Hunnic wardress? Mongolian ceremonial garbs? Roman cyberpunk? No. Dr Redknap points out they are actually just slightly modified upside-down bowls.

He makes his point rather nicely when talking about forgeries, pointing to a nearby crystal skull on loan from Musée du Quai Branly in Paris.

“Although they’re fakes from the 19th century, that doesn’t mean that they don’t have their own interesting story.” In a way, the forgeries tell you just as much about humanity than the way we bury our dead, express ourselves, or worship.

Key items of interest in the exhibition include an Egyptian Mummy from 300 BC, Roman treasures, Corinthian helmets, Inca gold and jewellery, ancient Colombian gold plates, skulls from Viking burials in Llanbedrgoch, and even a Moai from Rapa Nui. While this is an ideal exhibition for children, the range of exhibits is likely to entertain the fuddy-duddiest of historians. “Getting this exhibition together has been the biggest highlight,” smiled Dr Redknap, asked if he had any particular favourite pieces. “I suppose this has been an adventure really.” Dr Redknap previously mulled the various meanings of treasure, but ‘adventure’ seems equally hard to define. Is it exploring ruins and running away from boulders? Is it collecting artefacts from around the world? Is it trying something on the menu you can’t pronounce? Perhaps, simply, it’s the spirit of going into the unknown, and that’s exactly what the exhibition captures.

Treasures: Adventures In Archaeology, National Museum Cardiff, until Sun 30 Oct. Tickets: £7/£5/free under-16s. Info: www. museumwales.ac.uk

Objects from around the world will be on display in the museum – will there be any from Wales? If so, what is their significance?

Yes, we have strong stories to tell from Wales based on collections from our national collections. The Museum’s archaeology team has been collecting and researching evidence of life and death in Wales for over 75 years. A number the objects collected are on display in the exhibition, including items ranging from Roman hoards and silver from shipwreck, to Civil War treasure.

Visitors to the exhibition will see the Roman hoard of coins and rings from Sully, which has been brought together for the first time since it was discovered in 1899; silver from the wreck of the Ann Francis, which was lost on Margam Beach in 1583; and human remains from Viking-age burials at Llanbedrgoch, Anglesey.

We speak with David Anderson, the Director General of National Museum Wales, about the exhibition.

Which exhibits are you personally most looking forward to having in the museum?

I am really looking forward to seeing a mix of objects – historical and fictional – being brought together in Treasures: Adventures In Archaeology. Of course, I am keen to see the Indiana Jones items but am equally pleased that star items from our own collection such as human remains from Viking-age burials at Llanbedrgoch will also be on display.

How do you source these artefacts?

We often work with organisations from across the world. For this particular exhibition, we have worked with a number of partners including Musée du Quai Branly in Paris, Manchester Museum – University of Manchester, British Museum, Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives and Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, making it a truly international exhibition.

Working with these partners, we are able to show a number of objects relating to early world cultures, in Wales for the first time, including watercolours and finds made during Giovanni Belzoni’s Egyptian expeditions of the early 19th century; a 19th-century crystal skull on loan from Musée du Quai Branly Paris; Indiana Jones’ jacket, hat and whip and the crystal skull from the film Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, thanks to Lucas Museum of Narrative Art; and Adela Breton’s watercolours of sites in the Yucatán Peninsula.

What can visitors expect?

Treasures: Adventures In Archaeology is all about great archaeological discoveries from Wales and around the World; the story of some well-know and lesser-known adventurers; and how archaeology has shaped popular culture and has been shaped by it.

The exhibition is housed in newly renovated galleries on the ground floor of National Museum Cardiff. It’s actually quite theatrical!

You will be featuring an Egyptian Mummy in the exhibition. What do we know about the person who became the Mummy?

The Egyptian Mummy comes from Manchester Museum. X-rays carried out in the early 1980s revealed the mummy belonged to a woman in her 20s, but the label in the old ‘Afterlife’ gallery referred to her simply as ‘The Salford Mummy’. The label also claimed that she was ‘unnamed’. In fact, both the mummy’s brightly painted coffin and cartonnage decorations named the woman as ‘Ta-sheri-ankh’ (literally, ‘the living child’). The style of the coffin closely resembles other examples from the site of Akhmim. A CATscan of the mummy reveals its hidden appearance.

Do you think there are any similarities between explorers like Giovanni Belzoni and Flinders Petrie, and fictional characters like Tintin and Indiana Jones?

Indiana Jones’ character was inspired by the exploits of historical archaeologists in the field, such as the colourful Giovanni Belzoni, the ‘father of Egyptian archaeology’ Flinders Petrie, Hiram Bingham who first drew the World’s attention to Machu Picchu and the traveller and explorer Adela Breton.

BUZZ 15

upfront

STEVE DIGGLE

pic Charlie Llewwllin

BUZZ MEETS A BUZZCOCK Guitarist and vocalist in the legendary punk band Buzzcocks, Steve Diggle, speaks with Amanda Cozens about changes in the music industry, partying with Joy Division, and the very nature of punk.

Massive congratulations on the Buzzcocks 40th anniversary. How does it feel to have been going for such a long time?

It’s been a long, long road 40 years in what feels like the shortest time. It’s like being on a train journey and each time you look out of the window there is another memory or image that comes back. We started in Manchester and the music, and ourselves, have travelled the world and still do. It’s amazing.

How do you feel that you and the band have grown over the years musically and personally?

When we started the musical landscape was boring.

There was nothing happening, so we wanted to make three-minute songs that were exciting and relevant to our generation. There were almost a million people unemployed, with a lot of frustration, and the world was a black and white dull place at that time. Over the years we have evolved by making many albums and having at least eight singles in the charts, I can't remember how many, but the song writing has been very strong.

We always knew how to write a tune and a riff and that writing has seen this music span generations.

A lot of younger people have picked up on our music over the years, each album has a different kind of Buzzcocks style to it. Although on one level we became known for BUZZ 16

singles, there are a lot of diverse things on the albums, experimental stuff like Running Free to Moving Away From the Pulse Beat, we covered a lot of ground. I wrote a song called Autonomy where I started out pretending to be a German singing English, because I was listening to a German group called Can and thought their English accents were funny.

Politics is an integral part of music, how has it shaped your music over the years?

Politics has played a part in my music on one level.

My surroundings have influenced many of my songs, another song Why She's A Girl From The Chainstore was asking a sociological question. That song also mentions Bernstein’s language barrier where the language spoken in a working class home may be different than the language spoken in the classroom, therefore children were blinded by words and would underachieve.. There is always politics in my music, it’s part of all our lives and part of the human condition.

You recently released your ninth album The Way; can you tell us the concept behind the title and the album?

The latest album has modern themes. I wrote a song called People Are Strange Machines, which, as the title suggests, enquires how human and how machine

are we becoming? The Way is where the Buzzcocks are now, that’s how people should look at it, and it’s been very well received. One of my favourites on the album is a song called The Third Dimension which highlights our more experimental style. Most of our inspiration comes from everyday life, what I call the poetry of life.

You have hung out with some amazing people. Who has given you the best and worst memories?

I have met many people in this business. Crazy fans, particularly in the early days, and mad moments like where a hotel bar closed and us and Joy Division decided to open it, and the front grill of the bar was broken off and the drinking carried on. I think the police came and stopped the proceedings but we were very young.

What does punk mean to you?

Punk is an attitude. It meant more than the music.

At the beginning it was a way of looking at the world through punk music. When those early punk records came out you had to rethink your whole consciousness about what music was and what it was doing to you, it wasn't just entertainment.

Buzzcocks 40, Tramshed, Cardiff, Sat 13 Feb. Tickets: £18. Info: www. tramshedcardiff.com

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ICW: GLADYS THE GROOVY MULE THE CRAIG CHARLES FUNK & SOUL CLUB RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE BATTLE OF THE SEASONS

THE CAT EMPIRE

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UPCOMING SHOWS

125 ALBANY RD, CARDIFF, SOUTH GLAMORGAN CF24 3NS

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GAVIN JAMES BOB MOULD

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SOUL & BLUES NIGHT

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THE CROOKES

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& MISTY MILLER

THERAPY?

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& THE MEMBRANES

LIMEHOUSE LIZZY

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BOY & BEAR

DREADZONE MACKA B 2RUDE

FIELD MUSIC

W/ THE BLUES OTHERS

14 FEB

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RHINOS REVENGE & EDDIE HOT RODS

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THE BOWIE EXPERIENCE

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THE BEAT GOES ON

(A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES)

CANCER RESEARCH FUNDRAISER

GLOBECARDIFFMUSIC.COM

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BUZZ 17

upfront

LEONA LEWIS Singer, songwriter and animal welfare campaigner, Leona Lewis, speaks with Rhys Matthews about her latest album, touring and her dream collaborations.

What’s the meaning behind the album title I Am? When I started making the album a lot of the subject matter was really empowering, liberating and freeing. So I decided to call it I Am because I was putting out the message of being empowered and uplifted. I feel like it’s a very strong statement because whatever you put after I Am is basically what you put out into your own world. So it’s really a question of what you want to put out there. I talk a lot about my personal story and lots of the things that I’ve been through and empowering and uplifting myself, and it has very positive undertones.

And you write all your own songs don’t you?

Yeah, I started working on this album independently, so I was out of a deal. I wrote the album and then found a deal with Island Records and Def Jam and finished the album with them. So me and one other person wrote every single song on this album. For me, that was the only way to get the message across to just be very genuine and open.

How do you create the concept behind your tour?

Well I come up with how I want people to feel, and then when I start from there, I build the show around that. The main thing is that I want people to feel

BUZZ 18

uplifted, and I want it to be very positive and I just feel like, there’s so much craziness going on, I just want it to be something where people come together and feel positive and feel love, and feel good about themselves. And then I’ve got my band, who are amazing, and this time I’m going on tour with two singers who have a gospel background, so that’s going to give a very uplifting atmosphere. I have different ideas that I want to implement into the show and then visually we come up with all those concepts.

Do you enjoy touring?

I do, I enjoy all the parts of making music. I haven’t been on tour for a few years now, so I’m definitely ready to go out there. I've had enough of a break, and I’ve got the new music together and now it’s time to take this album I’ve created and do a tour with it. It’s so fulfilling for me to watch all of that come to life.

Are you looking forward to coming back to Cardiff?

Yes, Cardiff is amazing for me, because that’s where half of my family are from. My mum grew up in Penarth, and my family live in Rhoose and Snowdonia, so they all come down and see the show, and at my last show my cousin proposed to his girlfriend, I got him on stage. It was so cool, it was such a moment. I have amazing memories of Cardiff.

You mainly live in LA right now, so how often do you get to come back to Britain when you’re not touring?

I travel between both London and LA a lot, I was in London twice this month. It’s so crazy. But I love LA, where I live is a horse community, so I’m surrounded by cowboys and stuff, it’s definitely a nice way of life.

What artist would you like to work with in the future?

I really love Sia, I’ve written with her before, so I’d really like to work with her again. I think Bruno Mars has such a fantastic voice and I really love Hozier. I’m a big fan of male singers, so I’d like to do some duets, Sam Smith obviously!

What else have you got in your sights that you’d like to achieve in your career?

I’d like to continue with my different projects that I have now, I’m starting to go back in the studio again and create some new songs, just continue working on another record.

Leona Lewis, St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Wed 2 Mar. Tickets: £29.50-£55. Info: 029 2087 8444 / www.stdavidshallcardiff. co.uk

BE ParT Of THE GLEE Thurs Feb 11th

Sun Feb 28th

Wed May 11th

TOMMY TIERNAN ELIS JAMES BRIDGET SOLD OUT & JOHN ROBINS CHRISTIE Mon Feb 22nd

DAVID O’DOHERTY SOLD OUT

Wed Feb 24th

JOE LYCETT

Wed Mar 9th

TOM STADE

Sun Mar 20th

THE NOISE NExT DOOR

From February 4th

EvEry THURSDAY

EvEry FRIDAY & SATURDAY

Our own creation that includes a variety of performers, the week’s gossip, fun and games, antisocial media, a big screen and... a little bit of bunting!

We bring you the very best comedians every Friday and Saturday for a four act line up that is guaranteed to make you laugh.

Sunday March 27th

DOLLS, DAFFODILS & DIS CHARGE! pRESENTED BY CARDIFF CABARET CLUB

Burlesque, Comedy, Easter mayhem!

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upfront

ASSEMBLE Giles Smith is the co-founder of award-winning multi-disciplinary artistic collective Assemble, who had a recent residency at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff.

He speaks with Luke Owain Boult about winning the Turner Prize, architecture and defining art.

What was the idea behind Assemble?

“That’s quite a difficult question in a sense because there isn’t really an idea behind Assemble. It’s more a kind of accumulative collection of lots of ideas. I guess that’s partly because of the creative process – we started off with a group of individuals, just doing full projects together, and that still agrees with us.”

pic Zander Olsen

You won the Turner Prize for your work redeveloping Toxteth in Liverpool. Why in particular was that area chosen?

“We were invited to look at the area by a buyer who was interested in a philanthropic investment in the area and looking to refurbish some houses. But that project hasn’t gone ahead; however, in the process of making our work, we’ve met people who were based in the area and things went really well. We’ve then gone on to start the Granby Workshop Project there as well. We’ve been very lucky to have been chosen by people to help out with the area, rather than us being called to the area to see the work.”

Had you expected to win the Turner Prize?

“We certainly didn’t expect to win, and definitely didn’t expect to be nominated. I guess it was certainly one of those surprises that just gives you that shock and with the prize now, that’s just the kind of role that we’ve taken on. We’re probably more shocked than anyone else that we were even included. It really had never occurred to us that this is a prize we’d be eligible for. We were hoping we’d be questioned whether or not we should have been eligible for the Prize.”

What do you think art is?

“That’s a very difficult question. You’d think I’d be well qualified to be able to answer although there are far more people out there who will be able to tell you what it is. It’s the way in which we work, and we think it’s important to undertake work that changes and kind of manifests the feeling of the real city in which we live.

It’s also about changing people’s attitudes towards what fits the place for everyday life. Whether or not that’s art I guess is a question I’m not able to answer. I suppose there isn’t an answer really.”

How did your interest in architecture develop?

“I grew up in Belfast, which was a city where 20th century architecture has an extraordinary effect on everything. The experience of growing up there really moved me and I questioned how that physical stuff got shape. More generally, the movement all came together at architect school and we started doing things together.

Assemble came out of this practice reaction and from what we found when we left architect school to going to work in an architect group.”

What’s next for you guys?

“Well, hopefully more working in Cardiff and working with Chapter for a residency. We’re really interested in how the local art scene and art practice manifests and cultivates, and how we can play a role in that and be a part of all of that. I think that it would be a really nice thing to be doing that next.”

Assemble. Info: www.assemblestudio.co.uk

BUZZ BUZZ20 20

L3

l o l f a

l o u n g e

WHAT’S ON/AR FYND January – June / Ionawr – Mehefin 2016

LAU

RBS SIX NATIONS 2016

CHRIS HELME

MARY COUGHLAN

CAPITAL CITY JAZZ ORCHESTRA

RICHARD HERRING

THE YOUNG’UNS

DANE BAPTISTE

CRAIG CAMPBELL

MARTIN & ELIZA CARTHY

08.02.2016 – 8.00pm

12.03.2016 – 8.00pm

Featuring / Gyda Marlene VerPlanck 17.03.2016 – 8.00pm

19.04.2016 – 8.00pm

03.05.2016 – 8.00pm

Visit our website for more information / Ewch i’n gwefan am fwy o wybodaeth

15.03.2016 – 8.00pm

12.04.2016 – 8.00pm

24.04.2016 – 8.00pm

31.05.2016 – 8.00pm

BUZZ 21

upfront

FIGARO FOREVER Welsh National Opera are well known for their musical skills as well as their ability to capture any audience with just a few notes, telling stories through music as well as intense characters. This year is no different as the WNO team up with the Grand Theatre de Geneve, kicking off with a musical event that isn’t one to be missed: Figaro Forever.

For over 200 years, Figaro has been one of opera’s most beloved creations. Originally written by Pierre Beaumarchais in 1773, the play inspired a series of operas, and is still inspiring today. WNO's trilogy is made up of The Barber Of Seville, The Marriage Of Figaro and the world premiere of Figaro Gets A Divorce, allowing for comedy, drama, romance and a sharp wit.

The trilogy follows the life and misadventures of a wry-witted man known as Figaro.

Throughout the three productions we witness his comedic role as a local barber playing around with the theme of love, before falling in love himself. Then, we move on to observe his attempts at making his way in the world, being transformed by the contemporary interpretations as time marches on. There’s a little something for everything, no matter the production and if you’re lucky enough to see all of them, then you’re in for nights filled with culture and amazing stories.

Figaro Forever opens up at one of the WNO’s usual haunts, the Wales Millennium Centre, on Sat 13 Feb and continues until Sat 27 Feb when the last instalment ends.

Each production has a different running time as well as a different theme, but all celebrate the wily character that has graced stages for over two centuries.

It’s no surprise that with such a well-regarded set of actors, composers and Sue Blane, one of the UK’s leading film and theatre costume designers (who worked on the costumes for the Rocky Horror Picture Show), joining the team that this is really something for the art community to celebrate. Book tickets while you can, you won’t want to miss out on this treasure. AMY WIGGINS Figaro Forever, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Sat 13-Sat 27 Feb. Tickets: £5-£41. Info: www.wno.org.uk

ROMEO AND JULIET Since giving their first performance in 1928, the National Orchestra Of Wales has given joy to the nation with a variety of performances including the Proms and a range of music festivals throughout the year. Led by Principal Conductor Thomas Søndergård and giving a one-off performance, this event is sure to be as classic as the story it’s portraying.

Thr afternoon of Valentine's Day will see the Orchestra give a rare interpretation of Shakespeare’s most famous work. Romeo And Juliet is a gripping story of two youths who fall deeply in love despite the feuds between their families. They fight against all odds to try and be together no matter the cost, a perfect drama for such an awe inspiring ensemble. But when their love comes with some dire consequences that affect both families, action has to be taken. In a dangerous game of love and hatred, who will win?

Performing on none other than Valentine’s Day is both a smart and risky move with such a piece, which is both romantic but tragic.

It may induce a mixed bag of emotions among observing couples – however, it will certainly set the mood with what is sure to be a beautiful display.

You’ll witness a cascade of emotion through music by Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev, who are responsible for scores such as Fantasy Overture Romeo And Juliet. Not to mention the story that is as timeless as the music. Love, passion and tragedy: this looks like it’ll be a night you won’t soon forget.

AMY WIGGINS

BBC NOW: Romeo And Juliet, St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Sun 14 Feb. Tickets: £5-£35. Info: 029 2087 8444 / www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk pic James Mitchell

BUZZ 22

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EASE OUT OF THE WEEK AND INTO THE W E E K E N D W I T H L I V E M U S I C I N V A G U E LY A R T Y U N P R E T E N T I O U S A N D F R I E N D LY S U R R O U N D I N G S . I T S J U S T F R I D AY AT P O R T E R ’ S .

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upfront upfront

MARC AND COREY Everybody wants to be on TV, they say, and stay there once they’ve got a foot in the studio door. Luck seems to have shone on two Welsh lads in particular, as they’ve already started on the road to success after appearing on a reality TV show last year. Marc Richie, from Aberdare, and Corey Rees from Swansea are best friends whose first introduction to the media was back in March 2015 when the two of them appeared on the BBC Three series Young, Welsh, Pretty And Skint.

Following people from this region who, despite financial troubles and excessive prices, still fork out as much money as they can in order to maintain the ‘perfect’ image, the show started out as a one-off episode on YouTube as part of BBC Wales’ Real Valleys season, and was later made into a full series for BBC Three.

Marc and Corey were the biggest personalities on the show thanks to their good humour, scene-stealing ability and tendency to spend over three hours a day at the gym and unwise sums of cash on anything that would make them look good.

Following the series, the pair are being trained to be the next big TV personalities – a process which doesn’t just happen overnight. Certain aspects of the reality TV world have to be forgotten; in their place, skills necessary for interviews and other on-screen appearances. Tips regarding dress codes and broadcast-worthy elocution came their way, too.

Accordingly, Marc and Corey met with Buzz’s editor Luke Owain Boult and Buzz TV film editor Jaydon Martin to get some interview experience and how to handle being in front of the camera. They were shown the basics of handling interview questions, as well as when to look at the camera, and how to be professional while remaining entertaining.

Thereafter, Marc and Corey were sent off on their first mission – to interview Carol Harrison, whose roles include Eastenders and Human Traffic, for Buzz TV. Quizzing Harrison on the musical All Or Nothing, which she wrote, they were thrown in the deep end... See how they got on in the next coming weeks via Buzz and the BBC. AMY WIGGINS Info: www.buzzmag.co.uk / www.bbc.co.uk / www.theagent.biz

THE IRIS PRIZE The Iris Prize, Cardiff’s LGBT short film prize, provides a platform for filmmakers to explore LGBT issues, with the winner being given the opportunity to produce a new film. This year’s Iris Prize Festival isn’t until October, but in the meantime the organisation are doing important work in the community.

Iris have launched a library of short films for free on YouTube as part of their education outreach project. The films were produced by young people across Wales dealing with LGBT bullying, and tackle the issues they face on a daily basis. Over half of all young gay people experience homophobic bullying, with a staggering 41% having attempted or considered suicide. 56% deliberately self-harmed, which rose to 61% if subjected to bullying. Ranging from light-hearted comedy to dark drama, the films’ messages are the same, highlighting that we are all just people.

Iris Prize’s seventh short film Spoilers will also be shortly released, with its premiere taking place at Cineworld before general broadcast on BBC Two and starting its international festival journey. Written and directed

by Brendan McDonall, Spoilers tells the story of Leon and Felix, who meet unexpectedly and hit it off. Inspired by the spoiler phenomenon in films, television and literature, the film asks: what if someone ‘spoiled’ a relationship? If you knew it would lead to more suffering, would you carry on?

“The film is a kind of magic realist story about two guys who literally have matching luggage and enter into an extended date,” says McDonall.

“The spoilers in the film are out there. In some ways it’s an experimental film – it breaks many rules, and there are flights of fancy and huge leaps of faith. What if a satnav had an opinion or what if a lobster was a bit homophobic? I don’t think you have to be a gay man to enjoy Spoilers, it’s very much about love.” LUKE OWAIN BOULT The Iris Prize/Iris Education Outreach. Info: www. irisprize.org; Spoilers Premiere, Cineworld, Cardiff, Wed 2 Mar. Info: www.cineworld.co.uk; Spoilers, BBC Two, Wed 9 Mar. Info: www.bbc.co.uk

BUZZ 24

KNOWING SOMEONE IS ALWAYS THERE GIVES ME HOPE Talk to us any time you like, in your own way – about whatever’s getting to you.

116 123 EE to call

This number is FR

† Welsh Language Line

0300 123 3011

jo@samaritans.org samaritans.org

A registered charity. † 7-11pm only, 7 days a week.

Wales advert 181x129mm.indd 2

04/11/2015 16:38:37

RAYMOND GUBBAY presents

Join the nation’s favourite ballroom couple when they return with a thrilling new show for 2016.

Featuring sensational new choreography, sparkling costumes and a sensational show band performing timeless music.

LULLABY OF BROADWAY NEW YORK NEW YORK BYE BYE BLACKBIRD NIGHT AND DAY FEVER JEALOUSY DOWNTOWN TOO DARN HOT Anton du Beke & Erin Boag Richard Balcombe conductor Lance Ellington star vocalist Six world class Ensemble Dancers Plus the full 25 piece London Concert Orchestra

Thursday 18 February 7.30pm

ST DAVID’S HALL, CARDIFF

Box Office 029 2087 8444 SEATS AVAILABLE FROM

stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk

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Calls will cost 7ppm plus your network access charge.

(24hrs/bkg fees apply)

0844 847 2319 BUZZ 25

profile

CAROLINE FINN Choreographer and Artistic Director of National Dance Company Wales, Caroline Finn, speaks with Luke Owain Boult about their Folk tour, and the creative process behind dance.

C

ould you tell us a little bit about Folk, the dance piece you choreographed?

My initial idea was to make a piece about social dynamics and how people interact with each other. What makes people become part of a group; what differs people from the group; how people behave when they’re with people or alone, and how people can manipulate each other. I wanted to create a little world where these stories can play out, and where people can observe the dynamics and interactions.

So how do you go about doing this?

When I was away for Christmas, I gave the dancers tasks to work on to generate a bit of movement themselves. It’s important that the language of the piece is in combination with my physicality but also with their input.

I asked the dancers if they could identify with one particular character on 17th and 18th century oil paintings. From that we imagined if that character was to move, how might they move? So each dancer generated a little solo based on the physicality of the character. I’ve also been giving them tasks focusing on manipulation – how you can physically manipulate someone without even making physical contact with them.

How does the score come about?

That’s something that really varies. For Folk, there were a couple of pieces of music that I’d heard already before, and I’d generated ideas, pictures and images in my head. I knew that’s what I wanted. But then there are certain sections where I know the ambiance I want to create, and I actively search for people that fit.

What’s the most challenging issue facing dance?

It’s key to get people active and ready. Especially with the younger generation, people sometimes think ‘oh, I didn’t realise that could be fun’. People often think it’s

BUZZ 26

going to be serious and elitist – which it can be.

I think it has a lot to do with where we place ourselves.

For example we often do ‘pop ups’ where we’ll go to a city and travel to the town square. Almost like a flashmob, but dancers enter the space and start doing an extract of a repertoire; we’ll be on hand there with fliers, and it gives people a taster of what they can expect. We make it clear with this tour that it’s diverse.

We really feel that there’s something for everybody.

You have three pieces in the Folk tour. We know one of them is Folk – tell us about the other two.

The other two are Tuplet by Alexander Ekman and A Mighty Wind by Jeroen Verbruggen, and they’re just completely contrasting. Tuplet is this beautiful projection of the dancers making a lot of sounds with their voices and bodies, so it’s not exactly a narrative piece, but it’s incredibly witty. A Mighty Wind is like a big rock ballet. There’s a lot of energy, and a lot of fun.

Do you remember the first time you fell in love with dance?

I was really young – I started when I was three. I did ballet, tap, and jazz and suddenly there was a sort of lightbulb moment aged 11, when I realised that I wanted to be a dancer. Strangely, I’d actually suffered a lot, very young, with depression. So that moment when I was 11 was when the clouds just lifted.

National Dance Company Wales Spring Tour: Folk, Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea, Thu 4 + Fri 5 Feb. Tickets: £10-£14. Info: www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk; Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, Thu 18 + Fri 19 Feb. Tickets: £15-£22. Info: www.shermancymru. co.uk

Spring Season | Tymor Gwanwyn 2016

Figaro forever

The Barber of Seville Rossini

The Marriage of Figaro Mozart

Figaro Gets a Divorce Elena Langer World première | Première byd

13, 17, 19, 23 & 25 February | Chwefror 7.15pm

18, 20, 24 & 26 February | Chwefror 7pm

The time is WNO. Book now.

Mae’n amser WNO. Archebwch nawr.

21 February | Chwefror 4pm 27 February | Chwefror 7.15pm

029 2063 6464 wmc.org.uk

wno.org.uk/figaroforever Registered Charity No | Rhif Elusen Gofrestredig 221538

‘Lunch at Mussolini’s’: Ethel Ross and Dylan Thomas Open Daily, 10am – 4.30pm until 3 April Temporary exhibition featuring a series of photographs of Dylan’s Swansea

by Ethel Ross captioned with appropriate quotes from his work. Also featuring Dylan’s typescript for his sketch, ‘Lunch at Mussolini’s’.

‘Lunch at Mussolini’s’: Ethel Ross a Dylan Thomas Ar Agor Bob Dydd, 10am – 4.30pm tan 3 Ebrill Arddangosfa dros dro sy’n cynnwys cyfres o luniau o Abertawe Dylan gan Ethel Ross wedi’u hegluro trwy ddyfyniadau priodol o’i waith. Hefyd yn cynnwys teipysgrif Dylan ar gyfer ei sgetsh, ‘Lunch at Mussolini’s’.

(01792 463980 www.dylanthomas.com BUZZ 27

film

by Keiron Self

DEADPOOL ****

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES ***

Dir: Tim Miller (15, 100 mins) Ryan Reynolds gets another crack at the anarchic, fourth wall-breaking, merc with a mouth in the darkest and hopefully funniest Marvel superhero adaptation yet.

Reynolds played the wisecracking mutant in Wolverine and X Men Origins, but was hamstrung by the rubbish script and the fact that Deadpool once transformed from the small eyed Reynolds couldn’t actually speak. Fans were outraged. This time it’s apparently being done right. Created after he submitted himself to Weapon X treatment in a bid to cure his terminal cancer, Deadpool is now an amoral loner, dead hard and able to talk about to the audience about himself as a superhero with no qualms – you know, like Miranda. Anyhoo, after finding out that his girlfriend, Morena Baccarin is now being courted by the author of his pain, played by Ed Skrein, he is out to get him dealing with the likes of Gina Carano’s Angel Dust and the X Men’s Colossus along the way. Not stinting on the gore or the curse words, Deadpool should be a superhero movie like no other and will no doubt please its spandex-obsessed fan base with its offbeat, snarky tone.

Opens Feb 4

Dir: Burr Steers (12A, 109 mins) Jane Austen meets the undead in this CGI 12A blood-soaked take on Seth Gordon Greene’s literary/zombie/martial arts mash up. Lily James is Lizzie Bennet, whose love story with Sam Riley’s Mr Darcy has the added complication of dealing with the dead rising from the grave. Also, she is basically a ninja and he’s a stone cold killer. For 70 years after a plague, the rich have retreated to their country mansions, only venturing out occasionally to do battle with the zombie hoards whilst still taking tea and arranging marriages. The Bennet family is made up of several sisters, all dispatched to Japan to learn the fighting arts; Suki Waterhouse, Bella Heathcote, Millie Brady and James each have their own weapons and fighting styles to take down the masses. Aided and abetted by Lena Headey’s eyepatch-sporting super warrioress Lady Catherine De Bourgh, and with a supporting cast that includes Matt Smith, Charles Dance and Sally Phillips, this will either be a hoot or a misfire. Played with a straight face, as director Steers insists, this could introduce a whole new generation to Austen, sort of.

Opens Feb 12

THE FINEST HOURS ****

POINT BREAK **

GRIMSBY ***

Dir: Craig Gillespie (12A, 132 mins) A heroic sea rescue forms the backdrop to this extraordinary real-life tale of derring-do, as a plucky coastguard and his crew save the men of an oil tanker, split in half, in one of Cape Cod’s worst storms back in 1952. Captain Kirk himself, Chris Pine, is the reluctant hero putting himself in harm’s way to try and save 41 men, amongst them Casey Affleck, as waves smash into them. A Perfect Storm with an upbeat ending, this is old-fashioned adventure writ large. Under Gillespie’s direction, the CGI waves do not swamp the human story; Pine, as ever, is good at doing human heroics, ably supported by a bolshy Eric Bana who sends him out in a blizzard to try and save the men, much against girlfriend Holliday Grainger’s wishes.

Gripping and tense, this is a thoroughly enjoyable and well-executed adventure.

Opens Feb 19

Dir: Ericson Core (12A, 114 mins) Why would anyone remake the cheesy action classic Point Break? The Keanu Reeves/Patrick Swayze homoerotic thriller directed at breakneck pace by Kathryn Bigelow is fine as it is. This retread has extreme sports stunts with none of the likeable camaraderie and sheer nonsense that made the original a camp adrenaline-fuelled classic – see Hot Fuzz. The Robin Hood aspect of the original has been expanded, Edgar Ramirez’ philosophical criminal Bodhi now has a geo-political mission to rob corrupt financial institutions, which hothead FBI agent Johnny Utah, a bland Luke Bracey, has to infiltrate. Stunts are well staged but there’s no tension or interest in the characters for chase sequences to have any impact, leaving the film feeling like an advert for Red Bull and in no way as ‘young, dumb and full of come’ as the original.

Opens Feb 12

Dir: Louis Leterrier (15, 100 mins) After the highs of Borat and Bruno and the so-so The Dictator, Sacha Baron Cohen is back in Grimsby. He is Nobby, the football hooligan brother of superspy Mark Strong, whose assassination attempt on Penelope Cruz’s evil villain he spoils by giving his long-lost sibling a wedgie. Cohen, eager to make amends, takes him home to Grimsby, which will not be thanking Cohen for its portrayal of the Northern town.

Full of beer-guzzling imbeciles, and with Rebel Wilson as his Northern wife, Strong is full of revulsion for his little brother. Having to lie low, Strong has to enlist his brother’s help in bringing down a terrorist plot with culture clash results. Bringing relatively little to the spy pastiche genre, there are moments of hilarity, but some jokes feel dated or crude. Leterrier adds bang and bluster including a POV action sequence, but it all feels a little stale. Opens Feb 24

ALSO RELEASED FEB 2016: GOOSEBUMPS (PG) Jack Black stars in this CGI-heavy adaptation of the successful kids' books. Not scary or particularly funny, unfortunately. ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS – THE ROAD CHIP (PG) Sped up voices... aren’t they great? Amazingly they’ve made another film with them! Woo hoo. Nuts. THE GREEN INFERNO (18) Cannibal horrificness from Hostel director Eli Roth. Yuck and yuck. JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS (PG) The least profitable film in the USA last year, as a singing sensation moves from her small town to global stardom. Meh. BASTILLE DAY (12A) Idris Elba stars in this thriller as a CIA agent on an anti-terror mission in France. BONE TOMAHAWK (18) Disturbing Western starring Kurt Russell, as four men try to save captives from a cannibalistic tribe. Very icky and very

TRUMBO ****

ZOOLANDER 2 ****

Dir: Jay Roach (15, 124 mins) Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston is on superb form in this solid biopic about a dark time in Hollywood history – the blacklist of the 1940s and 50s. Cranston plays Dalton Trumbo, a workaholic who became one of the highest paid writers of the 30s and 40s. In the wake of the rise of Communism, the Cold War and America’s paranoia about the Red Menace, Trumbo found himself persecuted and imprisoned along with many other entertainment figures for their left leaning political beliefs.

Chief among his persecutors are John Wayne and Helen Mirren’s viper like gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. Driven underground, Trumbo is forced to write B-movies and pen such classics as Roman Holiday, The Brave One and Spartacus under a pseudonym. The land of the free was far from it, as entertainment figures turned on each other, providing names of communist sympathisers in their midst to preserve their own careers. Jay Roach’s snapshot of the era is unflashy, allowing great supporting performances from Louis CK, John Goodman and Michael Stuhlberg as well as pressing a relevant political point home with Cranston excellent as the speechifying, talented and driven Trumbo. Opens Feb 5

Dir: Ben Stiller (12A, 100 mins) The ridiculously good-looking Derek Zoolander is back with his trademark ‘Blue Steel’ look to take the modelling world by storm once more in another slice of fashion-fuelled insanity, 15 years after its original. A flop on its initial release, its cult following ensured, like Anchorman, that a sequel would eventually materialise. Ben Stiller returns as the model, now way past his sell by date who is struggling to make a living along with Owen Wilson’s Hans. They are now old and lame, but Interpol agent Penelope Cruz enlists them to help her, models are being assassinated, including a game Justin Bieber, all dying with Zoolander’s signature look. The world of high fashion must be infiltrated to find out the perpetrator, with slapstick and silly faces along the way, eventually leading them to arch enemy Mugatu, again played by Will Ferrell. Like Anchorman 2, this is more of the same with Kristen Wiig and Benedict Cumberbatch joining the fun as a plastic surgery addled star and transgender sensation respectively. Inevitably there are some improvised gags that fall flat, but this globetrotting sequel doesn't wear out its welcome. Opens Feb 12

DAD’S ARMY ***

CONCUSSION ***

A BIGGER SPLASH ***

Dir: Oliver Parker (12A, 100 mins) The 1970s sitcom about a hapless Home Guard during World War II is a mainstay of BBC2 comedy repeats, and now it’s getting a do-over, but can such icons be re-imagined? Perhaps. Toby Jones seems perfect as the pompous Captain Mainwaring, formerly played

by Arthur Lowe, as does Bill Nighy as suave John Le Mesurier’s Sgt. Wilson with Michael Gambon, Tom Courtenay and Blake Harrison also called up. Plotwise, a Nazi spy is at work amidst the Home Counties and has to be stopped as D-Day approaches, are the Home Guard up to it? Catherine Zeta Jones pops up as a glamorous journalist and the wives of the Guard, absent from the sitcom, are played by great actresses like Annette Crosbie and Felicity Montagu. So, this may charm rather than confound. Who do you think you’re kidding Mr Hitler?

Opens Feb 5

Dir: Peter Landesman (12A, 123mins) Based on fact, Will Smith plays crusading autopsy doctor Bennet Omalu, with a solid Nigerian accent, in this worthy but flawed tale of Omalu's controversial study of concussions in American football. When a former NFL star ends up on his mortuary slab after suffering from depression, memory loss, mood swings and finally left homeless, Smith runs tests on his brain, discovering a neurological disease similar to Alzheimers – chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE. He believes the head-on collisions in American football are to blame; the NFL refute it but more players start succumbing to the condition. The film struggles to balance this meaty plotline with a less successful love story; Gugu Mbatha-Raw does what she can with the thankless part of Smith’s wife, and the drama is not scathing enough for such an alarming tale of sport, injury and money. Opens Feb 12

A languid drama of sexual tension and a sideswipe at the plight of migrants, A Bigger Splash boats an annoyingly exuberant performance from Ralph Fiennes as a record-producing whirligig, who does some truly excruciating dancing. Fiennes shows up at the Italian retreat of Tilda Swinton’s unlikely Bowie-esque rock star, with his recently discovered daughter, 50 Shades’ Dakota Johnson, in tow. A miscast Swinton, a rockstar who has lost her voice, is living with photographer Matthias Schoenarts. Fiennes and her split up years ago, but they still carry a candle for each other. Sexual intrigue and flirtation dominate but with little actual interest. Johnson plays the ingénue well, tempting Schoenaerts and eventually events take a tragic turn.

A Bigger Splash never ignites, remaining rather damp and limp despite the cast’s best efforts. No Cannonball! Opens Feb 12

Dir: Luca Guadagnino (15, 120 mins)

tense. FIFTY SHADES OF BLACK (15) Fifty Shades Of Grey gets its parody movie and it’s as bad as you’d think. FREEHELD (12A) Julianne Moore stars in this true life tale as a police officer trying to make sure her partner, played by Ellen Page, has her pension after she is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Changed the law. Worthy. HOW TO BE SINGLE (15) Raunchy comedy as Dakota Johnson tries to find love with the help of friends like Rebel Wilson and some cussing. TRIPLE NINE (15) A gang of criminals and dodgy cops plan to kill a police officer in order to pull off a major heist. Great ensemble cast includes Gal Gadot, Kate Winslet, Aaron Paul, Woody Harrelson and more. THE FOREST (12A) Game Of Thrones' Natalie Dormer gets spooky in this Japanese wood-set horror. Occasionally scary.

food/drink

BARLEY & RYE Anyone looking for a great deal when it comes to great food should cast their gaze to the new bier bar and kitchen, Barley & Rye, which joined Cardiff on Greyfriars Road in January. The restaurant offer a large range of food options and promise to find the perfect beer for every meal, offering over 80 kinds of beer from around the world.

If that isn’t good enough, ask about the speciality whiskeys on offer. The restaurant offers decent prices for their meals and is open from 1.30pm to midnight, seven days a week.

Barley & Rye, Greyfriars Road, Cardiff.

Info: 029 2034 5051 / www.barleyrye.com

pic Hedvigs pic Chris Barber

FIRE FESTIVAL

pic Martin

PANCAKE DAY / DYDD MAWRTH CREMPOG

Beer, good food, music and art to add that little extra bit of culture to the night... there's every reason to look forward to the Celtic Experience Fire Festival this month. Taking place in Caerphilly, this event kicks off at 7pm and goes on to 1am, delivering unique craft beers, live brewing by Welsh rock legends Super Furry Animals, southern style BBQ food by Hang Fire Smokehouse and a fire display at midnight, there won’t be a dull moment. No need to worry about travel either, coaches from Cardiff Central to the brewery are provided at no extra cost after purchasing tickets!

Fire Festival, The Celt Experience Brewery, Caerphilly, Sat 6 Feb. Tickets: £10. Info: www.celtexperience.com

Chelsea Brownhill takes a look at the places to be for pancakes in Cardiff.

FINE DINING WITH ROUSE RENGERT CUISINE

If Valentine’s Day really isn’t your thing and the only part you look forward to is the discount chocolates after the dreaded day has passed, you’ll be ecstatic to know that Pancake Day – Dydd Mawrth Crempog in Welsh – arrives on Tue 9 Feb this year to sweeten the blow.

Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday, is a traditional feast day before the start of Lent.

However, it isn’t a law that you have to participate in Lent in order to eat the pancakes (we won’t tell anyone). It always falls 47 days before Easter, when instead of pancakes, you can then stuff your face with chocolate. So many tasty days lie ahead.

Why not also try our own Welsh version of a pancake, the crempog? It’s thicker, slightly risen and cooked on a griddle. If the Welsh cake is anything to go by, you need to get yourself a crempog this Shrove Tuesday. It’s patriotic, after all – well, that’s how I’m justifying it. If you don’t fancy whipping up a batch of your own homemade pancakes, Cardiff provides many scrumptious solutions.

If the sound of a crempog tickles your tastebuds,

the Seasons Boutique Café can answer your dreams. With a savoury twist, they serve traditional Welsh crempog filled with leeks and mushroom in a creamy cheese sauce, topped with grilled collier’s cheese and served with pan-fried potatoes and leek, ideal for a Shrove Tuesday lunch.

If American-style pancakes are the ones that tickle your fancy, Thé Pot, found on Crwys Road, boasts some of the very best pancakes around. In this cosy independent business you can indulge in pancakes, streaky bacon, maple syrup and free range scrambled egg. Sounds delicious, I know.

So celebrate your pancake day in style by visiting these wonderful places to gorge yourself on pancakes. Especially if you don’t have much on for Valentine’s Day... it’s cultural, after all.

Specialising in providing Michelin star-standard food at home or private events, Rouse Rengert Cuisine are making their way to The Gate in Cardiff for a Valentine’s surprise on Sat 13 Feb. Charles Rouse has worked some of the greatest chefs around, including Heston Blumenthal and Michael Caines.

Rather than join the rush for the usual fancy-pants restaurants this Valentine’s Day, why not make your way down to The Gate for a truly special evening of fine dining? With a five course menu on offer, dubbed ‘Molecular Madness’ (which sounds like it could be an early Pink Floyd record), this is a Valentine’s date with a difference.

Seasons Boutique Café, Castle Arcade, Cardiff. Info: 07731 489728 Thé Pot, 138 Crwys Road, Cardiff. Info: 029 2025 1246

Fine Dining On Valentine’s Day, The Gate, Cardiff, Sat 13 Feb. Tickets: £49. Info: 0800 023 55 23

BUZZ 30

Places to eat alone in Cardiff :( Eating out alone can be a daunting prospect, but with a spring in your step and our handy guide in your pocket, the loneliness becomes a tad less crippling! Pro tip: keep looking at your phone. People will assume you’re texting friends about your many upcoming dates and not doing Buzzfeed quizzes.

WAHACA Home to a vibrant atmosphere which is paralleled by the helpful waiting staff. Rather than making you feel alone, they will make you feel part of a group, and like you don’t isolate you whilst enjoying a meal on your own. Plus there’s tequila. You’re going to need it.

The Hayes, Cardiff.

Info: 029 2064 4449 / www.wahaca.co.uk

10 FEET TALL This restaurant and cocktail bar is a great place to chill out and share a drink with a partner or friends, but if you don’t have any, then at least people will think you’re cool.

With a lively atmosphere and regular gigs you can unwind and join in the fun, or put on a brave face and pretend you’re a real person.

11a-12 Church Street, Cardiff.

Info: 029 2022 8883 / www.10feettall.co.uk

pic Stu Spivac

pic Guian Bolisay

TOP FIVE

Flank Steak

with Dark Fig Sauce Words MICHAEL BELL www.mikeyandthekitchen.wordpress.com @mikeyandthekitchen Valentine’s date night can be a rather neglected affair for some couples. While a date night in expensive restaurants with tablecloths and chandeliers is obviously lovely, the beauty of a home-based date night with real food cannot be denied by foodies. Steak says sexy to me, and there is no allure better than culinary sex appeal when it comes to a romantic date night.

INGREDIENTS 400g flank steak (or skirt steak) 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil & 2 cloves of garlic (for marinade) 5g unsalted butter 300g figs ½ cup of red wine 1 tbs balsamic vinegar 1 tbs runny honey pinch of dried thyme salt and pepper

JUNO LOUNGE

METHOD

For those of you who want a more chilled-out vibe, Juno Lounge in Roath provides a warm, friendly environment that kindles the cockles of your cold, cold heart. Juno Lounge is one of the more striking places to eat in Roath, with cosy sofas, candlelit tables and black and white photographs creating that vintage feel. Trick people into thinking you’re a poet.

14 Wellfield Road, Cardiff.

Info: 029 2019 8990 / www.thelounges.co.uk

1. Marinate your flank steak overnight in a zip lock bag containing the extra virgin olive oil and some bruised garlic.

MILGI Situated on City Road, Milgi provide an all-vegetarian menu ranging from beerbattered halloumi to butternut squash burgers. Whilst the restaurant may seem slightly eccentric on the interior, this only contributes to the community feel and warm vibes that perpetuate through the course of your time spent there.

213 City Road, Cardiff.

Info: 029 2047 3150 / www.milgicardiff.com

FIVE GUYS If these haven’t worked, you might as well just give up and shamelessly eat a huge burger, and where else for a shamelessly huge burger than Five Guys? If this doesn’t make you feel better, then perhaps a bacon milkshake will help. This is a diner with no pretention, for when there’s no just no point trying anymore, and it’s glorious.

The Old Brewery Quarter, St Mary Street, Cardiff Info: 029 2022 1799 / www.fiveguys.co.uk

2. In a blender, blitz the figs, red wine, balsamic vinegar, honey, thyme, salt and black pepper.

3. In a shallow saucepan, melt the butter before adding the fig sauce and cook on a low heat for 30 minutes.

4. For the steak, heat a griddle (or a saucepan with a small amount of flavourless oil) and once hot, place your steak cuts onto its piping hot surface and cook to just slightly under your preference.

5. Remove from the griddle or pan and place in a foil parcel, tightly curling the edges together so that it cooks further in its own heat.

6. Once the sauce has simmered for 30 minutes, remove from the heat and allow to stand for 10 minutes to cool.

7. Place the steak cuts on to a plate and cover with the fig sauce and serve with some chips, green beans or any steak accompaniments you prefer.

BUZZ 31

food/drink

Valentines’s Day Survival Guide

pic Nadia Morgan

Panicking as the realisation hits that you're cardless and presentless at 11pm on 13 Feb. Buying the last bunch of £10 decapitated flowers from the supermarkets; booking that final restaurant reservation.

Whether this is you, or not, George Caulton has picked some hit locations for Valentine’s weekend.

29 PARK PLACE Situated opposite the National Museum, newcomer 29 Park Place offers a reasonably priced, chilled-out atmosphere, with a classy twist. Young or old, 29 Park Place provides that typical romantic allure (with a fantastic deal of £3 mojitos on Tuesdays). If mismatching chairs and menus in vinyl covers sounds like your kind of thing, then 29 Park Place is the place for your romantic endeavours.

29 Park Place, Cardiff.

Info: 029 2039 7842 / www.29parkplace.com

GIOVANNI’S

CELTIC MANOR

Whether it’s a pre-theatre meal or just a show of appreciation for those favourite, authentic Italian foods, Giovanni’s provides the perfect environment to pop open a bottle of bubbly and sit back in this lovable family-run restaurant.

Plus, there’s plenty of pictures of celebrities on the wall to look at if the spark has gone while you tell yourself that because you’re in an Italian restaurant, maybe they’re still interested.

38 The Hayes, Cardiff.

Info: 029 2022 0077 / www.giovanniscardiff. co.uk

Boasting a range of restaurants, the Celtic Manor Resort is a five-star hotel with an array of ostentatious eateries and bars ranging from Celtic cocktails to five-course meals. Whilst it may not be secluded away from the M4, the décor and ambiance allows for an unforgettable experience.

At least the M4 allows for a speedy getaway if you decide to leave your partner.

Coldra Woods, Newport.

Info: 01633 413000 / www.celtic-manor.com

COSY CLUB

Tucked away behind an unassuming oak door hides one of Cardiff’s treasures. The Potted Pig has been claimed as being “a gift to the city” and a “jewel” due to its quality of food. Offering copious amounts of meat (including pigeon and rabbit) and substantial amounts of gin, the Potted Pig is the perfect place for you and your significant other. Plus, if they’re not used to the taste of pigeon, you could poison it and claim that it’s supposed to have an almondy aftertaste. That’ll teach them to not do the washing up.

27 St Mary Street, Cardiff.

Info: 029 2022 4817 / www.thepottedpig.com

This cosy (hehe) restaurant provides a variety of different Spanish, and more traditional, cuisines to get your tastebuds tingling. Cosy Club caters for all: meat eaters, vegetarians and people who are lactose intolerant (with their own special gluten-free menu). Whether you simply want a laid back drink on the cosy (hehe) sofas, or a sitdown candlelit meal, Cosy Club provides a certain ambiance that is simply like no other.

1 Hills Street, Cardiff.

Info: 029 2022 5998 / www.cosyclub.co.uk BUZZ 32

POTTED PIG

FEBRUARY

FOODIE FOCUS words JANE COOK www.hungrycityhippy.co.uk For the rest of 2016, DEPOT Cardiff will host the Street Food Social every Saturday night, bringing an end to any confusion about the warehouse venue’s open dates and times.

The traders will change regularly, but February looks to be a strong month with Burger Theory, Slow Pig and Big Fish Little Fish all making appearances – check their individual Twitter feeds for clues about their menus.

Down on Greyfriars Road, the new Barley & Rye ‘bier bar’ and kitchen has recently opened, serving over 80 beers from 20 countries worldwide, as well as a range of speciality whiskeys. The menu is a classy affair, and they have created many of the dishes to specifically match with their extensive beer selection, so ask for recommendations about what to drink.

On Thurs 4 Feb, the Brother Thai pop-up comes to craft beer bar BrewDog, dishing up their authentic brand of Thai street food from 6pm until they sell out. Meanwhile, on Sun 7 Feb, the Penylan Pantry are hosting a quiz night, will all proceeds going towards the Welsh Refugee Council. Their pop-up bar will be stocked with local craft beer, organic wine, and soft drinks – and there’ll be a winter stew and chunky bread available to buy on the night.

The Herbivore vegan supper club is planning a pre-Valentine’s pop-up at The Embassy Cafe in Cathays Community Centre on Sat 13 Feb, promising five courses of creative cuisine with a middle-eastern edge in the middle east of Cardiff. Visit theherbivore.co.uk for details on how to book, and don’t forget to BYOB. On Sun 21 Feb, head to the Chapter Caffi Bar for their monthly, melodic acoustic jazz session with the Chapter Four Jazz Quarter, which starts at 9pm.

food/drink

BAR 44

Westgate Street, Cardiff. 029 2009 0444 / www.bar44.co.uk/cardiff Food **** Atmosphere **** Bar 44 are an ambitious micro-chain, this much is obvious. Their ‘tapas y copas’ restaurants now number three: when the Cardiff branch opened last summer, it followed Bar 44 Penarth (founded in 2013) and Cowbridge (dating back to 2002). You get the feeling there’ll be more to follow. It seems they have ice cream dreams, too: our vivacious server claims they’re trying to sell their salted almond caramel ice cream recipe to a company with deep pockets. I don’t blame them: it's absolutely stunning.

That was the denouement, though, and our food this evening was so consistently great it warrants beginning at the beginning. Even if, in understood tapas style, our manoeuvring through the dishes was somewhat ramshackle. Huge, meaty Gordal olives and sourdough with splendid tomatoes and bucolic slices of jamon stoked the gustatory fires. The first de facto tapas to arrive is Monte Nebro, a goat’s cheese aged for 30 days and replete with a penicillin rind – which sounds vaguely daunting, if healthy, but gives it a blue cheese-like flavour of matchless depth.

The raves keep coming: pickled mackerel flirts with sweet and sour receptors alike and comes with escabeche that’s almost like a deconstructed chutney. Morcilla (black pudding) is dense, rich and smoky as Laphroaig and is paired with a hen’s egg whose white tastes like custard. Lamb neck with beef and pork chistorra (sausages) deliver a comparable dose of the meat hits. A single, sizeable, not easily shareable but reportedly superb sea bass fillet perches on a cylinder of Russian salad. And calçots – Catalan spring onions the size of leeks – are baked and charred, eaten with fingers and water bowls, although three of these Triffids is overkill.

In addition to the sainted salted caramel concoction, a ‘Spanglish trifle’ is brought out for dessert.

Once I’ve finished invoking the ghost of Percy Thrower and dug through the ridiculously deep chocolate topsoil, it’s good, especially a jelly that tastes tangibly of the hedgerow. All that and a very decent bottle of viñas del vero house red comes to £70 for two. It’s absolutely worth treating yourself, as Bar 44’s output is a country mile beyond generic tapas, (micro)chain or not. NOEL GARDNER

pic Calgary Reviews

HAPPY GATHERING

233 Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff 029 2039 7531 / www.happygatheringcardiff.co.uk Food: *** Atmosphere: *** “Are you sure?” said the waiter. These are words that do little to comfort someone eating in your restaurant. I somewhat expected my order of fried pig’s intestine with salt, chilli and pepper to be met with open arms. I had dreams of being given a badge of honour saying ‘bravest little diner’, and my picture being displayed on a wall commemorating other brave diners. Perhaps a discount. No. I was greeted with “Are you sure?” Suddenly I wasn’t so sure.

Cowbridge Road East’s Happy Gathering is consistently mentioned by foodies as one of Cardiff’s top Chinese eateries, serving up a mix of meals for the Western palate, dim sum, and what I now refer to as “are you sure” traditional dishes.

Serving impressively quickly for a busy restaurant, our orders soon arrived.

Sizzling sliced chicken in satay sauce, deep-fried dumplings, crispy noodles with shredded pork, and – of course – fried pig’s intestine with salt, chilli and pepper.

I dultifully started with the intestine. While the use of spices was beautiful, I can’t say too much for the texture of intestine, which tastes somewhat like a meaty tyre.

A confusingly tasty meaty tyre. The dumplings and crispy noodles with shredded pork were better, with a delightfully hedonistic overload of garlic. The highlight of the evening was the chicken satay, which got the difficult spice balance right.

Although the meal satisfied, and the restaurant offers a good range of food at a good price, Happy Gathering is little different to many other Chinese restaurants in the city – if still a serviceable place to go for Chinese New Year.

LUKE OWAIN BOULT

pic Martin Krolikowski

PREZZO

16 Windsor Road, Penarth 029 2071 0980 / www.prezzorestaurants.co.uk Food ** Atmosphere *** After the joys of the festive period and the thought of a miserable January looming, a midweek dinner with a 2-for-1 offer was somewhat appealing. Most restaurants are offering deals throughout January to drum up business, and Prezzo is no different. Download a taste card (£1 for three months) and you’re ready to go.

After a steep aperitif (a pint of Peroni plus a gin and tonic for £10.75), we sat in the Habitat home-style window, waiting for friends to arrive. Our over-exuberant waiter, who was in fairness very friendly, explained how ‘the offers’ work. I suppose, in hindsight, a 2-for-1 is not going to be the best. The convoluted rationale concerning what was in the offer and what was not proved quite a chore; after whittling down the options of not many, I had chicken carbonara and the ginger had Il Carltoni calzone: pepperoni, seasoned chicken, pancetta, peppers, pomodoro sauce and cheese, in what is effectively a folded-over Italian pie. My dining partner failed to find any filling until approximately four inches in. My chicken carbonara was pleasant, if lukewarm.

I left unsure if Prezzo’s slogan “Journey to the heart of Italy”, and the offer to join them on a culinary venture to the far corners of that nation is apt, or even true. Still, the January special offer meant – thankfully – a bill of around £45-£50, including wine, was only £26, or £36 if including the aperitif. Either way, for authentic Italian I’ll be going to Tony’s around the corner in Penarth, or Cardiff’s or Cafe Minuet for a slipper.

ANTONIA LEVAY BUZZ 33

art

ROSE WYLIE: TILT THE HORIZONTAL INTO A SLANT Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff Sat 13 Feb-Sun 29 May Eighty-year-old British artist Rose Wylie, highly praised in the art world and indeed one of Buzz's 'ones to watch' for 2016, is showcased at the Chapter Gallery from this month. Often working from memory and running from pure inspiration rather than planning ahead, Wylie’s work is often bold, chaotic and definitely eye catching. Choosing to favour spontaneity, her art often wanders as a train of thought that gets lost along the way and doesn’t seem to end.

Wylie represented Great Britain in a 2010 exhibition, Women To Watch – shown in 2010 at Washington DC's National Museum Of Women In The Arts – and has received many awards, such as the Charles Wollaston Award for ‘most distinguishable work’ and the John Moores Painting Prize in 2014. Currently living in her Kent cottage after the passing of her husband, she throws herself into work and shows no sign of slowing down in her ninth decade.

Her art style is divisive: some claiming it holds unspoken genius in its bright rashness while others scorn her childlike, naive approach (Brian Sewell, perhaps unsurprisingly, was a notable critic in the latter camp). It’s a 50-50 split between calling her style gallery-worthy and fridge-worthy. However, the fact that there are people out there who see something in her work that others don’t speaks wonders. After all, isn’t that what art’s about? Rose Wylie is a curious woman who creates curious work, and even if you don’t like her style, you have to admire her drive and passion.

Admission: free. Info: 029 2030 4400 / www.chapter.org AMY WIGGINS

SEAN VICARY: MYSTERIUM TREMENDUM ET FASCINANS

Elysium Gallery, Swansea Fri 12 Feb-Sat 12 Mar This exhibition brings together a range of west Wales artist Sean Vicary’s practices, displaying recent and previously unseen work. The title is the integral theme of the exhibition and is defined as a mystery before which man both trembles and is fascinated; both being repelled and attracted by something. The exhibition asks the onlooker to take a voyage into an intense world of observation and devastation through the two-layered animations, and experience the sublime.

After studying painting, Vicary became increasingly fascinated by animation, and so encompassed himself with emerging animation technologies whilst cultivating his painting/printmaking skills. This amalgamation of techniques has led to his work being exhibited worldwide and achieving the Ivor Davies Award at the 2015 Eisteddfod. In the piece Taxonomy, the themes of the triumphs of a colonial empire are explored by using large-scale animations that use the work of the Victorian naturalist Edmund Selous as a metaphor to explore humanity, data collection, and industrialised violence. Also on display is Ascension Ceiling, which explores the viewpoint of drone operators and was inspired by Baroque paintings.

Come and visit this daring exhibit and feel the rush of conflicting emotions.

Admission: free. Info: www. elysiumgallery.com (CB)

BUZZ 34

ANTHONY RHYS: NOTORIOUS – THE DARK SIDE OF VICTORIAN CARMARTHEN

Oriel Myrddin, Carmarthen Until Sat 12 Mar Imagine if the only thing about you that survived time was the worst thing you ever did.

The life of the poor, the drunk, and the cruel, captured and kept alive forever while the other parts of their lives disappeared.

Notorious is an exhibition of portraits of criminals identified from the historical Felon’s Register and other historical sources in Carmarthen. Carmarthen was a rough and tough old town. Back in the day, sailors, drunks, and prostitutes would fight police officers in the streets and lanes.

Often overseen by corrupt and intimidated officials, the gaols and courts were full of victims and perpetrators of heavy Friday nights. Dark and reckless were the actions of many inhabitants of old Carmarthen.

Anthony Rhys has recreated the lives of these people with his paintings. Their histories now expanded past the official reports showing the hidden lives and explicit stories. In his portraits Anthony has captured the criminals fleeting moments of true feeling; whether that is despair, frustration or fear.

This exhibition shows that things back then may not have been so different after all.

Here’s looking at you, St Mary Street during the Six Nations.

Admission: free. Info: 01267 222775 / www.orielmyrddingallery.co.uk (MM)

CLARE WOODS: A TREE A ROCK A CLOUD

Oriel Y Parc, St Davids, Pembrokeshire Until Sun 6 Mar A Tree A Rock A Cloud is an on-going exhibition that has been showcased in Oriel Y Parc Gallery & Visitor Centre since 2014, and now features new work by the acclaimed Clare Woods. As her first large-scale solo exhibition in Wales, A Tree... signifies an essential moment in the artist’s practice and brings together work that considers the traditional subjects of landscape, still life and portraiture. The new exhibit will be displayed alongside three key works taken from the National Museum Wales, as well as work from John Piper and Graham Sutherland. The three works from the National Museum, selected especially

by Woods, are The Rabbit by Edouard Manet (1881), Frozen Pond by John Nash (1953) and the photograph Civilian Victim, Vietnam (1967) by Philip Jones Griffith. Her popular work is represented in many major collections and has been exhibited in Copenhagen, Leeds, London, Athens, Madrid and Berlin. This particular exhibition evolved out of an engagement with traditions of historic paintings and Woods’ paintings have quite often been discussed in relation to neo-Romanticism, due to her revival of interest in landscapes.

This beautiful exhibition is not one to be missed this year, demonstrating the beauty of nature in a naturally beautiful location.

Admission: free. Info: 01437 720392 / www.orielyparc.co.uk (CB)

MARTIN LLEWELLYN

Albany Gallery, Cardiff Thu 4-Wed 27 Feb Welsh artist Martin Llewellyn is making a name for himself with his contemporary art pieces. Born in Neath in 1963, Martin Llewellyn uses the Welsh landscape in his artwork, taking inspiration from the powerful coastline and the sensational scenery.

This month Llewellyn will be showcasing his work at Cardiff's Albany Gallery. Here you can see how his paintings are infused with the traditions of 20th century Welsh paintings. Connecting with artists such as Gwilym Prichard, Sir Kyffin Williams and Charles Wyatt Warren, Llewellyn has been strongly influenced both in terms of subject matter and technique.

Since Llewellyn has had exhibits across Wales and London, he has become a full-time painter; starting his career in early 2012. At the beginning of his career Llewellyn was a watercolour painter, however, in his recent years he has discovered the striking possibilities of working with a palette knife and oils.

Being a completely self-taught painter, Llewellyn’s stunning work has taken up a storm of interest. His richly textured oils in a subtle, muted palette beautifully capture the distinctive atmosphere of North Wales, whether depicting the drama of Snowdonia or the Irish Sea breaking against the shores of Anglesey.

Admission: free. Info: 029 2048 7158 / www.albanygallery.com (MM)

Buzz ad Ivor1 .qxp_Buzz Q page 20/10/2015 15:15 Page 1

FFRWYDRAD TAWEL Ifor Davies a Dinistr Creadigol SILENT EXPLOSION Ivor Davies and Destruction in Art Myn am ediad d Free dim entr y

14.11.15_ 20.03.16

Cefnogir y rhaglen gelf gyfoes gan Contemporary art programme supported by

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amgueddfacymru.ac.uk museumwales.ac.uk

• Willow weaving • Wood fired cookery • Photography • & much more...

Course & accommodation packages available

www.humblebynature.com Upper Meend Farm, penallt 01600 714595

THROB:FEELY Sue Williams 6 February - 4 March 2016 Tuesday - Saturday 12 - 5pm

stage

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW New Theatre, Cardiff Mon 8-Sat 13 Feb

“I'm just a sweet transvestite, from Transsexual Transylvania” – an intriguing alliteration from an intriguing Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is indeed an intriguing film. Turning Richard O’Brien’s story into an instant cult film, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is an iconic classic. Just as prevalent, energetic and absorbing though is the stage productions that prefigured the cult film.

Starting on the West End in 1973, the notoriety of Rocky Horror has only grown over the decades as it once more returns to Britain’s stages after a three-year absence. Providing a humorous tribute to the sci-fi and horror films of the 1940s and 1970s, the musical’s amalgamation of genres and aesthetics only enriches its ocular experience on stage, from the eccentricities of Frank-N-Furter to the convention attendees from planet Transsexual.

Though a cult production, the musical’s critical acclaim is evident from the success of its prior tours. Just like those midnight moviegoers of the 1970’s who flocked in moonlight to see the onscreen adaption, the stage production is just as infectious. Including the classics Time Warp and Damn It Janet, Rocky Horror is just as much a celebration as it is a musical exhibition.

Directed by Christopher Luscombe, who has also overseen classics like Little Shop Of Horrors and Spamalot, the musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple who encounter the mad transvestite scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter and his monstrous creation, Rocky Horror: an Adonis-like figure of blonde hair, muscles and a tan. The play also stars Diana Vickers as Janet, Ben Freeman as Brad, Paul Cattermole as Eddie/Dr Scott and Liam Tamne as Frank N Furter. With a bunch of Transylvanians dancing on stage and Frank-N-Furter attempting his seduction, will Brad and Janet ever leave his castle? Filled with wicked moments and enthralling vocals, Rocky Horror seems to always satisfy its timeless vocative as the ultimate musical.

Tickets: £16-£39. Info: 029 2087 8889 / www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk CONOR KNIGHT

HENRY VI

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay Mon 1-Sat 20 Feb Shakespeare’s plays have an infamous history for being morphed and corrupted to exploit their underlying identity politics, subverting quintessential plots to mirror contemporary issues of race and gender. Not known to shy away from such a challenge, Omidaze Productions return to the Wales Millennium Centre with a subversive twist on Henry VI. Following the critical success of their take on Richard III, which featured its allfemale cast, Omidaze Productions have continued their interrogation of gender roles in the gynocentric Henry VI. A three-part tale of conspiracy and treason, director Yvonne Murphy’s production will once again be female lead, documenting the rise and fall of King Henry and the intricate plotting surrounding his demise. Amid the political drama, the expectations of gender are interrogated, particularly in the figures of powerful women, who arguably fulfil the masculine role more than the king himself. An already interesting display of gender politics, the all female line up will cast new light on the supposed stereotypes of women, providing both an entertaining and informing spectacle.

Tickets: £12/£6 under-25s. Info: 029 2063 6464 / https://www.wmc.org.uk (CK) BUZZ 36

THE DEVIL INSIDE

Aberystwyth Arts Centre Tue 23 Feb, 7:30pm A new opera has emerged! The Devil Inside finds composer Stuart MacRae and novelist Louise Welsh teaming together once again for a gritty, glittery fairytale set in the 21st century. It's inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Bottle Imp, a story about a magical creature inside a bottle who grants your heart’s desire – at a price. The Devil Inside also contains many elements from another of Stevenson’s stories, the more well known The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde, which is of course about a scientist who tests his theory that each person has a good and evil side. He then forces these two sides to separate proving his theory, but he becomes addicted to his ‘evil’ side and cannot control it.

Stuart MacRae and Louise Welsh have had outstanding success already with their previous opera, Ghost Patrol, that they had created for Music Theatre Wales, being the winner of the South Bank Sky Arts Award while also being nominated for an Olivier. Here, director Matthew Richardson and conductor Michael Rafferty are joined by a hugely talented cast who pose the question – would you be able to turn down the opportunity to get your heart’s desire?

Tickets: £15/£14. Info: 01970 623232 / www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk (MM)

FAME

Grand Theatre, Swansea Thu 4-Sat 6 Feb Award-winning youth theatre group The Sir Harry Secombe Trust are performing Fame – The Musical this month. With ages ranging from six to 20, the non-profit group aim to help the youth of Swansea with their musical arts; with 120 pupils and a continuing waiting list, everyone wants to get into their production. This in-demand youth group have talent just waiting to be seen.

Celebrating their 14th year since the trust was founded, The Sir Harry Secombe Trust, with the charitable aim to help the youth of Wales advance in their preforming arts talents and desires, will be tackling Fame: the story of a diverse group of students from the Performing Arts on 46th Street, who have their lives followed as they embark on their fouryear journey of academic life and artistic work. The musical is filled with humour and insight, dealing with issues that the youth of today still deal with: prejudice, identity, self-worth, literacy, sexuality, substance abuse and perseverance. Fame is a powerful musical with heart-rending songs and dynamic dances that you are sure to remember.

Tickets: £10-£14. Info: 01792 475715 / www.swanseagrand.co.uk (MM)

MR AND MRS CLARK: SMASH IT UP

Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff Wed 17-Sat 27 Feb Mr And Mrs Clark are at it again. The geniuses who brought us The Medicine Show and the outstanding fourth wall-breaker, Nine, are back with a new show. Smash It Up began as a series of public space performances, which saw the Clarks collaborating with Newport art activists Bosch, and it’s from those performances the theatre show emerged.

Created as a direct response to the destruction of the Chartist Mural in Newport (to make way for a new shopping centre), the show concerns the issue of art versus commercialism. Mr and Mrs Clark are renowned for their passion for art and unrestricted creative expression and are not afraid to speak – or act – out.

The duo's performances are faultless, bizarre, often ridiculous, sometimes raunchy and always entertaining. Shows often combine song, dance, mime and a dark humour and certainly give audiences much to talk about after the curtain drops. Smash It Up is an exhibition, a performance lecture, a dance theatre show with documentary and short films; it is a challenging and uncomfortable demand for equality, for hope and for greater creative freedom.

Tickets: £7-£12. Info: 029 2030 4400 / www.chapter.org (LN)

Theatrau RhCT/RCT Theatres Ar Werth Nawr/Now On Sale

AN EVENING WITH

LULU

ROD WOODWARD Y Colisëwm/ The Coliseum Mawrth 11 11 March 7.30pm £16.00/ £15.00

Y Colisëwm/The Coliseum Ebrill 13 April 8.00pm £35.00

Y Colisëwm/ The Coliseum Chwefror 28 28 February 7.30pm £24.50

MISTER MAKER

Y Colisëwm/ The Coliseum Mawrth 6 March 1.30pm £13.50/£10.00 Teulu/ Family £42.00

ages

16+ Oed

CARA DILLON Y Colisëwm/ The Coliseum Ebrill 8 April 8.00pm £20.00

RICK WAKEMAN

Fri 4 March Gwe 4 MawrTh 7.30pm

RICH HALL Y Parc a’r Dâr/ The Park & Dare Ebrill 14 April 8.00pm £16.00

Guilty Dog Productions and UK Touring

ViViaN STaNShaLL’S

Sir heNrY aT rawLiNSON eND Liverpool’s Mike Livesley & The Brainwashing House Orchestra re-create legendary Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band leader, Viv Stanshall’s manic, classic, surreal but fond masterpiece of quintessential English comedy.

‘ Sir Henry is a comic masterpiece.’ NME Tickets | Tocynnau £15 Theatr richard Burton Theatre www.sirhenrylives.com

By kind permission of the Stanshall family

Tickets | Tocynnau 029 2039 1391 www.rwcmd.ac.uk

An Omidaze Productions and Wales Millennium Centre Co-Production Cynhyrchiad Omidaze Productions ar y cyd â Chanolfan Mileniwm Cymru

By \ Gan William Shakespeare

An All-Female Promenade Production Cynhyrchiad Promenâd Gan Fenywod

February 1-20 Chwefror 2016

BUZZ 37

clubs

HEAD HIGH

Delete @ Jacob's Market, Cardiff Sat 27 Feb Head High, aka Shed, is known for being provocative, at least when being interviewed by the music press, but then, so is Aphex Twin. The two share more than this, too: unlike many upper-echelon techno producers, Shed has a wild and prolific kind of creativity, releasing albums and club tracks for the last decade under a range of different names including (but not limited to) Evil Fred, The Panamax Project, Craft, The Traveller, PCK, War Easy Made, Seelow, Sigg Gonzalez and Zigg Gonzaless.

Influenced by the last quarter-century of UK bass and beat experimentation as much as the USA and Europe's history of machine music, he travels the spectrum of techno – from beautiful braindance with complex melodic and rhythmic ideas akin to early Warp releases, to huge, spacious warehouse tracks that evoke toughened-steel aircraft hangars as much as dark clubs. The series of records he released as Wax put the bones of dub techno and deep house into a vice, jacking as cold and hard as ice, with a dubby polish that makes the rhythms all the more physical. Some of his tracks as EQD could be described as definitive German techno, dense structures that drive forward while carefully calibrated melody seeps into the brain's pleasure receptors and creates a knot in your stomach.

Head High has been the most active part of Shed in recent years, and it’s that side which Delete bring to Wales this month. Over the past handful of years he has carved out a tunnel of mood and memory right back to the original rave feeling with tracks like Rave (Dirt Mix) and Hex Factor, bringing it into the third millennium with a glacial sheen of futurism. Shed’s formidable studio knowledge allows him to draw out mythic, expansive and downright exciting feelings through an interplay of subtle textures. If you’ve never understood the repetitiveness of techno, never been transported through the wormhole into the zone beyond, this would be a good night to make the journey.

Tickets: £15/£12. Info: 029 2039 0939 GWYN THOMAS DE CHROUSTCHOFF

pic Sebastian Szary

THANK YOU JAY DEE

Sure Shot @ Gwdihw, Cardiff Fri 5 Feb Sure Shot was one of the best nights at Gwdihw, and their December party with Mr Thing was touted as their last dance.

Ironically – this one-off night rises from the grave to pay tribute to J Dilla, the trailblazing and prolific Detroit hip-hop pioneer whose tragically foreshortened musical journey is spoken about with reverence by those that know.

James Dewitt Yancey died in 2006 at the age of 32. A superproducer who changed the way the music sounded, Dilla's legacy continues through the thousands of musicians and artists he affected.

Shoulder-bumping grooves and liquid soul simmers in his music – carrying the weight of generations of black American music, he used sampling technology in a masterfully expressive meeting of playful rhythms and powerfully soulful, often poignant, vocals and instrumentation.

Starting off in the group Slum Village, Jay Dee went on to produce for A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, The Roots, The Pharcyde and Common. In short, he was a big part of dictating the form hip-hop took as it moved into the 21st century, paving the way for Flying Lotus and the LA beat scene as well as many others. The music will be supplied by some of the local Cardiff scene’s bestloved DJs – Darkhouse Fam, Dan Marshall of Modula FM, Double Cee and Miles Day. Admission: £4. Info: 029 2039 7933 (GTDC) BUZZ 38

JAMMER & DJ CABLE

Dime @ Monkey, Swansea Fri 26 Feb DJ, producer, MC and more, vibrantly present in London’s grime scene from the beginning: it’s no exaggeration to call Jammer an icon of UK music. Though he’s now a member of JME and Skepta’s Boy Better Know, along with Wiley, he began with East London's N.A.S.T.Y Crew in 2000.

Their mix CD from 2003 is evidence of his prodigious skills in all areas – not only through its tightly-mixed track selection he took control of.

Birds In The Sky, a track on the same mix featuring MC D Double E, is a cult classic where Jammer’s studio talent shines; a sophisticated beat that weaves solemnity and drama into the lyrics with a sampled backdrop of tearful voices, tabla-esque basslines and sitar. You could be forgiven for thinking grime a bit of a one-trick pony – but it was tracks like these that demonstrated the serious and original melodic feeling that's an underrated facet of the genre. We haven’t even mentioned that he runs the foundational lyric-spitting competition Lord Of The Mics, or a record label, Neckle.

Alongside BBC Radio 1Xtra’s DJ Cable on the ones and twos, Jammer’ll be MCing at Monkey, in the unique, cartoonish style he’s known for and you can hear at its best on his anthemic signature track Murkle Man, or Skepta's bumping classic Duppy.

Admission: £6-£10. Info: 01792 480822 (GTDC)

JAY DANIEL

Groove Theory @ Undertone, Cardiff Fri 5 Feb Groove Theory’s first party of the year follows a superlative 2015. You can’t overstate the strength of their DJ bookings throughout last year, including West London broken beat king Dego, NYC disco hero Sadar Bahar and Baltimore house auteur Maurice Fulton.

Jay Daniel’s first release was signed by Theo Parrish himself to his esteemed label, Sound Signature, arriving, it seemed, at his spiritual home. The influence of the hometown heroes who came before Jay Daniel is channelled clearly through his own music. The jazz-minded, freeform approach to deep house music pushed by godlike Detroit producers like Parrish, Moodymann and Marcellus Pittman is hard to teach and impossible to fake. They seem to have been born with a feel for instinctive rhythms that creep into the body and can only be from Detroit.

The city’s house music is in his blood, though – his mother is Naomi Daniel, who in the early nineties sang on Stars and Feel The Fire by another Motor City luminary, Carl Craig. Whatever it is that allows certain people from Detroit to make drum machines sound like they’re alive and breathing – Jay Daniel has it. Luckily for Cardiff, he’s also reputed to be a seriously good DJ, confirmed by eagerly-received appearances at Movement Detroit festival and in the Boiler Room podcast series.

Tickets: £13/£12. Info: 029 2022 8883 (GTDC)

LTJ BUKEM

The Vaults, Cardiff Bay Fri 5 Feb The Vaults’ reputation for formidable jungle and drum’n’bass continues to swell, hosting their biggest booking yet.

With big, rumbling, twinkling tracks like Logical Progression, Demon's Theme and Atlantis, LTJ Bukem was a huge presence in the golden era of jungle. Records like Coolin’ Out and Twilight Voyage, not to mention his Earth and Logical Progression mix series, also played a massive role in creating the blueprint for the melodyfronted sound that would become liquid d’n’b, jungle’s blazed, blissed out younger brother. He was even more diverse than some realise though, with a slew of brilliant hip-hop beats under his belt too.

As a classically-trained pianist who had an early initiation into the world of jazz fusion, LTJ Bukem's influence on what emerged as the UK’s newest, most original sound in years goes deeper than even his two decades of producing era-defining dancefloor classics and banging beats together at the super-raves of the 90s would suggest. With Fabio, he ran the London clubnight, Speed, and his record label, Good Looking, went on to define the sound that came to be called ‘intelligent drum’n’bass’ – a term he hated. His ethos was really about putting the emphasis on emotion, rather than the brutal darkness that was becoming dominant. Truly an audience with a legend.

Tickets: £13. Info: www.vaultspresents. com (GTDC)

FEB 2016

WALES GOES POP!

THE GATE ARTS CENTRE, CARDIFF 25–27 MARCH 2016 AN ALL-AGES POP WEEKENDER OVER

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THEY IS THEY IS THEY IS DARREN HAYMAN & THE SECONDARY MODERN GINDRINKER LAURA K

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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF FORTUNA POP!

A N I • G L A S S WITCHING WAVES

DJs: PUNKS IN THE BEERLIGHT

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SIMON LOVE VS. I SEE SHAPES DAYTRIP VS. WALES GOES POP!

DAY TICKETS £16 / £18 / £17 – WEEKEND TICKETS £45 – UNDER 12S GO FREE!

WEGOTTICKETS.COM / SEETICKETS.COM / SPILLERS RECORDS / DIVERSE MUSIC / DICE.FM

@WALESGOESPOP WALESGOESPOP

WALESGOESPOP BUZZ 39

live

GABRIELLE APLIN

Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union Fri 12 Feb Having founded her own record label aged 15, and only 19 years of age when she signed her first record deal, Gabrielle Aplin is slowly but surely building herself quite a collection of accolades. Eighty million YouTube views, 63 million-plus Spotify streams, 1.5 million singles sold from her 2013 debut album English Rain, and two Australian Number Ones. After being approached to cover Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s The Power Of Love for John Lewis’ 2012 Christmas ad campaign, the 23-year-old country girl from Wiltshire gained mainstream attention and a coveted UK Number One. Released in September last year, latest album Light Up The Dark is Aplin’s newest collection of work, written and recorded in a producer-friend’s house in North East London. Boasting a cool combination of atmosphere and swagger, some of these tracks are overflowing with attitude. In describing the sort of inspiration and progression behind the writing, Aplin simply says, “I’ve just seen stuff, and I wanted to write about more stuff.” The album has already received huge support from Radio 1: a Live Lounge performance, regular airtime and the album’s title track caught the ear of Huw Stephens as one of his weekly Hottest Records.

Following months on the road promoting her debut album, Aplin’s live shows became something of a must see. Last September’s UK tour completely sold out, and the London warm-up to that run reached capacity in less than 24 hours. Last year’s Bestival Main Stage set was a massive success, too, and will surely result in more festival dates for this coming summer.

Life on tour seems to have only increased Aplin’s confidence and ability. “I’ve become much more comfortable writing songs about other people’s stories as well as my own, much of which is inspired by travelling and everything I’ve seen since my first album,” she’s said.

The first two months of 2016 see Gabrielle Aplin hit the road once again, supported by the critically acclaimed Hudson Taylor and Hannah Grace. This 17-date UK and Ireland tour is a safe bet to sell out all over the country.

Tickets: £16.50. Info: 029 2078 1458 OWEN SCOURFIELD

pic Steve Gullik

SLIPKNOT / SUICIDAL TENDENCIES

Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff Mon 8 Feb Notorious for their collection of demented masks, from creepy clowns and zipped-up mouths to possessed demons and mutated faces, Slipknot, led by frontman Corey Taylor, are a staple to the heavy metal genre. Since their eponymous debut album in 1998, the band’s frightening aesthetic has endured, spanning five albums, endless international tours and hits like Duality and Psychosocial.

The nine-man entourage tore up the Main Stage at last year’s Reading Festival for the fifth time in its history, and their latest album reaching number two on the UK weekly album chart. It’s the first to not feature drummer Joey Jordinson, who left in disputed circumstances in 2013, and bassist Paul Gray – who died of a morphine overside in 2010, with the band paying homage to the latter in the album’s title, .5: The Gray Chapter.

Alongside the ‘Knot are pioneering crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies.

Following a recent statement that the band is working on new material, prepare yourself for some potentially fresh music alongside hits like Institutionalized and You Can’t Bring Me Down. Gracing the Motorpoint Arena with their presence, Slipknot will leave their mark on the venue, unrivaled in their tireless, headbanging performances.

Tickets: £39.50. Info: 029 2022 4488 (CK)

BUZZ 40

TURIN BRAKES

Pontardawe Arts Centre Sat 27 Feb Complimented and criticised for an overwhelming earnestness, Turin Brakes have rode the waves of the music industry, returning from the other side once more with a new album, Lost Property.

Sincere artistic integrity is a rarity in the commercialised music industry of 2016, but Turin Brakes have found a way to manoeuvre through it, and have repeated this philosophy for 17 years.

As they self-consciously note on their website, despite the fall of the once giant EMI label, Turin Brakes’ resolve continues autonomous and fresh, a triumph for the independent artist. Even against the mainstream profitability of the indie/folk aesthetic, Turin Brakes have remained stalwart to their own sound. Formed of childhood friends Olly Knights and Gale Paridjanian, plus longstanding collaborators Rob Allum and Eddie Myer, their presence has earned them a number of plaudits, most notably for their debut album The Optimist (an aptly-named precursor for the band’s fortitude), which received a Mercury Prize nomination.

On the back of their ninth album, Turin Brakes still resonate in the increasingly transient state of contemporary music, conforming to necessity with digital downloads, but sustaining the sincerity which initially established them – as is encapsulated in their live performances.

Tickets: £22. Info: 01792 863722 (CK)

GOGO PENGUIN

The Gate Arts Centre, Cardiff Sat 6 Feb Lighting up The Gate this month with their cultivated brand of acoustic-meetselectronic contemporary jazz, Mancunian three-piece GoGo Penguin are ones to, quite literally, watch this month. Straight off the back of a multi-album deal with jazz veterans Blue Note Records, the threepiece have recently cut a path across the international circuit, through Montreal and Paris, then back to Britain again, picking up a Mercury Prize shortlist spot along the way and curating a night at the Barbican.

In their tight new set, the trio work hard to match the forward-thinking trends of their hot young contemporaries, borrowing sounds from fringe rock and electronica (following the examples of acts such as Kairos 4tet and Snarky Puppy), utilising tight piano loops (à la Ethan Iverson), and bringing into play unconventional, glitchy breakbeats (much like the magnificently genre-bending Polar Bear). All of which makes for a truly hypnotic, exciting interplay between drummer Rob Turner, bassist Nick Blacka and pianist Chris Illingworth.

Gogo Penguin tread a lively and interesting path, and are a fiery band on an upwards trajectory. Their show should be an exhilarating showcase, and is definitely one to catch, not least because next time round they will invariably be playing an altogether bigger stage.

Tickets: £15. Info: 029 2048 3344 (BK)

RICHARD HAWLEY

The Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union Sun 28 Feb Armed with an electric guitar and an enviable discography to perform from, Richard Hawley descends on Cardiff University’s Great Hall at the endc of this month. Having recently finished his seventh album Hollow Meadows, Hawley’s music continues to enthral as he reaches his 15th year as an established solo artist.

Following two Mercury Prize nominations for his albums Coles Corner and Standing At The Sky's Edge, as well as a Brit Award nomination, his ambitions to make genuinely soulful music have been valorised. Retaining this Mercury Prize vein, Hawley has also worked with previous winners Pulp as a touring guitarist, guested on Elbow’s song {The Fix} and joined Arctic Monkeys on a couple of their B-sides, reflecting his ever-growing pedigree in the British music industry. Having even been approached by alternative rock legends REM for a support slot in 2005, his eclectic collaborative history and international renown pays homage to continued critical success.

In recent years, he’s extended his résumé to film; with his song Baby, You're My Light appearing on the soundtrack for rom-com Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist and a starring role in 2007 British horror Flick, Hawley truly is a modern day renaissance man.

Tickets: £27.50. Info: 029 2078 1458 (CK)

Tues 6th Feb 2016

Fri 12th Feb 2016

GOGO PENGUIN

GABRIELLE APLIN BLACKPEAKS THE GREAT HALL, CARDIFF UNI

CLWB IFOR BACH, CARDIFF

FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS Y PLAS, CARDIFF UNI

Tues 2nd Mar 2016

Sat 5th Mar 2016

Tues 8th Mar 2016

Thurs 10th Mar 2016

JACK SAVORETTI

THE PUPPINI SISTERS

THE GATE ARTS CENTRE, CARDIFF

THE GATE ARTS CENTRE, CARDIFF

FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS

MACHINE HEAD

THE GATE ARTS CENTRE, CARDIFF

Thurs 18th Feb 2016

Thur 18th Feb 2016

SOLD OUT CLWB IFOR BACH, CARDIFF

THE GREAT HALL, CARDIFF UNI

Tickets: www.orchardentertainment.co.uk or call 02920 230 130

HP_buzz_13_01_16_v02.indd 1

20/01/2016 12:02:20

yng Nghanolfan Mileniwm Cymru at Wales Millennium Centre

Maw 16 Mar Scottish Dance Theatre Russell Maliphant Company Phoenix Dance Theatre

Maw 17 Mar Cwmni Dawns Cenedlaethol Cymru \ National Dance Company Wales Candoco Dance Company Hofesh Shechter Company

BUZZ 41

reviews albums ANIMAL COLLECTIVE **** Painting With (Domino) The 10th album from the ever-experimental, neopsychedelic Animal Collective finds them ploughing the same trippy, blissed-out furrow as before, but thankfully it’s still as fertile as ever. This time around there’s a more percussive feel to the songs, and they’ve ditched some of the longueurs of their previous albums in favour of short and snappy pop songs. First track FloriDada sets the tone, reminiscent of the glorious silliness the Beach Boys tucked away on their late-60s albums. DG

ÅRABROT **** The Gospel (Fysisk Format) Pulling from black metal, avant-garde, punk and a dozen other genres, it’s difficult to try and pigeonhole Årabrot. Previous albums have been more of an assault on the senses, but this is more varied and anthemic. There are some bombastic metal moments, interspersed with more diverse instrumentation than their standard guitar/bass/ drums set up. The overall feeling is of a band that has become very comfortable with taking chances.

The Gospel is just as likely to pummel you, as it is to hypnotise you into submission. GM

BARRY ADAMSON ***** Know Where To Run (Central Control) Ex-Magazine bassist and sometime Bad Seed Barry Adamson exorcised his demons and inner thoughts on his last two mainly vocally infused solo albums, which are both very different to the dark noir sound of Moss Side Story. The inspiration for this new album came from photographs that Adamson took whilst touring America last year; Know Where To Run is an immaculate fusion of edgy cinematic soul, 60s pop and rock. Adamson really has produced an absolute cracker this time round. DN

CAVERN OF ANTI-MATTER **** Void Beats / Invocation Trex (Duophonic) New music from Stereolab’s Tim Gane is always worth celebrating and once again he delivers the goods. This album tumbles from genre to genre, like some esoteric analogue compilation: Krautrock wooziness reminiscent of Beak>, Nisennenmondai at their most monomaniacal and electro cut-ups recalling Add N To (X). For an album so eclectic, the one surprisingly jarring element is the pop vocal supplied by Deerhunter’s

Bradford Cox on Liquid Gate, jutting out like a hangnail on an otherwise perfectly manicured album. AJ

experiments don’t really end up paying off. Not one for the Mumford & Sons fans, this is folk at its most out-there. BK

CONRAD KEELY *

KULA SHAKER ***

Original Machines (Superball)

K 2.0 (Strangefolk)

This debut solo offering from the frontman of ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead is a pretentious, bloated 24-track monument to mediocrity. Despite carrying a range of influences, from Eastern to folk, trip-hop to country, it flops between Feeder-lite dad-rock, to the very worst of your older brother’s iPod (remember Hell Is For Heroes?). Like a member of The Automatic trying to make their Automatic For The People across two LP's with zero trace of decent hook or chorus to guide you. Strictly for the Dead heads. KO

It’s as if I’ve sat in a Delorean and flashed back through time to 1996. Five years on since their last album, and nearly two decades since the multiplatinum K. Kula Shaker’s trademark psychedelic sound is still at the forefront of this ‘advanced version’ of new tracks. Infinite Sun and Let Love B (With U) sound great while the interesting Death Of Democracy airs Crispian Mills’ political views. Listen out for Oh Mary and High Noon too. Definitely one for the Britpop generation. OS

FIRE! *** She Sleeps She Sleeps (Rune Grammofon) If Swedish jazz trio Fire! are as progressivelyminded in deed as they are in sound, you'd expect them to be greatly concerned about division of labour in their setup.

Listeners, though, may be forgiven for considering sax player Mats Gustafsson the driver of this, their fifth album. His infamously blaring tone, while quite measured and soulful by his standards, dominates over his bandmates' drumming and double bass work – whose sparseness is sometimes purposeful and sometimes eerie. NG

JOHN CALE **** M:FANS (Domino) One of those dealies where a venerable artiste sees fit to revisit their old material and re-record it, even if no-one else knew it needed fixing. John Cale's Music For A New Society came out in 1982, when by logic the ex-Velvet Underground man should have been creatively spent, but it's a baroque, crooning art-pop marvel – one which is included in the package with M:FANS, the new version recorded with Cale's current band. Their crunchy electro-rock stylings are heavier-handed, but the original splendour shines through. NG

JOSEPHINE FOSTER *** No More Lamps In The Morning (Fire) Steeped in odd chromaticism, No More Lamps... is not your usual acoustic album. It’s a strange, ambitious exploration of old-style folk, with Foster’s unusual, ghostly vocals weaving in and out of a solid, traditional backline, and Victor Herrero’s Portuguese guitar pulling outwards, away from her melodic line. At times it’s very interesting, although many of the musical

LISSIE *** My Wild West (Cooking Vinyl) “I could have been a hero, I could have been a zero, I could have been all of these things...”

Lissie’s release of her third studio album, My Wild West, is a celebration of new beginnings as she waves goodbye to her past life in California.

With every song capturing different meanings and memories as well as being paralleled by a melodic Lana Del Rey style vibe, My Wild West possesses an extensive range of endearing songs highlighting Lissie’s journey. GC

MEILYR JONES **** 2013 (Moshi Moshi) The first effort from the ex-Race Horses frontman is a flamboyant pop gem. Fetching, wildly imaginative refrains full to the brim with energy are bolstered by an illustrious orchestral backing and a consistently elated vocal delivery from Meilyr himself. There are so many different colours to this record and those who can appreciate the many different hues will be very impressed indeed. CPI

MONEY *** Suicide Songs (Bella Union) In 2013 I inadvertently gave Money’s debut the critical hex by predicting it’s appearance on many best of 2013 lists, and ended up with a gigantic eat-your-words omelette right on my tastemaker.

This time around, Suicide Songs is grabbing some key limelight pie, as singer Jamie Lee pursues life’s big topics set to spiritual big-hearted music.

Redemptive and euphoric, with chiming guitars that straddle a sound between the Bunnymen, the Cocteaus and early Coldplay (but don’t let that put you off). CS

RIGHT HAND LEFT HAND ****

music scene a new one for some time now and their debut album has finally come to fruition. And with Cardiff seemingly being swallowed up by alt-folk bands, it’s arrived not a moment too soon. Capturing their impressively energetic instrument-swapping live sets, this largely instrumental record thumps, thrums and pulsates around your eardrums with echoes of Slint on a few of the slower tracks. This is how musical instruments should be played. BG

SAVAGES **** Adore Life (Matador) From turbulent opener The Answer to the drawling desert rock of Slowing Down The World, this second album from the London ensemble occupies a strange twilight terrain, shifting between high velocity staccato rhythms and evocative post-rock leanings in a sonic blur. Pared-down in form yet unafraid to indulge in existential guitar-driven ambience, Adore Life is not much of a departure from Silence Yourself, but betrays the band’s zeal to avoid being bracketed as just another addition to the post-punk resurgence. CP

SEAFRET ***** Tell Me It’s Real (Columbia) Seafret’s debut album Tell Me It’s Real offers an eclectic mix of indie and mellow pop vibes with an acoustic aesthetic. Despite Seafret possessing an ultimately low profile on Soundcloud, Tell Me... does not disappoint. With songs ranging from The Beauty On The Breeze to Atlantis, Seafret’s journey from the release of their 2015 debut EP (featuring the popular track Oceans), to now, may have kickstarted their 2016 in the right direction. GC

SO PITTED **** Neo (Sub Pop) Right, to get it out of the way, So Pitted are a plaiddraped, Seattle-based, three-piece signed to Sub Pop, whose music could comfortably be described as having taken no little influence from grunge. A Nirvana tribute act they are not, however – more like a bratty, adolescent Shellac (the mid-paced menace of Feed Me, for example, has Albini written all over it). Neo is an excellent debut, coarsely mashing ragged hooks into the listener’s ears and noisily living up to the band’s reference points. HR

Right Hand Left Hand (Jealous Lovers Club)

STEVE MASON *****

Messrs Viney and Plain have been ripping the live

Meet The Humans (Domino)

GAMES REVIEWS Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime *** Asteroid Base Unity – Xbox One/PC It’s a shame that not many people have heard of this Indie platformer because it’s really worth a look. With a refreshingly original concept and absolutely stunning artwork, this addictive game really draws you in. When all of the love universe is threatened by evil creatures, it’s up to you and your teammate to build the perfect ship and save your friends. It’s simple, but challenging. Only the bravest and insane will take on the game alone. AW

Starting big and continuing with purpose, this is a great album. Steve Mason's solo debut, Monkey Minds In The Devil’s Time, was top but this goes that extra mile. Mason’s vocals and the underlying instruments and sounds are consistently on point – it's hard to pick stand-out tracks. The former Beta Band man, along with Elbow's Craig Potter on production, has served up something special.

Now let's just wait for the possible Ghostpoet collaboration... JE

TINDERSTICKS ***** The Waiting Room (City Slang)

Super Mario Maker **** Nintendo – Wii U It looks like so many people have complained that there’re no more good games that Nintendo have finally said “Right, you do it then if it’s so easy”. This clever little platform not only allows us to torment our friends with near impossible creations but we can also join online to complete with the world. Create your own levels and unlock items along the way, there’s always something new to be made. Beware, raging ahead! AW

BUZZ 42

Another leap year, another exquisite slice of beautifully realised weltschmertz from Stuart and the gang. Complain all you like about that voice, but you’ll never match the despair in Staples’ vulnerable baritone. Morricone-tinged instrumental Follow Me ushers in proceedings – elsewhere; hints of electronica and funk compliment beautifully

these baroque and sombre arrangements. Duets with the late Lhasa De Sala and Jehnny Beth of Savages add subtle daubs of light relief to this bitter sweet soundtrack to loss and hope. PJ

unfriendly analogue electronic blurriness goes. It would be a funny thing to say to someone, though. NG

TURIN BRAKES **** Lost Property (Cooking Vinyl) Following on from their successful 2013 LP We Were Here, Turin Brakes are back with another fantastic album. Created with Ali Staton (Madonna, La Roux), many different sounds are explored whilst retaining the band’s trademark West Coast acoustic guitar and enchanting harmonies.

Opening with the futuristic sound of 96, the gospel tones of Save You precede the haunting darkness of album closer Black Rabbit. With their unique sound still incredibly relevant after 17 years, this album is the perfect winter soundtrack. LH

VARIOUS ****

Soft Rock Is My Radio (Recherché) Pinning their colours to the mast of yacht rock, Instructions navigate a retro radio jam which sails between Hall & Oates and Prefab Sprout whilst strangely sounding a bit like Phoenix (both the band and the Arizonan city).

Infectious and unashamedly dorkier than Gruff Rhys’ 80s revival with Neon Neon. KO

RODNEY P & DJ DIE ****

Time was, the latest 'hot new dance craze' would be sure to terrify parents with its below-the-equator sockhoppin' sexual lewdness. This is a different kettle of tilapia, however: 'gqom', a strictly localised – from the townships of Durban in South Africa, below the actual equator – style of electronic music built on outsized basslines and tricksy polyrhythms. The name derives from the Zulu tongue, but the tunes draw on both traditional South African motifs and Western club music – attentive listeners might catch shards of 80s electro or Night Slugs type weirdness in these 15 energy-rammed selections. NG

This one-off collaboration sees Rodney P of the legendary hip-hop collective London Posse and Bristol’s DJ Die team up. It comes as no surprise that these two influential figures have created a perfect combination of ska, reggae and hip-hop. LH

A Season In Hull (Wymeswold) Rivalling The Fall with their productivity, The Wave Pictures serve up their 15th album on a platter of the usual charm, wit and sweet melodies. Their finest album of recent years, rivalling 2012’s Long Black Cars, finds the chaps on top form and whilst there’s nothing here to surprise diehards, it’s as good an introduction as you need. As with previous releases, the opening six songs are where it’s at but this one holds the attention throughout. BG

singles CULT OF LUNA / THE OLD WIND *** Råångest EP (Pelagic) Sweden’s Cult Of Luna share space here with compatriots, The Old Wind (ex-Breach), on a dense slab of post-metal. Cult Of Luna’s slow, introspective take on an Amebix track is brilliant; heavy, deep and all-engulfing as a thick snowfall.

By contrast, The Old Wind’s chuggy, muddy lumbering sounds dated and dull. HR

FIVE BY FIVE *** Loud & Clear EP (Setanta) Five By Five are the latest blossoming talent to come out of Bath. The trio have recently replaced a member and it appears that the change is paying off, as the energetic track consists of catchy guitar riffs and truthful lyrics.

Definitely one to watch out for in 2016. LH

IMMERSION *** Analogue Creatures EP (Swim~) Actually, my favourite subgenre of techno is matrimonal IDM, as exemplified by Immersion – who are of course Colin Newman from famous art-punk band Wire and his wife, Malka Spigel.

Even more actually, I just made that name up and this five-track EP is only quite good, as dancefloor-

DVD PICK

INSTRUCTIONS ***

Gqom Oh! The Sound Of Durban Vol. 1 (Gqom Oh!)

THE WAVE PICTURES ****

THIS MONTH’S

Holes In The Building (Tru Thoughts)

THREE THIEVES *** Three Thieves (self-released) Sporting shades of Cinematic Orchestra, RJD2, DJ Shadow and others of that ilk, these Cardiff hip-hop heads have created an ambitious and intriguing first EP. Whilst some tracks are perhaps a little shallow and underdeveloped compositionally, others show a musical vocabulary ready to flourish. Promising beginnings. CPI

demos TOOMBS www.facebook.com/toombsmusic A new pseudonym for Elin Parisa, who's embarked on an unlikely creative arc since co-running a punk label about 15 years ago, Toombs is crescendoheavy, keenly polished electronic pop, created with the production help of Gethin Pearson. Satellite, the first Toombs track to be shared with the hoi polloi, is the one that feels like it could find a major audience, perhaps with impatient La Roux fans.

Elsewhere, whacking synthesised drums and lungbusting choruses are the order of the day. NG

JAPANESE WORKERS japaneseworkers.bandcamp.com Japanese Workers have their cards close to their chest but claim to come from Tonypandy. The last Rhondda ensemble I heard that sounded at all like this – black-witted alt-rock noise driven by its bassline and spoken vox – were the now Bristolbased New Cowboy Builders, to the extent that I’m pondering the possibility of a member connection.

Either way, these three songs draw on smalltown disquiet lyrically, squealy guitar discordance musically, and equal a promising opening salvo. NG

NEW ARISTOCRATS www.facebook.com/newaristocrats A Hollywood native now living in Cardiff for reasons unexplained, Kent from New Aristocrats’ background is in the mid-80s freestyle scene and includes an actual club hit as Knight Time. New Aristocrats, which seems to be Kent plus two female vocalists, combine freestyle and r’n’b with dandified synthpop. None of their new jams are as good as the Knight Time record, which you should go find on YouTube, but they’re pretty good, and the world needs people who are as single-minded in their vision as Kent. NG

CLOSE RANGE 15 (High Fliers) Isaac Florentine, famous in the low-budget action genre, delivers another fast-paced martial arts yarn about an ex-soldier who must protect his niece from a ruthless Mexican drug cartel. Whilst the violence is sometimes needlessly over the top, and the plot is as unoriginal as it gets, the action is impressively done and the film is made with a certain style that deifies its budget. ***RHO

1944 15 (High Fliers) Showcasingthe events of the Second World War through the eyes of Estonian soldiers, this is a gripping and harrowing tale about people from the same country who must fight against each other for survival.

You may feel like you’ve seen this film a hundred times, but you can’t help but applaud it as you get wrapped up in its poignancy. ****RHO

1666 18 (High Fliers) The best thing about The Blair Witch Project is the fact that it’s good. The worst thing about The Blair Witch Project is the fact that it spawned a seemingly endless glut of copycat films and sub-standard imitations. This is another ‘found-footage’ offering about a group of hapless friends who run into an ambiguous ending, all captured on camera. Dishwater is generally less dull than this. *RHO

CRIMSON PEAK 15 (Universal Pictures) This beautifully shot romantic horror flick basks in nostalgia for the Hammer Horror era. The blend of Del Toroisms and classic horror is a visual treat, and while there are a fair amount of silly moments and effects, this was surprisingly creepy. This does seem to be one of Del Toro’s weaker films, but that’s like being the worst player in the All Blacks. Unlike Jessica Chastain’s English accent, this was almost spot-on. ****LOB

THE MARTIAN 12 (20th Century Fox) Mark Watney, brilliantly played by Matt Damon, is presumed dead after a storm during a manned mission to Mars, and is left behind by his crew. Alone and literally worlds apart from anyone else, Watney needs to learn how to survive on an alien planet, and make his way back home before he runs out of food. The Martian is visually stunning, and tells an inspiring story. Like Robinson Crusoe meets Home Alone in space. *****LOB

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION 15 (Paramount) The only thing scary about this film is that it represents the face of modern popular horror, which is downright chilling. It’s extremely formulaic, relies on cheap jump scares, doesn’t understand that 3-D does not equal innovation, everything in it turns out to be a demon or a parallel universe, and it doesn’t try to develop characters. Oh no, that 2-D character has been eaten by a 3-D blob! *LOB

SOLACE 15 (Eiv) Anthony Hopkins is a psychic brought out of retirement to help the FBI track down a killer who appears to have the same powers as him. Thus ensues a cat and mouse game with Hopkins getting closer to the serial killer and stellar cast support from Colin Farrell, Jeffery Dean Morgan and Abbie Cornish. The film angles and music are a bit distracting but apart from that, a passable thriller. ***EC

AMERICAN ULTRA 15 (Eiv) Jesse Eisenberg is a nerdy store worker who discovers he has remarkable fighting skills. With his stoner girlfriend (Kristen Stewart), they embark on action/rampage across their mid American town. Action comedy with a few laughs, and a few low points. ***EC

BUZZ 43

MUSIC NEWS EXTRA

Recordiau Prin, a DIY label helmed by Ash Cooke once of millennial indie folks Derrero, is to release an ambitious tribute album to Wales' esteemed psychedelic sons and daughter, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci.

Currently untitled but scheduled for an April release, 30 acts have contributed covers of GZM's heady, idiosyncratic and tune-packed songs. Notable among these are Gulp, who feature Super Furries' Guto Pryce; Kliph Scurlock, ex of the Flaming Lips; Gorky's producer Gorwel Owen alongside his wife Fiona; and Zabrinski, in what will be their first release for over a decade. As things stand, it'll be a Bandcamp-only venture due to the copyright issues arising from the variety of labels (many now defunct) on which Gorky's issued product Reactions to the death of David Bowie, in the wake of initial reports on Mon 11 Jan, were swift, numerous and emotional.

Spontaneous tributes were organised worldwide; others followed, and given the depth of feeling for the pop icon, will doubtless continue in some form throughout 2016. There will have already been a couple of tribute nights in Cardiff by the time you read this, but on Sat 13 Feb the Moon Club on Womanby Street will host Bowie: A Celebration, with all

proceeds going to Marie Curie Cancer Care. A wealth of local musicians, including Maddie Jones, Francesca's Word Salad and the reviewed-in-thisissue Instructions, will perform “Bowieinfluenced” sets, which presumably means covers but might not. Either way, all tickets were quickly snapped up Holly Müller is a Cardiff-based musician who attentive gig-goers might have seen playing in a few bands, including atmospheric math-rock types Hail! The Planes. She is also a writer of repute, and this month her debut novel My Own Dear Brother is published by Bloomsbury, which means you might see it in Waterstones and suchlike. It's set in Austria (Müller is half-Austrian) in the latter stages of WWII, with the novel's protagonist a 13-year-old girl named Ursula. There's a launch party at Cardiff's Little Man coffee shop on Fri 12 Feb, with readings and live music as well as an “Austrian buffet” and schnapps, although it's already sold out. Again Swansea-born singer-songwriter Steve Balsamo has been recording and releasing music for nearly 15 years, often with his easygoing alt.country band The Storys. Conversely, he only played the

eponymous role in Jesus Christ Superstar for about 10 months in the late 90s, yet remains best known for this turn. Showbiz, eh? Any road, this month sees the release of Unfolding, the debut album by Balsamo Deighton – in which Steve teams up with Rosalie Deighton, an Anglo-Dutch country/folk exponent. The 12 songs, recorded with the help of a PledgeMusic crowdfunding drive, deal in the kind of feelgood-yet-bittersweet countrified AOR that established fans of Steve's output may know and love; Deighton's vocals add a feminine tenderness on the more balladlike moments For nigh on 20 years now, Cwmaman's rock ambassadors Stereophonics [pictured] have had their music described as 'meat and potatoes'. In time, they came to embrace the jibe; you could even say it was meat and drink to them. Thanks to Welsh brewing giant Brains, that drink now has a name, and a description: Phonics, crafted in collaboration with the band, is a 4.1% pale ale with the flowery, citrusy hops that fashionable younger drinkers like, plus the biscuity malt of your dad's preferred pint of bitter. It'll be on tap in Wales from next month and easily identifiable by virtue of the pump clip looking just like Stereophonics' logo

ONE TO WATCH...

TIBET

Jangly anthem-slinging indie upstarts Tibet were being tipped as 'ones to watch' – not by this column specifically, but by other Local Figures slightly quicker off the mark than it – at the start of last year, too. Which is certainly not to say that the Cardiff four-piece hit a wall during 2015. Having formed in their mid-teens as Brothers (the band's Joel and Ethan Hurst are siblings), Tibet released a debut EP, name of Fridge, in July and got radio action from the likes of Nick Grimshaw and Annie Mac; scored themselves some flash management and booking agents and gigged all over the UK. 'People', pointedly mysterious as they always are, reckon they (along with the similarly guitar-based but otherwise quite different Estrons) might be south Wales' hot tip for breakout success this year. To boost that possibility, Tibet have just released a second, self-titled EP. In My Head and See You Out Tonight, the first two numbers, are pacier and punkier than anything on Fridge, which sounded equal parts Kinks and Oasis, with occasional cloudbursts of good-natured psychedelia. So Low You Forgot To Lose conflates the Jam-era mod revival and mid-90s Britpop; Tell The World finishes with a bit of an Arctic Monkeys hoedown.

It's clearly built for lairy singalongs, and isn't exactly what you'd call a fashionable sound, but there's never been a point in the last 20-plus years when this kinda stuff hasn't had an audience. By February 2017 Tibet may be playing to large and enthused ones. www.facebook.com/officialtibetband

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one louder “PRESUMABLY,” say shopkeepers, policemen and passers-by to me as I go about my daily business, “your February column will look at the death of David Bowie and the reaction to it, perhaps ruminating on our relationship with pop stars and celebrities in general? Don't forget to mention Lemmy, too.”

“Actually,” I reply with the pompous air of a man who starts sentences with “actually”, “I don’t feel that I have anything of value to add to the discourse on this topic, so I think I’m going to sack it off entirely in favour of shining a light on unsung corners of the music world – that is, my annual CASSETTE REVIEWS COLUMN!” We start in south Wales – Bridgend or thereabouts – with ROPE, a trio whose members have played in bands such as Goodtime Boys and who have a two-song cassingle on the Palm Reader label. An album is already recorded, to be released this year; this is an arresting introduction to Rope’s heavy-yet-sparse math-rock stylings and emotionally fraught air. One of my favourite New Local Bands, in fact.

Guitar’n’drums’n’voices two-piece BELLIES! are currently located in Bristol but lived in a west Wales mill for 12 months, during which time they wrote and recorded this album. Sinister World Music sounds joyous and angry at turns, or even at the same time; their musicianship sounds on the verge of chaos, in the way that highly practised interplay often does. If you like The Raincoats, The Ex or Deerhoof you might dig this, although it's far from a carbon copy of any of those.

LOCEAN, from Manchester, have an unfixed membership but are based around the spoken-poetry vocals of Lauren Bolger. On Traine, a 28-minute one-take recording for the Tesla Tapes imprint, she reads with a sinister blankness over ambient pulses and barely-there improv guitar, which eventually builds into spacey freeform rock. Early(ish) Sonic Youth is the obvious comparison point, Bolger having something of the Kim Gordon to her voice.

Also from Manchester, indeed operating in much the same fertile experimental scene, is AYN SØF – a new solo project of Paddy from the band Gnod. This self-titled cassette, issued by Tombed Visions, features two half-hour tracks built chiefly from looped and manipulated vocals. One layer sounds like ritualistic Buddhist chanting, another like a church choir heard in the distance through a heavy cold.

Some Robbie Basho-type folk guitar pays a visit on side two, adding colour to a captivating recording.

All these tapes can be heard and purchased on Bandcamp, including northern Englanders GAD WHIP’s Breakdown Test, which might lead you to ask: why bother with cumbersome physical media? Well, in Gad Whip’s case, you get a cassette-only 15-minute song, The Arguement (sic), a somewhat disturbing recording of a domestic row over Wire-style postpunk. It's brilliant – much better than I’m making it sound – although the other four songs’ eccentric jumble of industrial, synthpop and punk deserve plenty of credit too.

The ‘whipping continues in the form of Hey Fanny (Girlsville), a four-song tape by San Francisco’s COACHWHIPS – who made incredibly loud and trashy garage rock in the early 00s before frontman John Dwyer formed the now-popular Oh Sees. These are old songs, two from a 7” and two unreleased, but serve as a welcome reminder of what a rude, magnificent blare Coachwhips kicked out briefly.

Finally, something completely different: 100% Balani Show

by DJ SANDJI, who rocks street parties in Bamako, capital of Mali. This mixtape is a showcase for Sandji’s DJing style, which combines north African rhythms and choppedup vocals with live drum machine loops. By all accounts, Malian kids are mad for these Balani Show hoedowns, and in the confines of my house, so am I. God bless US label Sahelsounds for shining a light on this frantic joysplosion, and especially Sandji for creating it in the first place.

Also: SPACEHEADS, MWSTARD and HOWIE REEVE (Carmarthen Parrot Fri 5 Feb, Newport Le Pub, Sat 6); BOB MOULD (Cardiff Globe, Wed 10); PINS (Moon Club, Cardiff, Wed 10); SNUFF (The Globe, Fri 12); GUN OUTFIT (Clwb Ifor Bach, Tue 16); and three bouts of noisy improv/electronic stuff at Arcadecardiff, arranged by Ian Watson, on Tue 16, Sat 20 and Sat 27. NOEL GARDNER

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books

BOOK OF THE MONTH

WHAT A WAY TO GO Julia Forster (Allen & Unwin)

Julia Forster’s What A Way To Go is a charming yet moving tale of growing up, family politics, family secrets and life as a 1980s teenager. Its narrator, Harper, is 12 years old and spends her time packing a bag according to the highlighted sections of the family calendar – her parents having divorced when she was five. As Harper tells us at the beginning, this is the story of how they didn’t get back together.

Charting potential stepfathers and unearthing secrets from the family past, Forster encapsulates the moment between childhood and adulthood brilliantly, while weaving an intriguing and moving story. Harper’s story covers classic coming of age adventuresdating, friends and ill-fated pet ownership, alongside bigger issues facing her parents and the wider world: dating, illness and a fair few family secrets.

Forster captures the 80s through a haze of hairspray and perms, without the nostalgia for the era becoming overpowering. Anyone who remembers the 80s will raise a wry smile at her references to the music or description of clothing (neon leggings and logo t-shirts feature frequently) but the era remains a familiar, very real, backdrop.

Forster’s writing is witty and engaging, and feels like being well and truly inside Harper’s head. What A Way To Go is a fun and engaging read which also brings up serious issues.

Discussions of life, death and mental health all come into play and are handled with an openness and honesty that stems from using the young narrator’s voice. The narrative is moving and thought-provoking in surprising ways, Forster’s adept storytelling producing a vibrant engaging novel, with just a hint of 80s nostalgia. EMILY GARSIDE Price: £12.99 paperback / £4.99 Kindle. Info: www.allenandunwin.com

DARK MERMAIDS

DEAD MAN’S HAND

Anne Lauppe Dunbar (Seren Books)

Mark Lock (Accent Press)

This is a book in conflict between the niche and the integral, the bland and compelling. From intense and grotesque, gripping and well written to drab. The spell becomes headier, less easily broken around the middle, ironically enough when the titular metaphor has its truest introduction. The horrifying and intriguing premise of a thriller exploring the doping policies of East Germany never really takes the grip it ought until then. The book’s more visceral, empathetic writing is a reason to stick with it, but ultimately it poses the question of whether the characters are complex or simply imbued with a complex past.

Enjoyment of the novel will depend on the reader’s personal response to this question. The writing ranges from gloriously crafted into banal and dull, and some repetitions are a touch too far. LA Price: £7.99. Info: www.serenbooks.com

Mark Lock’s debut novel is an interesting one – but perhaps for the wrong reasons. This first in a series sees detective Hal Luchewski battle with his own demons as well as crime.

Luchewski is a very human character but not so much the rest of the cast who pop up at random for no obvious reason. Their names also keep changing, which makes it hard to keep track and I found myself breaking the narrative spell to work out whose point of view I was in. Being likened to Mo Hayder and Mark Billingham, Lock has a lot to live up to and I’m not sure Dead Man’s Hand quite hits the spot. Usually I’m chomping at the bit to find out ‘who done it’ but this was one case I wasn’t desperate to solve. LN Price: £6.85. Info: www.accentpress.co.uk

THE STONE DIARIES Carol Shields (World Editions) The late, award-winning author Shields was born in Illinois in 1935 and left behind a vast collection of works including novels, plays and poetry. The Stone Diaries is the fictional autobiography of Daisy Goodwill Flett, an ordinary woman born in 1905 in Canada. The narrative follows Daisy’s life throughout the century, covering topics of her childhood, marriage, motherhood and loss. Death seems to follow Daisy from the start as her mother passes away during childbirth and she struggles to find her purpose in life and break this curse.

The novel is unexpectedly charming with a range of interesting characters and an unusual take on narrative. Although the narrative can be a little disjointed in places and reads like a stream of consciousness, it’s still an interesting read that has a lot of character. AW Price: £9.99 Info: www.worldeditions.org BUZZ 46

@mabjones JUKE is a new open mic night with bite. The brainchild of talented young Cardiff writer Renn Hubbuck-Melly, it places a focus on performance in poetry and literature, and is open to poets, rappers, beatboxers, storytellers, performance artists, those who combine music with words, and more. Running every two weeks, you can find out more about this Little Man Coffee event via their website (www.jukeopenmic.wordpress.com).

Also at Little Man are Winter Readings from The Lonely Crowd on Thurs 4 from 7.30pm. This will feature readings from the popular magazine, courtesy of Christine Thatcher, Rhian Elizabeth, Tom Vowler, Susmita Bhattacharya, and more.

Hosted by Lonely Crowd editor Dr John Lavin, find out more at www.walesartsreview.org.

Moving away from the 'Diff, Crickhowell has been in the news recently regarding its tax-levelling plans and bid to outdo Amazon and the like in their awful avoidance schemes. Author Julia Forster will meet with Crickhowell Book Club members on Tue 16 at Book-ish, to launch her new tome. That will be from 7.30pm.

You can meet another author, Paul Henry, in the Green Room, Sustainable Wales, Porthcawl, on Fri 25, too. More info available from www. sustainablewales.org.uk/events or telephone 01656 783962 for details.

So, lots to look forward to! In the meantime, here is a poem from Renn Hubbuck-Melly.

We Knead My tie, red and white-spotted, has a stain from my tears.

They felt warm and bulging.

Near the point I smushed it in.

We were talking, me telling you to listen, you telling me to listen.

My face sticky from unhinging.

We listened.

You mean something, a lot of things.

This rolling over and over of our dynamic.

We shake to shimmy dirt from rugs.

The pattern; intimate, bold.

I might send you this in a text, I won’t sign it off with an ‘x’ because there is no need.

Info: www.renndition.wordpress.com

lifestyle

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FOR HIM

We’ve all been there. Time has passed us by or we’ve missed a few hints, not that we’ll ever admit it. But Valentine’s Day is soon arriving and we still need to find that perfect gift for the old ball and chain. Here are a few little ideas that could end up saving you, or at least give you both something to laugh about.

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FOR HER

VALENTINE GIFT GUIDE

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1. NAME A STAR GIFT SET, £16.99, www.gettingpersonal.co.uk / 2. SPIDER CATCHER, £6.99, www.iwantoneofthose.com / 3. MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE GIFT SET, £12.99 www.findmeagift.co.uk / 4. PERSONALISED COUPLE’S OAK PHOTO KEEPSAKE BOX, £34.95 www.prezzybox.com / 5. MARSHMALLOW TOASTING KIT, £22.75 www.notonthehighstreet.com / 6. SAMURAI UMBRELLA, £19.95 www.red5.co.uk / 7. JEDI BATH ROBE, £34.95 www.red5.co.uk / 8. ENGRAVED FRIDAY AFTERNOON HAMMER, £19.99 www.gettingpersonal.co.uk / 9. SMARTPHONE PROJECTOR, £15.95 www.iwantoneofthose.com / 10. PERSONALISED ‘YOUR SONG’ POSTER, £19.95 www.prezzybox.com

BUZZ 47

JONATHAN DAVIES

sport

J

Retired rugby legend and the face of Welsh rugby during the Six Nations, Jonathan Davies speaks with Luke Owain Boult about the Six Nations, commentating, and changes in the sport.

onathan Davies. Few other names can inspire as much pride in Welsh rugby as the cheeky chappy smiling retired fly-half. Nor can many others make us laugh as much as when we see his grin whenever Wales win (especially in contrast to Guscott’s perpetually bemused expression whenever the English don’t). In his rugby career, having played both league and union, he became well known for his side step flair that has almost come to define Welsh rugby.

“Last year, the last day of the Six Nations was very enjoyable,” he says, reflecting on 2015’s highlights. “There were a couple of great successes in the World Cup and it just shows who the best teams in the world were. The best team won, but the gap between the hemispheres is getting smaller. Japan beating South Africa was good, and obviously the Wales result against England was brilliant.”

So after a fairly mixed result for Wales in the World Cup, what does Davies think of Wales’ chances in the Six Nations?

“I think it’s going to be very, very competitive this year, and with Scotland improving anyone really could win it. If Wales win against Ireland we have a good chance but I think it’s very open. England have got a home advantage against Ireland and Wales, so England, for me, might star as favourites.”

What comes across with Jonathan, and it’s

BUZZ 48

something I imagine is hard to do, is remain unbiased. “It’s very difficult to do. If you speak to other folk they think that I am biased. You can’t win really,” laughs Jonathan. “You’re either biased or you’re not. You’ve just got to call it as you see it. Obviously everyone knows I’m Welsh and when you’ve got Jerry Guscott or Martyn Williams or Andy Nicol, they’re obviously going to be very supportive of their national side. You do get caught up with it but you try and keep a level head. Say what you see really, but you need to try to make things entertaining for the public.”

'You don’t set out in life to score tries or to win' Before commentary, Davies was one of the world’s top rugby players. When I ask about his highlights as a player, he answers without hesitation. “Playing for Wales the first time. You don’t set out in life to score tries or to win. The goal is to win your first Welsh cap. For me, that was one of the biggest achievements.”

He moves on to how much the game had changed since he began: “I can’t remember my first game, but I just enjoyed it as a hobby and then all of a sudden my ambitions grew. It’s

professional now, so there’s a lot more emphasis on every aspect of the game, on and off the field. Of course, now there’s also the money. The game has changed in the way it’s played but the principle is still the same.”

Fourth in the rugby world rankings at the time of writing, on paper the Welsh game looks to be flourishing, but with many Welsh players leaving Wales for clubs abroad, what does Jonathan consider the biggest challenge facing Welsh rugby?

“It’s competing with the revenue French clubs have and trying to keep players in Wales. For me, there’s also a couple of other issues. One is good coaching at a young level. The other is trying to get people through the gate, that’s the main thing. We’ve got to get crowds up, and it’s imperative that we generate interest and atmosphere in Wales in the rugby ground.”

Jonathan Davies’ passion for the sport and his country is clear, but overall what strikes me about him is his fairness and honesty: the makings of a good commentator, and a gentleman.

Six Nations, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

Wales v Scotland, Sat 13 Feb; Wales v France, Fri 26 Feb. Tickets: £30-£75. Info: www.millenniumstadium.com The Six Nations will also be shown on BBC Two, with analysis by Scrum V, and S4C.

THE SIX NATIONS It’s that time of year again where everything gets just that little bit more stressful.

Welsh rugby fans will be sat on the edges of their seats, unable to watch, and screaming in delight or dismay as the Six Nations kicks off again.

Post-World Cup Six Nations are always fun. As ever, northern hemisphere teams have felt – quite rightly, some may say – that they underachieved in the World Cup. Ireland seemed to have lost the spark that had inspired them to win last year’s Six Nations, but are still a brilliant side. England, although most commentators seemed adamant that they would “100% definitely win”, crashed out early. Like a spider unable to get out of a bath, they couldn’t escape the pool of death and there was little a chariot could do to help. However, with Eddie Jones at the helm, pundits believe this year’s England is a different beast altogether.

France, both the best and worst team in the world, were lacklustre, famously demolished by New Zealand. Italy were, well, Italy. Scotland looked to cause one of the biggest upsets in the tournament when they lost by one agonising point to Australia, and are certainly not to be underestimated or cast aside as in previous years. Wales looked strong, with impressive moments, but the injuries caught up to them, despite battling out of the pool of death.

This may well be one of the most open tournaments for years, and it could easily go to Wales, Ireland or England. Big decider games for Wales will likely be Ireland v Wales at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, and England v Wales at Twickenham; both may be a challenge as Wales are playing away. But if Wales could win at Twickenham in the World Cup, perhaps they’ll be in luck in the Six Nations. Although Wales has three home games at the renamed Principality Stadium (you’ll always be Millennium to us), none really look like easy-to-win games. Even Italy can upset at times, and France may decide to actually be good this year. LUKE OWAIN BOULT Six Nations, Principality Stadium, Cardiff. Wales v Scotland, Sat 13 Feb; Wales v France, Fri 26 Feb. Tickets: £30-£75. Info: www. millenniumstadium.com. The Six Nations will also be shown on BBC Two, with analysis by Scrum V, and S4C.

pic Oliver Clarke

WELSH OPEN Mon 15 Feb marks the beginning of the weeklong Welsh Open Snooker Championship. Returning to Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena for a second year, having previously been held in Newport, the snooker exhibition is a testament to the strong Welsh links intertwined within the sport, from active players like Mark Williams and Michael White, to legends like Ray Reardon and Terry Griffiths.

This longstanding tradition is only valorised in the duration of the tournament. Started in 1992, it is the longest running ranked event on the snooker calendar, other than the coveted World and UK Championships. Entering its 25th year, the competition remains just as relevant as when it began, able to lift a player to recognition or cause them concerns in the build up to the championships. Starting with 128 players, the ranking event slowly whittles down the roster, with both favourites and underdogs falling victim to the skilled manoeuvres on the green cloth.

Anything can happen as the competition progresses, with Ronnie O’Sullivan crashing out in the last 32 stage last year, having won it in the previous year. The reigning champion with four Welsh Open Titles, including one in 2015 where he beat Woollaston 9-3, John Higgins will be looking to retain his title, despite his inferior ranking to the likes of Mark Selby, Stuart Bingham and Neil Robertson.

Regardless of whether you’re an avid snooker fan or are just intrigued by the coveted concept of the “147”, the tournament is a great opportunity to witness some of the world’s best players battle it out on the table. Offering two types of tickets, one for all-day and another for sessions, as well as choices for which individual days you want to attend, there are options for everyone. With a total prize fund of £324,000 available, including £60,000 for the winner, it isn’t only pride at stake for the players as they chalk their cues for another year in the Welsh capital. CONOR KNIGHT Welsh Open Snooker, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Mon 15-Sun 21 Feb. Tickets: all-day £12-£45; sessions £8£26. Info: www.worldsnooker.com BUZZ BUZZ49 49

pic Eli Duke

Map of Antarctica - Single Color by FreeVectorMaps.com

sport

MARIA LEIJERSTAM

CYCLING TO THE SOUTH POLE One of the ambassadors for the Wales 2016 Year Of Adventure, Maria Leijerstam speaks with Amanda Cozens about her passion for exploration and being the first person to cycle to the South Pole.

Do you think living in Wales has helped fuel your passion for the outdoors?

100%. I was born in Aberdare, went to school in Cowbridge and then I went away for university and to work for about 15 years and then came back home. Whichever way you turn [in Wales], you get the sea in the southerly direction, so it is very conducive to kayaking or open water swimming. Within half an hour to 40 minutes’ drive you’ve got the mountains to the north.

There are many facilities now that are popping up left, right and centre. I went to New Zealand in 2010 and I made a big career change – I cycled the length of the country and really understood how sport is a way of life for them there. So it was via this approach that I thought, "Hey – I'm going to go back to Wales, start my own business and make sport a way of life there because we’ve got all these facilities."

Amundsen went – from the Ross Ice Shelf travelling over the Transantarctic Mountain range. All of that required me to organise all of my travel to Antarctica, and across Antarctica.

The cycle itself was the easiest part!

What has been the most challenging thing for you so far?

Absolutely the South Pole. It was the actual cycling itself that was incredibly challenging and then the planning and preparation for the thing.

It took me four years, from start to finish, to plan and organise it all. Most people that go to the South Pole pay an organiser their money and they get flown out and then ski and everything is covered. I organised it from scratch. I didn’t go the standard route, I went a different route, which was similar to the one that Scott and

When you choose your missions, do you purposefully look for things that haven’t been done before or achieved?

Yes definitely. I don’t like to follow in anyone else’s footsteps. I like to take inspiration from other people. The point of the South Pole was to prove that cycling is a really good form of polar travel. Given the speed record of doing it in 10 days 14 hours, I think it also proved that it could be more efficient than skiing, which is obviously the proven method of polar travel.

BUZZ 50

When you’re doing your challenges, are you able to fully appreciate where you are and what you are doing?

Good question – quite often I'm so focused on trying to get somewhere efficiently and as fast as I can. In particular at the South Pole, I made myself really look around and occasionally stop, just to start to appreciate it – because I have been to some incredible places. Places that other human beings have never been before.

Like when I did the race across Patagonia, I was crossing glaciers, I was fighting Patagonian forests and all sorts. As I have gotten older I have started to begin to appreciate it.

In April 2016 you are planning on going to the North Pole to run a marathon on the floating air base and then cycle 111km.

Can you tell me what this challenge is all about and if it is still going ahead?

The marathon is an organised marathon. It’s more because I really want to see that area. I'm getting back into running; I haven’t done a lot of running since the South Pole, or the leading up to the South Pole, because I was so focused on the cycling. That’s definitely 100% going ahead. I'm aiming to get on my bike and cycle the last 100km to the Pole. The marathon isn’t actually run exactly at the North Pole – it's run at the airbase, which is about 100 km south of the North Pole.

Info: www.burnseries.co.uk / www. visitwales.com

BUZZ 51

What is culture?

Culture is an expression of who we are, of what we stand for, where we’re from. Culture references us and acts as a root to everything that we stand for. Culture can’t be transplanted. You can study culture but you can’t necessarily be part of a culture unless it’s rooted within you. That’s what some anthropologists have taught us over time.

Why do you feel culture is important?

It’s important because it gives us identity, and all human beings need identity. We feel that we have a home, that we have a sense of belonging, that we are competent; competence is often based on the values that we represent and the values that we develop over time, the values that are passed down to us by our parents. Culture is essential in defining who we are or what we stand for and, indeed, where we’re going.

KEN SKATES Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism and AM for Clwyd South Ken Skates speaks with Emma Clark about the Year Of Adventure, tourism and the meaning of culture.

What is the main idea behind the Year Of Adventure?

The Year Of Adventure is a way of corralling everybody in the culture sector and tourism sector behind one theme that we know Wales does exceptionally well, and that’s adventure. So for 2016, we’re going to be targeting those people around the world, across Wales, across the UK who are looking for a greater degree of adventure in their lives and in their holidays. It’s a celebration of the incredible investment that the Welsh government has made in some reputational changing attractions across Wales, such as Surf Snowdonia and Zip World. Basically we’re going to be seeking to attract more and more visitors to Wales as a destination for adventure. At the moment, Wales is third behind Scotland and the Lake District as an adventure destination in the UK. We hope to overtake them as a consequence of promoting Wales as the place of adventure in Europe in 2016.

What do you think is the most important asset Wales has to offer in terms of tourism?

We know that the number one factor people visit Wales for is heritage.

We’ve got more castles per square mile than any other country in Europe.

That’s a unique and unparalleled benefit. So we’re working to make sure that we can continue to promote our historic environment, and through 2017 we’ll be doing that as well, because 2017 will be themed the Year Of Legends. We also have an incredible natural environment which is perfectly suited to the theme of European adventure.

I think what really differentiates Wales from much of the UK is the incredible warm welcome that we offer visitors. And so as a tourist destination we are really well placed to attract more people; to welcome more people to ensure that they come back and visit again.

BUZZ 52

In regards to getting people out experiencing culture, being active and sporty, do you think obesity is one of the most challenging problems that we face in Wales?

Obesity is a huge challenge for us to face. But it’s part of an even bigger challenge which is the culture that has developed in the late 20th century and the first part of the 21st century, which is based around convenience and a lack of balance between work and life. This has led to a greater demand for convenience activities and convenience foods. We do need to address not just obesity but how people are able to live their lives; a greater value needs to be being placed on experiences, rather than the material goods that we acquire.

I hope that in challenging obesity, we’re actually going to be challenging some of the other consequences of modern life that have been very negative. For example, mental illness, which is often an underlined factor of obesity, or excessive alcoholic consumption, which again is often related to other factors. I think there are multiple reasons why people are ill and it’s not just about obesity, but we can trace it back to the way that we live our lives in the modern era.

You touched there on mental health problems. You were one of the first AMs to talk openly about mental health issues back in 2011. Do you think it’s still a taboo, and how do we tackle that?

It was a taboo. Certainly in some sectors of the economy and some areas of work it’s still a taboo; in some communities it can be. It’s a very progressive and tolerant environment that I work in, here at the National Assembly and in the Welsh Government. That’s not the same for all communities or places of work, so there are still issues that need to be addressed.

We’re heading in the right direction. A huge number of people, at any point in time, are suffering from mental illness. Depression in particular is a major illness that huge numbers of people across Britain are having to face. The more we talk about it, the more that we’re open with one another about the challenges we face, the more that people will be able to a) acknowledge that they too may have an illness and b) acknowledge that we have an issue. After that, we’re then able to address it. I think we talk to one another about our thoughts and feelings so that we know that we are not alone in life, so it’s essential that people do share their experiences with mental illness.

How is Wales competing on an international scale?

We know that activity in the arts in Wales is increasing and it’s not just increasing amongst the wealthiest in society. Because of our anti-poverty programs, we’ve been able to see an increase and a rise in activity right across socio-economic spectrums, so all sorts of people are becoming more active in the arts. In terms of physical activity we’re seeing the same sort of effect. But that’s not good enough, in my view, and that’s why I’ve set an ambition of Wales being the most physically active and creative nation in Europe within the next 10 years. I think we need to set our ambitions as high as possible and I think with continued investment and encouragement right across society, we can achieve that aspiration.

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BUZZ 53

are you a photographer? want to showcase your work? go to: www.buzzmag.co.uk BUZZ 54

buzz online photography competition

Buzz’s photography section is an initiative to showcase Welsh photographers and their work.

Photographers are invited to submit galleries by emailing (or sending via Dropbox) 5-15 pictures, numbering in the order they would like them to be displayed, along with a title of the gallery, and a subtitle.

If you want more direction, please take a look at previous galleries on our site.

Selected photographers will win exhibition space at a renowned gallery, a feature in Buzz and be featured as our Facebook and Twitter cover pictures.

If you have any queries, please email editorial@buzzmag.co.uk

BUZZ 55

Spring Tour Taith y Gwanwyn 2016

Swansea/Abertawe

Cardiff/Caerdydd

Taliesin Arts Centre Canolfan y Celfyddydau Taliesin 04 Feb/Chwef, 7.30pm 05 Feb/Chwef, 1.00pm+

Sherman Theatre Theatr Y Sherman 18 & 19 Feb/Chwef, 7.30pm 19 Feb/Chwef, 1.30pm*

+

Schools Interactive Matinee Matinee rhyngweithiol i ysgolion

*Family Interactive Matinee

01792 60 20 60 taliesinartscentre.co.uk

029 2064 6900 shermancymru.co.uk

Llandudno

Aberystwyth

Mold/Yr Wyddgrug

Venue Cymru 12 Feb/Chwef, 7.30pm 13 Feb/Chwef, 2.00pm*

Aberystwyth Arts Centre Canolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth 21 Apr/Ebrill, 7.30pm 22 Apr/Ebrill, 1.00pm+

Theatr Clwyd 13 & 14 May/Mai, 7.30pm 14 May/Mai, 2.30pm*

*Family Interactive Matinee

Matinee rhyngweithiol i deuluoedd

Matinee rhyngweithiol i deuluoedd

Milford Haven/ Aberdaugleddau Torch Theatre Theatr Torch 27 Apr/Ebrill, 7.30pm 01646 695267 torchtheatre.co.uk

*Family Interactive Matinee

Matinee rhyngweithiol i deuluoedd

+

01492 872000 venuecymru.co.uk

Schools Interactive Matinee Matinee rhyngweithiol i ysgolion

01352 701521 theatrclwyd.com

01970 623232 aberystwythartscentre.co.uk

@ndcwales #folkndcwales

ndcwales.co.uk Photography / Ffotograffiaeth: Rhys Cozens

BUZZ 56

* – recommended

pic Tonje Thilesen

listings

Inclusion in Buzz Listings is free. Send via post or email by 17th of the previous month. Buzz takes no responsibility for material sent or any errors made after time of going to press.

From Now On In the uneasy economic climate of the moment, no venture is truly guaranteed success. This truism feels more acute in Cardiff, unforgiving to new gambits as it can be, and still moreso if you're attempting to showcase things from the artistic margins. With this in mind, it's soothing to see that From Now On – a weekender founded in 2014 by Mark Thomas of Islet and Shape Records, with the intention of bringing strange, noncommercial music to the capital – is back for its third year. Not only that, it's expanded from two days to three.

Fri 12, the opening night, is headlined by San Franciscan experimental pop soloist Julia Holter [pictured], who could reasonably be considered From Now On's marquee act. Her rising profile in the last few years has been slow but clear: fourth LP, 2015's Have You In My Wilderness, swept the board critically, compositionally rich but often challenging. Also on the evening's bill are Meilyr Jones – once of Welsh indie sorts Race Horses, now attempting a brassier strain of pop – and Liverpudlian flautist Laura J Martin.

Sat 13 sees more Scouse experimenting from Stealing Sheep; “progressive Krautpop” from Bas Jan, who feature previous FNO performer Serafina Steer; Norfolk violinist Laura Cannell, whose playing calls on centuries of great folk styles; and electronic kinda-pop music from people also in way heavier bands (Happy Meals and Apostille). And Sun 14 shines light on some local faves, all of whom will be playing very different sets to normal: H Hawkline, Sweet Baboo and Threatmantics.

Plus a bearded Spaniard who performs using “banjo, harmonica reeds, mouth organ, tuning forks, microphones, amps, feet tapping and metronome.” You don't get that down the… well, down the anywhere. Do you?

Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff, Fri 12-Sun 14 Feb. Tickets: £45/£20 per day. Info: 029 2030 4400 / www. fromnowonfestival.co.uk

CONTENTS pg 58 pg 60 pg 62 pg 69 pg 74

art clubs events live stage BUZZ 57

art

art Aberystwyth Arts Centre Aberystwyth Arts Centre

University Of Wales, Aberystwyth. Free. Mon-Sat 10am-8pm. 01970 621903 / www.aber.ac.uk/artscentre The Human Face An opportunity to see portraits by some of the 20th century’s best known British artists, with works by many artists including Stanley Spencer, John Bellany, Jacob Epstein and Elizabeth Frink. (Until Sat 12 Mar) The Road To Peace Loaned to the Centre

by Tavistock Peace Group, this exhibition charts the challenging road to peace over the past 100 years, engaging with themes of peace, tolerance and international understanding.

(From Sat 6 Feb until Wed 16 Mar) Andrew McNeill ‘Under The Bridge: Being Homeless In Cardiff’ Cardiff-born photographer McNeill spent months building relationships with those he photographed, sleeping rough on the streets with them, resulting in this suite of portraits. (From Sat 6 Feb until Sat 9 Apr)

Albany Gallery

74b Albany Road, Cardiff.

Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm. Free. 029 2048 7158 / www.albanygallery. com Martin Llewellyn New work from popular Neath based, self-taught painter who takes his inspiration from the Welsh landscape. (From Thurs 4 until Sat 27 Feb)

Andrew Lamont Gallery (Theatr Brycheiniog)

Canal Wharf, Brecon. Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm. Free.

01874 611622 / enquiries@ brycheiniog.co.uk / www. brycheiniog.co.uk Louise Collis ‘365 Landscapes’ The last in a series of year-long exhibitions showing the results of painting one landscape outdoors every day for a year.

(From Fri 5 until Sun 28 Feb)

Arcadecardiff

Queens Arcade, off Queen Street, Cardiff. Usually open Wed-Sat 12.30-5.30pm. www.arcadecardiff.co.uk Victoria J E Jones ‘WHATITISRITE-HAVEN’ Newport-based artist presents specially commissioned lightworks in a show that reflects on shop signage and display, utilising the word SAFE. (Until Sat 13 Feb) Ian Watson ‘End To End Burners’ Exhibition

marking the end of Watson’s six months as Artist In Residence in Arcadecardiff’s basement studio. He presents artwork created during the residency, incorporating sound and digital artworks alongside sculpture and performance (there’ll be live music on Tue 16, Sat 20 and Sat 27 – see the Live Music listings for details).

(From Thurs 18 Feb until Sat 5 Mar)

Art Central

Barry Town Hall, King Square, Barry. Tue-Sat 11am-4pm. Free. 01446 709805.

Holocaust Memorial Day: Don’t Stand By Showcasing the results of Holocaust Memorial Day 2015, when conflict and war artist Nicola Tucker and the Vale’s Arts Development Service held creative and educational workshops in primary schools across the Vale. The exhibition will also feature a conceptual video piece created for the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s ‘Flames for Humanity’s Heroes’ project. (Until Sat 27 Feb)

ArTeas Cafe & Art Hub

591 Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff. Tue-Sat 10am-4pm. Free. 029 2115 3927

John Briggs ‘Before The Deluge’ Exhibition of photographs of Cardiff from the 1970s by American photographer Briggs. (From Mon 15 Feb until Sat 26 Mar)

Attic Gallery

37 Pocketts Wharf, Maritime Quarter, Swansea. Tue-Fri 10am-5.30pm, Sat 10am4.30pm. Free. 01792 653387 / www.atticgallery.co.uk Winter Group Exhibition 2015 Rotating exhibition of the latest work by our established artists and an opportunity for us to introduce work from artists who are new to the gallery. (Until Sat 2 Mar)

Barker Gallery / Torfaen Gallery

Pontypool Museum, Park Buildings, Pontypool. MonSat 11am-5pm, Sun 2-5pm.

Free Wed/Sun 2-5pm. 01495 752036.

Colour Vibrations Vision Arts presents a collection of mixed media work by eight well known Torfaen artists: Masae Takeuchi, Mark Medcalf, Jane Dorset, Patricia Clifford, Valerie Stewart, Joanne Price, Gillian Clayton and Aurelia. (From Sat 27 Feb until Thurs 27 Oct)

Barnabas Artshouse

New Ruperra Street, Newport. Open Mon-Sat. Free. 01633 673739 / www. barnabasartshouse.co.uk Winter Show Works range from soft sculptures by Liz Butler, which depict ageing stereotypes, to a full washing line in Liverpool by Thomas Rathmell. All works are for sale and may be taken at point of purchase. (Until early February)

Bay Art

54 B/C Bute Street, Cardiff Bay. Free. 029 2065 0016 / www.bayart.org.uk Sue Williams ‘Throb:Feely’ Part of a series of exhibitions and events that have been running across south Wales since autumn, this is an exhibition of new drawing and painting installations depicting the darkness and humour often held in the shadow of despair.. (From Fri 5 Feb until Fri 4 Mar)

Blossoms Gallery

LUNCH AT MUSSOLINI'S Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea, until Sun 3 Apr Admission: free. Info: 01792 463980 / www.dylanthomas.com Naturally, it's the enduring lure of Dylan Thomas that provides the hook for this exhibition, which has been showing at the writer's commemorative venue since November. However, the primary figure in its creation is the late Ethel Ross, a lecturer at Swansea College Of Education and friend of Dylan's from the 1930s until his death. She was also the sister of Swansea painter and Dylan cohort Alfred Janes – a drawing of Ross by Janes is included in this exhibition, along with a typescript for Dylan's theatrical sketch Lunch At Mussolini's and a series of Ross' photographs of Swansea, which she took in the aftermath of Dylan passing away.

Park Avenue, Aberystwyth. info@blossomsgallery.co.uk / www.blosssomsgallery. co.uk The Art Of Language An open exhibition inspired by the connections between the visual and literary arts.

Artists are encouraged to explore the influence of the spoken and written word on the visual arts, including poetry, prose, song, mythology, folklore, lyrics and language. (Until Sat 27 Feb) Woodlands Exhibition An open exhibition celebrating and exploring this ecosystem interpreted in a variety of media including wool, textiles, print, painting and sculpture. (From Sat 6 Feb until Sat 12 Mar)

Boundary Art

3 Sovereign Quay, BUZZ 58

Havannah Street, Cardiff.

Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. 029 2048 9869 / www. boundaryart.com Mono Exhibition showcasing local and international artists from the UK and abroad.

(Until Tue 1 Mar)

Cardiff Story

The Hayes, Cardiff. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm.

Free. 029 2078 8334 / museum@cardiff.gov.uk The Radyr And Morganstown & St Philbert De Grand Lieu Twinning Fellowship City Showcase Exhibition Explore the 30th anniversary of this twinning fellowship and the strong bonds that have been formed between both communities. (Until February TBC) Cardiff Remembers: Every Object Tells A Story Exploring stories of the First World War through objects.

(Until Sat 20 Feb)

Carmarthen School Of Art

Coleg Sir Gar, Jobs Well Road Campus, Carmarthen.

Mon, Tue + Thurs 9.30am7.30pm; Wed + Fri 9.30am4.30pm. Free. 01554 748201 / susan.hayward@ colegsirgar.ac.uk The Welsh Drawing Book Exhibition And Competition Exhibition highlighting the ‘book format’ as a vessel to hold and develop creative ideas. It is dedicated to the memory of Osi Rhys Osmond, who died in March 2015. (Until Fri 19 Feb)

Chapter Gallery

Chapter Arts Centre, Market Road, Canton, Cardiff. Tue, Wed, Sat + Sun 12-6pm; Thurs + Fri 12-8pm. Free.

029 2030 4400 / www. chapter.org

Magda Archer ‘#givemeeverythingandnothingbaby’ Art In The Bar exhibition, first shown in Manchester and described as “an assault upon the peepers in our public spaces via saccharine-soaked, candycoloured scenarios, statements and speech-bubble philosophy”. (Until Sun 14 Feb) *Rose Wylie ‘Tilt The Horizontal Into A Slant’ Paintings worked directly onto large, unprimed canvasses, using cut-up methods and loosely associated trains of thought. (From Fri 12 Feb until Sun 29 May)

Chepstow Museum

Bridge Street, Chepstow.

Mon-Sat 11am-4pm, Sun 2-4pm. Free. 01291 625981 / www.chepstowmuseum. co.uk The Hidden Presence Project Showcasing the work produced by Eva Sajovic, working with local schools and young people, based on the life of Nathaniel Wells – who went, in the 18th century, from being aplantation owner’s son to Britain’s first black sheriff. (From Sat 6 until Mon 29 Feb)

Coppertone Gallery

Exchange Building, Cambrian Place, Maritime Quarter, Swansea. Free.

01792 293200 / www.

coppertonegallery.com See California Landscapes, Like Never Before Large photography, ranging in size from 76 x 76cm up to 2.5m, from a recent road trip undertaken

by Nigel J. Williams and Greg Jones around California.

(Until February)

Craft In The Bay

The Flourish, Lloyd George Avenue, Cardiff. Mon-Sun 10.30am-5.30pm. Free. 029 2048 4611 / www. makersguildinwales.org.uk There’s Many A Slip Twixt Cup And Lip Student exhibition exploring the expressive properties of ceramics material and processes to affect interpretation of the vessel form. (Until Mon 14 Feb) Brendan Stuart Burns Renowned artist, recently given the Creative Wales Award, with a set of new work in porcelain. (Until Sun 6 Mar) Undergraduate Showcase: Cardiff & Vale College First and second year students studying ceramics, textiles and graphic design exhibit their recent project work. (From Wed 17 Feb until Wed 16 Mar)

Cwtsh Arts Centre

226 Stow Hill, Handpost, Newport. Tue-Thurs 10.30am-1pm, Sat. + Sun 12-4pm. Free. 01633 661703 / www.cwtsh.org Friars Walk: We Stand And Stare Artists’ responses to the Friars Walk development in Newport. I liked it when they evacuated the whole area the other day because some glue smelled funny, classic live action. (From Sat 13 Feb until Sun 20 Mar)

Dylan Thomas Centre

Somerset Place, Swansea.

Daily 10am-4pm. Free.

01792 463980 / dylanthomas.lit@swansea. gov.uk / www.dylanthomas. com Love The Words Ongoing, permanent exhibition dedicated to Dylan Thomas, with lots of interactive features and voiceovers from people including Prince Charles and Richard Burton. Lunch At Mussolini’s Following Dylan Thomas’ death in 1953, Ethel Ross, the sister-in-law of Alfred Janes, took a series of photographs of Dylan’s Swansea, and captioned them with an appropriate quote from his work. A selection of these are shown here alongside Dylan’s typescript for his sketch Lunch At Mussolini’s. (Until February)

Elysium Gallery

16 College Street, Swansea.

Wed-Sat 12-5pm. Free. www. elysiumgallery.com Seán Vicary ‘Mysterium Tremendum Et Fascinans’ New work from an artist who, having moved to West Wales, forged a new practice building upon his painting and printmaking skills and embracing emerging digital technologies; his subsequent moving image pieces have been broadcast in the UK and exhibited worldwide. (From Fri 12 Feb until Sat 12 Mar)

art Fountain Fine Art

6-8 Morgan Arcade, Cardiff.

Tue-Sat 10.30am-5pm. Free. www.fountainfineart.com Winter Group Exhibition A changing exhibition of new work from the gallery’s painters and sculptors.

(Throughout February) Joseph Connor FRSA Exhibition and auction of digital paintings based on last year’s Patagonia Trek for Velindre Cancer Care. (From Tue 16 until Sun 28 Feb)

Fountain Fine Art

Rhosmaen Street, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire. Mon-Sat 10.30am-5pm. Free. www. fountainfineart.com Winter Group Exhibition A changing exhibition of new work from the gallery’s painters and sculptors.

(Throughout February)

Futures Gallery

Pierhead Building, Cardiff Bay. Daily 10.30am-4pm.

Free. 0845 010 5500 / www. pierhead.org Heroes Of The Home Front Exploring life in Cardiff during the First World War. (Until Sun 21 Feb)

G39

Oxford Street, Roath, Cardiff. Saturdays 11am5.30pm. Free. 029 2047 3633 / post@g39.org UNIT(e) 2016 Open to the public every Saturday, this is a 10-week period (having started at the beginning of 2016) of production and experimentation in g39’s modular units. Artists involved: AJ Stockwell, Amy Edwards, Catrin Llwyd, Eifion Sven Myer, Elin Meredydd, Helen Stratford, Ian Watson, Jenny Cashmore, Jess Matthews, Owain McGivalry and Yan White, Murray Royston Ward and Rory Duckhouse. (Until Sat 12 Dec)

Y Galeri, Caerffili

Lower Ground Floor, The Visit Caerphilly Centre, The Twyn, Caerphilly. Tue-Sat 10am-5pm. Free. 029 2132 2570 / www.ygaleri.co.uk Open Art Winter Exhibition Eclectic mix of affordable artworks selected from open submission. Expect to see around 130 wall-hung and sculptural pieces from emerging amateurs and professional artists. (Until Sat 6 Feb) On The Surface An exploration of tactility from a number of artists who use textiles and surface pattern as a tool for expressing their ideas. (From Tue 9 Feb until Sat 5 Mar)

Gallery/Ten

23 Windsor Place, Cardiff.

Free. www.gallery-ten.co.uk Gallery Artists Group exhibition featuring a number of this gallery’s established artists. Please note: Gallery/ Ten will only be open by appointment this month, so email info@gallery-ten.co.uk if you want to pop in. (From Wed 3 until Sat 27 Feb)

The Gate

Keppoch Street, Roath, Cardiff. Mon-Sat 10am-9pm.

Free. 029 2048 3344 / info@

thegate.org.uk Open Exhibition An opportunity for young or established artists to be seen by a large audience, with each submission (maximum of three) costing £10. (Until Fri 26 Feb)

Glynn Vivian Art Gallery Offsite Exhibitions

Reading Room, ALEX Building, Alexandra Rd, Swansea. Free. 01792 516900 / www.glynnviviangallery.org The Book Project Glynn Vivian: In Transition Eight artists – Eva Bartussek, Paul Duerinckx, Richard Higlett, Anthony Shapland, Adele Vye, Simon Whitehead and Craig Wood –to respond and consider the Gallery during this time of transition and renewal, in relation to its past, present and future. (From Fri 12 until Fri 26 Feb)

Grand Pavilion

The Esplanade, Porthcawl.

Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm. Free. 01656 815995 / www. grandpavilion.co.uk Lydia Nicholson: All Round Artist Nicholson loves to paint animals, flowers, landscape and seascapes in watercolour, oils and acrylics as well as the challenge of trying new techniques and subject matter. (Until Sun 6 Mar)

King Street Gallery

33 King Street, Carmarthen.

Free. 01267 220121 / gallery@kingstreetgallery. co.uk ‘New Year Show Diverse and vibrant new work by the Gallery’s members. (Until March) Memory Created Exhibition from the MA students of Trinity St David’s Art Department. (From Fri 5 until Wed 17 Feb)

Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre

St. David’s Rd, Cwmbran, Torfaen. Mon-Sat 10am5pm. Free. 01633 483321 / www.lgac.org.uk An ‘In’ With A Stranger Curator Aidan Moesby begins a conversation exploring the notion of weather as a metaphor for the human condition. Featured artists include Catrin Andersson, Joanne Mitchell, Zoe Preece and Tim Shaw. (Until Sat 12 Mar) Dinny Pocock Dinny studied ceramics at Camberwell School Of Art, but her technique of sculpting fine layers of porcelain over wire frames has transferred into needle-felting. A MakersXchange show. (Until Sat 12 Mar) Katherine Bree Jewellery showcase

by London based designer/ maker Bree. Originally a textile designer, she is inspired by colour and her collections have a strong narrative.

(Until Sat 12 Mar) Annica Neumuller Work shown in the Cafe Gallery by an artist who describes her work as “a balancing act between chaos and order. As life itself.”

Pretty heavy I think you’ll agree. (Until Sat 12 Mar)

M.A.D.E. Gallery

41 Lochaber St, Cardiff.

Free. 029 2047 3373.

James Green ‘Rhondda World’ New solo exhibition from Cardiff-bsed artist Green, featuring an extensive range of work created over the last 10 years as well as recent work following his travels to South America.

(From Fri 12 Feb until Sat 5 Mar)

Martin Tinney Gallery

18 St Andrew’s Crescent, Cardiff. Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm. Free. 029 2064 1411 / mtg@artwales. com Meirion Ginsberg Second solo show at this gallery for a painter in his early 30s whose work combines figurative and abstract features and infuses humour into the everyday. (From Wed 3 until Tue 23 Feb) Oliver Gaiger Born in Uganda and currently resident in the Cambrian Mountains, Gaiger has lived in several other countries, and their cultures and landscapes have influenced his work – paintings, etchings and drypoints inspired by signs, symbols and patterns found in the natural and man-made environment.

(From Thurs 25 Feb until Tue 15 Mar)

Mission Gallery

Gloucester Place, Swansea.

Tue-Sun 11am-5pm. Free.

01792 652016 / www. missiongallery.co.uk Rhian Haf ‘Captured Moments’ Ruthin Craft Centre touring exhibition that centres on the capturing of light and shadow within architectural spaces or a reflection projected on to a pane of glass. (Until Sun 13 Mar) Daniel Boyle Maker In Focus show from a maker of one-off functional salt glazed stoneware works, created to hold and interact with. (Until Sun 21 Feb) Katharine Fry Work in the [...] space, new video pieces that reveal a number of perspectives on time and lived experience.

(Until Sun 21 Feb)

National Museum & Gallery

Cathays Park, Cardiff. TueSun 10am-5pm. Free except where noted. 029 2057 3500 / www.museumwales.ac.uk/ cardiff Reading The Rocks: The Remarkable Maps Of William Smith Two hundred years ago Smith, a blacksmith’s son from Oxfordshire, realised that a map showing where different rock layers came to the Earth’s surface would be of great value to the various mining industries thriving at the time. Many of his original maps plus other documents are displayed here. (Until Sun 28 Feb) Silent Explosion: Ivor Davies And Destruction In Art Major exhibition by Davies, one of Wales’ leading contemporary artists. It reveals his enduring interest in the creative power of destruction and features work in various media including painting, sculpture and performance, spanning the

artist’s career from the 1940s through to the present day.

(Until Sun 20 Mar) Augustus John in Focus A selection of paintings, watercolours, drawings and prints by this important Welsh artist. It will focus on images of his family, friends and celebrated sitters as well as his fascination with gypsy culture. (Until Fri 30 Sept) Treasures: Adventures In Archaeology See Upfront for more on this major exhibition. Admission is £7, £5 concessions or free for under-16s. (Until Sun 30 Oct)

National Waterfront Museum

Oystermouth Road, Maritime Quarter, Swansea.

Daily 10am-5pm. Free.

01792 638950.

Love Glass A celebration of love from students, alumni and tutors at the Swansea School of Glass. Curated by University Of Wales Trinity Saint David. (Until Sun 27 Mar)

Newport Museum & Art Gallery

John Frost Square, Newport.Tue-Fri 9.30am5.30pm, Sat 9.30am-4pm.

Free. 01633 656656 / museum@newport.gov.uk 140 Years Of Newport RFC Marking the ups and downs of this historic rugby football club. On display will be an outstanding collection of rugby memorabilia from Newport RFC, together with audio and visual exhibits. (Until Sat 16 Apr) The Grosvenor School Of Modern Art Founded in 1925 by Scottish artist Iain Macnab. the School soon occupied a leading role in the promotion of modern printmaking techniques. All works here are by artists associated with the Grosvenor School and form a part of a larger group of prints collected

by Newport Museum in the 1950s. (Until Sat 14 May)

Norwegian Church Arts Centre

Harbour Drive, Cardiff Bay. Daily 11am-4pm. Free. 029 2087 7959 / www. norwegianchurchcardiff.com F22 inspired by a lens aperture setting that helps to establish depth-of-field and light, two photographers – Mike and Dave – display work influenced by the likes of Berenice Abbott, Guy Bourdin, Ansel Adams and Galen Rowell. (From Mon 15 until Sun 21 Feb)

Off The Wall

The Old Probate Registry, Cardiff Road, Llandaff, Cardiff. Tue-Fri 9.30am5.30pm, Sat 10am-4pm.

Free. 029 2055 4469 / art@ galleryoffthewall.com Women’s Show Celebrating women’s creativity through the arts, partly to highlight International Women’s Day on Tue 8 Mar. The exhibition will feature original art, sculpture and limited edition prints. (Throughout February)

Oriel Bach

4 Dunns Lane, Mumbles,

Swansea. Mon-Sat 11am4pm. Free. 01792 361012 / www.orielbach.com Final Year Swansea College Of Art Students Photographic and mixed media exhibition. (Until Sat

Mon-Sat 10am-8pm. Free.

01239 621200 / siobhan@ mwldan.co.uk Amy Sterly ‘The Sound Of Reading’ Exploring the world of books and reading: what it means to move away

Blossoms Gallery in Aberystwyth, which recently rose from the (metaphorical) ashes of the town's Gas Gallery, has an exhibition titled The Art Of Language running throughout February.

It explores the inflluence of the spoken and written word on visual arts in general.

12 Mar)

Oriel Canfas

Glamorgan Street, Canton, Cardiff. Tue-Fri 1-4.30pm, Sat 10.30am-4.30pm. 029 2066 6455 / www. orielcanfas.co.uk

Anna Noël ‘Telling Tales’ Figurative ceramics. (Until Sat 20 Feb)

Oriel Davies

The Park, Newtown, Powys.

Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm.

Free. 01686 625041 / enquiries@orieldavies.org Power In The Land The artist group X-10 bring together the fruits of 2 years working together around the closure and decommissioning of Wylfa, the last nuclear power station in Wales and the last and largest of the Magnox stations, closing in December 2015. (From Sat 6 Feb until Wed 6 Apr) Chris Oakley ‘Datacide’ A sculptural installation, created from the remains of destroyed hard disk drives, both reflects upon the meaning of data in a digitised culture and considers a possible scenario where technology has become irrelevant and is reduced to its material qualities alone. (From Sat 6 Feb until Wed 6 Apr)

Oriel Joanna Field

Torch Theatre, St. Peter’s Road, Milford Haven. Free.

01646 695267 / www. torchtheatre.co.uk Edward Bowie ‘Pembrokeshire Horizons’ Having spent his life in a small fishing village nestled in the Pembrokeshire National Park, Edward loves to capture movement in his paintings and take aspects of the natural environment.

(Until Sat 27 Feb) Pip Lewis New paintings which fall somewhere between figuration and abstraction, by an artist who in the last 30 years has exhibited regularly in solo and group shows in Pembrokeshire and Ireland.

(From Mon 29 Feb until Sat 2 Apr)

Oriel Mwldan

Bath House Rd, Cardigan.

from those objects, from the visual beauty to the sounds, smells and textures lost.

This exhibition will include an installation that considers these ideas, alongside a series of prints. (Until Sat 19 Mar)

Oriel Myrddin

Church Lane, Carmarthen.

01267 222775 / www. orielmyrddingallery.co.uk

Anthony Rhys ‘Notorious: The Dark Side Of Victorian Carmarthen’ An exhibition of portraits from Rhys, a painter, featuring various 19th century crims identified from the historical Felon’s Register and other historical sources from Carmarthen’s archives. (ntil Sat 12 Mar)

Oriel Q

The Queens Hall, High Street, Narberth. Wed-Sat 10am-5pm. Free. 01834 869454 / www.orielqueenshallgallery.org.uk Keith Bayliss ‘Swsana & The Elders’ Based on the titular story from the Bible, Keith’s version is an exhibition using mixed media with three-dimensional figures, reliefs and paintings. (Until Sat 27 Feb)

Oriel Y Bont

University Of South Wales, Pontypridd. Mon-Thurs 8.30am-5.30pm, Fri 8.30am-5pm. Free. 01443 480480 / www.gallery. southwales.ac.uk FUSE 3: Dias, Hiles, Jackson, Krigel, Oben/ Goddard, Parnell An exhibition of 2D and 3D contemporary artworks by six female south Wales-based artists. All are members of the Faculty of Creative Industries at the University Of South Wales and one of them has worked collaboratively with the independent artist Tom Goddard. (Until Fri 19 Feb) Alan Salisbury Retrospective touring exhibition of intricate paintings and other works by Barrybased painter Salisbury, covering 50 years of work from 1965 to 2015. (From Thurs 25 Feb until Tue 26 Apr)

BUZZ 59

clubs Penarth Pier Pavilion

The Esplanade, Penarth.

Tues-Sat 10am-5pm. Free.

029 2071 2100 / info@ penarthpavilion.co.uk Print From Two Cities Exhibition brings together some of the best recent print work from members of Cardiff Print Workshop and Swansea Print Workshop.

(Until Mon 8 Feb) Bryan Alcock ‘Looking Through An Architect’s Window’ Exploring the heritage of the Pavilion, Alcock – the lead architect on the renovation of the building – has produced window frames which are overlaid on to painting.

(From Fri 12 Feb until Fri 4 Mar)

Redhouse

Old Town Hall, High Street, Merthyr Tydfil. Free. 01685 384111 / info@ redhousecymru.com

Chris Aylward & Jon Orbis 3 Studio Abstract expressionist style paintings and prints in oil and acrylic by this Pontypridd collective.

(Until Sat 27 Feb)

The Riverfront

Centre For Calligraphy at the University Of Sunderland.

(From Fri 19 Feb until Sat 23 Apr)

Taliesin Arts Centre

Singleton Park, Swansea.

Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 12pm-6pm and performance evenings 6pm8.15pm. Free. 01792 295526 / www.taliesinartscentre. co.uk

Original Artists Posters Many of the world’s leading artists have enjoyed making posters for their exhibitions, often taking the form of original lithographs. By nature ephemeral, mint copies are rare so enjoy these original examples. (Until Sat 13 Feb) Janet Weeks Bligh & Tony Douglas-Jones ‘2 Paint Wales’ Both members of the Royal Watercolour Society Of Wales, Weeks Bligh and Douglas-Jones have been painting all their lives.

They’re inspired, respectively, by local Welsh images and Celtic culture, and the shifting effects of light and atmosphere on the sea and sky. (From Fri 19 Feb until Thurs 24 Mar)

Bristol Packet Wharf, Newport. Mon-Sat 10am8pm, Sun 10am-6pm. Free.

01633 656757.

Community Arts Celebrations A programme of work to compliment International Women’s Day featuring work by various community artists and organisations. (From Tue 23 Feb until Sat 26 Mar)

Tenby Museum & Art Gallery

Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama

Theatr Hafren

Castle Grounds, Cathays Park, Cardiff. Free. 029 2039 1391 / www.rwcmd. ac.uk Ralph Koltai ‘Atomic Landscapes’ A new exhibition of metal collages by Koltai, one of the UK’s leading thatre designers. They were constructed from found objects on his farm in France between 1997-2015. (From Sat 13 feb until Sun 13 Mar)

Swansea Grand Theatre

Singleton St, Swansea. MonSat 10am-5pm. Free. 01792 475715 / www. swanseagrand.co.uk Swansea Camera Club Showcase on levels 1 and 2 of this venue. (From Tue 3 until Fri 18 Feb) Blitz Schools Exhibition Commemorating 75 years since Swansea suffered its most severe bout of German bombing. (From Mon 15 until Sat 20 Feb)

Swansea Museum

Victoria Road, The Maritime Quarter, Swansea. Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. Free. 01792 653763 / www. swanseamuseum.co.uk The Art Of Gordon Stuart Tying in with a new book which traces the work of this Welsh artist from his sketches in wartime Italy to the months before his death last year. (Until Thurs 11 Feb) Transformation Exhibition of work by South Wales Scribes. Also on show, for the first time in Wales, will be the four volumes of Letters After Lindisfarne – on loan from the International Research BUZZ 60

Castle Hill, Tenby. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, £4/£3/£2 kids.

01834 842809 / www. tenbymuseum.org.uk

Hope In The Great War Documenting six heroic Royal National Lifeboat Institution rescues during WWI. (From Sat 6 Feb until Sat 5 Mar) Llanidloes Road, Newtown, Powys. Mon-Sat 10am5.30pm. Free. 01686 625007 / boxoffice@theatrhafren. co.uk Sue Newham ‘Chasing Light’ Newham is a painter in oils and acrylics, who focuses on landscapes and pictures related to faith.

(Until Sun 14 Feb)

Third Floor Gallery

102 Bute Street, Cardiff Bay. Wed-Sun 1-7pm. Free. 029 2115 9151 / cardiff. thirdfloorgallery@gmail. com *The Apollo Archive Highly detailed, high resolution images of the Apollo moon landings between 1969 and 1972, taken from the Project Apollo archive which was established in 1999. (Until Sun 6 Mar)

Tower Gallery

49 High Street, Crickhowell.

Free. 01873 812495 / www. towergallery.co.uk Michael Howard An exhibition of recent landscapes from one of the gallery’s co-operative members. Work from other members is on show with original works, prints and cards. (Until Sat 20 Feb)

Tower Gallery

Oriel Y Parc Landscape Gallery & Visitor Centre, The Grove, St Davids, Pembrokeshire. Free. 01437 720392 / info@orielyparc. co.uk Clare Woods ‘A Tree A Rock A Cloud’ The latest Welsh venue for this touring

exhibition of works which evolved out of an engagement with traditions of historic painting – portraiture, still life and landscape – from the collections of Amgueddfa Cymru. (Until Sun 6 Mar)

Velindre Hospital

Whitchurch, Cardiff. Open 24/7. Free. 029 2075 2251.

South Wales Art Society – Permanent Rolling Exhibition Members’ works are available to view in the corridors and restaurant of the hospital at any given time. 20% of all sales go to the hospital.

Victoria Fearn Gallery

6B Heol y Deri, Rhiwbina, Cardiff. Mon-Sat 9.30am5.30pm, Sun 10am-3pm.

Free. 029 2052 0884.

Land Of My Father Themed exhibition featuring many gallery artists, including some original paintings by Valeriane Leblond. (Until Sat 27 Feb)

Wales Millennium Centre

Bute Place, Cardiff Bay. Free. 029 2063 6464 / www. wmc.org.uk Stephen Kingston Caernarfon-bsed artist creates a special mural celebrating and reflecting the vibrancy and vitality of Black History Month. (Until Wed 30 Mar) Common Ground Inspired by notions of ‘home’ and ‘community’, Common Ground brings together new work from two photographic collectives taking an outward-facing view of their respective home countries of Scotland and Wales. (From Fri 5 Feb until Sun 10 Apr)

West Wharf Gallery / Jacobs Gallery

Jacobs Market, Cardiff.

Thurs-Sat 10am-5pm. Free. westwharfgallery@gmail. com / info@jacobsgallery. co.uk / www.jacobsgallery. co.uk Looking At Touching Something Collaborative exhibition featuring young artists presenting work based around the five senses.

Artists involved: Anthi Kyriakou, Diwas Dewan, Jed Fielder, Andis Dimo, Eirini Stylianou, Helen Bur, Lydia Roberts and Wasp Elder.

(From Fri 19 until Fri 26 Feb)

Workers Gallery

99 Ynyshir Road, Ynyshir, Rhondda Cynon Taff. FriSun 10am-5pm. Free. 01443 682024 / wood4tt@gmail. com Sit & Spoon 2016 Lovespoons and loveseats, created by makers and artists exploring objects of desire and symbols of devotion.

(Until Sat 12 Mar) Violet Rees Exhibition of paintings by a local artist. Showing on the People’s Wall which is reserved for local artists and groups and free to exhibit for Workers Mates. (From Thurs 4 until Sat 27 Feb)

Wyeside Arts Centre

Castle Street, Builth Wells, Powys. Tue-Fri 12.30-9pm, Sat + Sun 2-9pm. Free.

01982 552555 / www. wyeside.co.uk

Glenn Morris ‘Siku: A Sculptor’s Response To The Arctic’ A selection of images and sculptures inspired by the north and designed to give a small taste of life on the very edge of where it is possible for humans to survive. (Until Sun 20 Mar)

clubs 10 Feet Tall

11a + 12 Church Street, Cardiff. 029 2022 8883 / thisis10feettall@yahoo.co.uk Fridays Soulection 9pm3am, £3 after 10. Soul, boogie and the like from Blue Honey DJs. New night. Saturdays Under A Groove 9pm-3am, £3 after 10. Funk, neo-soul and Motown with music from James Morgan-Rees & Alex Moxham. New night.

Sundays 10 Feet Tall Industry Night 5pm-3am, free. 50% off all drinks for Industry staff with this venue’s Industry card, alongside late-night Blue Honey DJs.

Blind Tiger

49 Cambrian Road, Newport. 01633 243500.

Wednesdays Wild Wednesdays Fresh house, garage, grime and bass music every week. Fridays Boombox Old school reggae, hip-hop, beats and bass with Blind Tiger residents and guest selecters on rotation. Saturdays Koncept & Friends House, techno and bass music with guest DJs, breaking producers and residents from Wales’ freshest nights, like so: Sat 6 Dale Rankmore; Sat 13 Illa B and Quadey; Sat 20 Brett Curie (OneHouse) and Sat 27 Jack Maybank.

Buffalo

11 Windsor Place, Cardiff.

Open Mon-Thurs 11am-3am, Fri + Sat 11am-4am, Sun until 4am. 029 2031 0312 / www.buffalocardiff.com Mondays Bump & Grind 10pm-3am, £4/£3 before 11.30. 90s r’n’b/hip-hop night. Fri 5 Aperture 10pm4am, £10/£5. Featuring folks from Bristol’s Critical Soundsytem – Kasra b2b Sam Binga b2b Hyroglifics – plus host Redders.

Locals:Format, Rogue, Ohms, JE3 and host XL. Saturdays Shindig 10pm-4am, £3. Pop, chart, funk and soul from residents over two floors. Drinks deals.

Cardiff University Students Union

Park Place, Cardiff. All listings apply to term time only. 029 2078 1458 /

studentsunion@cardiff.ac.uk

Wednesdays YOLO 9pm2am, £4/£3 adv/free before 11. New midweek club night promising both your favourite tunes and great offers.

Good name, really on trend.

Fri 12 What Hannah Wants Tour 9pm-4am, from £15 adv. Brummie house miss with a bill of house and bass

music faves which sold out before Christmas. Waze & Odyssey, Sam Divine, SYV and B.Russ join her in the main room; room 2 has Mak & Pasteman and DJ Barely Legal. Saturdays Flux 9pm-2am, £5/£4 NUS. Chart, dance and pop.

Cellar Door

Venue TBC, St Mary Street, Cardiff. 07977 131320 / cellardoorcardiff@hotmail. co.uk Sat 20 Cellar Door 10pm5am, £10 adv. Regular house and techno bash. Touting itself as a “black and white ball”, the precise location will be revealed at 9pm on the night but is, say CD, “not be the typical place for an allnight rave”. Good thing this isn’t an all-night rave then, finishing as it does at 5am.

Club Oxygen

1 Northampton Lane, Swansea. 0844 8849171 / www.globaloxygen.co.uk Fridays Dance Anthems 11pm-6am, from £5. House and commercial music all night from Big Al, Nicky G, 3 Bird, Jordan Steins, LJ Isaac and Tom Chizzy. Saturdays 10pm-6am. Room 1: ED, progressive, big room, electro, deep and house. Room 2: r’n’b, bassline, garage and hip-hop. Plus big name guests TBC.

Clwb Ifor Bach

Womanby St, Cardiff. 029 2023 2199 / www.clwb.net Mon 8 Itchy Feet 11pm2.30am, £7 adv. Rock’n’roll, swing, ska, R&B, funk and soul all together. Thurs 4 Carnival 11pm-4am, £4.

Dead popular studentfriendly night helmed by “a bashment collective that bring the sounds of Jamaica to Cardiff”. Fridays (bottom) Zerox 10.30pm-3am, £4/£3 NUS. A “party jukebox” night. With DJs, though, not an actual jukebox. Fri 5 Autarchy 10pm-4am, £7/£6 adv. New techno night headlined by Harry Judda, a youthful UK DJ who’s had releases on Dirtybird among others. Fri 12 Bullion 9pm4am, £8 adv. Drum’n’bass, jungle, old skool and dubstep are all on offer here. Last I checked Bullion just dealt in d’n’b pretty much. Either way, the lineup for this one is still TBC. Fri 19 Journey 10pm-4am, £16/£13.50.

Canonical trance DJs in the mix tonight, with Solarstone and Dumonde playing for three and two hours respectively. The main room will also have some residents, while on the middle floor there’s Stu Grady vs Richie Knight, Bally, Icey, Paschy and Fattman vs Salted Slug. Fri 26 Brooklyn Zoo 10.30pm-4am, £3-£5. Current and classic hip-hop alike, selected by Patrick Nazemi.

Saturdays 10pm-4am, £5/£4 NUS. Three floors of fun: The Vinyl Vendettas’ top floor resident indie shindig; Dirty Pop and Mr Potter's proper disco.

Courtyard

48 Cambrian Road, Newport. 01633 213161.

Wednesdays Wild Wednesdays Upfront dance

anthems and “Urban Vibes”.

Fridays The Kickstart / Terrace Session Classic anthems, downstairs, Mr Ifsta plus allstar residents up on the roof terrace.

Saturdays Mischief Beat-driven anthems is the ambiguous description for tonight’s music policy.

Sundays Sunday Sessions DJs til late and the weekend’s sports highlights.

Cube

Greyfriars Place, Cardiff.

07595 728841 / cellardoorcardiff@hotmail. co.uk (contact for below club night) Sat 20 Deep Inside + Apex 11pm-4am, £15 inc Tramshed ticket. Afterparty for the event in the Tramshed tonight, with Deep Inside residents.

Dempseys

Castle Street, Cardiff. 029 2023 9253 / www. dempseyscardiff.com Thursdays (downstairs) Twisted By Design 9.30pm2am, free. Weekly night along the lines of the Saturday lineups. Fridays (downstairs) Blah Blah Blah 10pm-3am, free. Gary Twisted offers up Motown, indie, rock’n’roll, reggae and “no cheesy pop”.

Saturdays 9pm-3am, free.

Rock’n’roll, funk, soul, party tunes yadda yadda, selected

by Chris PJ Martin. Sat 20 Twisted By Design 9pm2am, £3.50/£3 NUS. Monthly event with Gary playing the best in indie choons – Belle & Sebastian, Bowie, Cure, Dead Kennedys, summat like that.

Face 11

105 Cathays Terrace, Cardiff. 029 2022 8221 / www.face11.co.uk Fridays DJ 45 Free. Funk, soul, hip-hop and more, or “poppin’ funk and funkin’ pop” as the tagline goes.

Fuel

5 Womanby Street, Cardiff.

0845 6430032 / www. givemefuel.co.uk Thursdays FUBAR 10pm2am. Rock, metal and alternative clubnight. Fridays + Saturdays Rock and metal anthems each weekend, plus special guests when such types are in town.

The Full Moon / The Moon Club

Womanby Street, Cardiff. 029 2037 3022 / info@

thefullmooncardiff.com Thursdays Hullabalooza 10pm-4am, free. Alternative party tunes. Saturdays Five Dollar Shake Free.

DJ Puddlefunk with bebop, funk, soul, Motown, hip-hop, reggae, ska and everything in between. Sat 13 Killing Moon 11pm, £4. Newish night celebrating 80s alternative music has a David Bowie special this month.

“But Bowie wasn’t really that alternative in the 80s,” I wail as security drags me out by my earlobes. Sat 20 The Hold Up 9pm, £6.50 adv.

Monthly hip-hop night, with Dr Syntax and Pete Cannon this month’s headliners. Sat 27 Submerge 10.30pm, £5 adv. Cardiff’s finest dubstep

clubs night, they claim, although I think that’s a title they’ve earned by default at this point in time.

Greyfriars Road, Cardiff.

029 2022 9311 / info@ glamnightclub.co.uk Mondays The Fest 10pm3am, £3.50. Two floors of charts, dance and student anthems (room one) and r’n’b, hip-hop, urban and funky (room two). Fridays Smack. 9pm-3am. This night has moved from, er, some other Cardiff club, I can’t be arsed looking up which one.

Saturdays Vanity 9pm-3am, £5-£10. Two rooms of quality music, everyone catered for it is claimed.

Darkhouse Family and DJ Jaffa are in for Feb. Fri 26 Pleasuredome 9pm-2.30am, £5/£3 before 11. Conroy, Deemo and Teoman play the electronic music of the 80s.

Sat 6 Blue Honey 9pm-2am, £5. Headlined by Bristolian DJ Admin, from the Sleazy Beats stable. Sat 13 Fat City 9pm, £3. With a headline set from Feelgood Experiment.

This is set to be the last Fat City after six years of funk, soul and suchlike. Kudos!

Sat 20 Mise En Bouche 9pm, £4. DJing from Gidge and Toclifrench. Sat 27 Hully Gully 9pm. Featuring London duo Chaos In The CBD (Rhythm Section) plus Brawd (Groove Theory) and Owain Hepple (City Bass).

Gwdihw

Jacob’s Market

Glam

6 Guildford Crescent, Cardiff. 029 2039 7933 / www.gwdihw.co.uk Fri 5 Sure Shot: Thank You Jay Dee 9pm, £4. See Clubs for more on this tribute night for the late hip-hop producer you may know better as J Dilla. Fri 12 Superchango Takeover 9pm-2.30am, £4/£3 adv. Funk, disco, hip-hop and party, this month being a Juju Nations mashup special.

Fri 19 Modula x One Good Thing 9pm. Homegrown beats, live performances and visual art dawn from the local pool of DJs, producers etc. Tall Black Guy,

West Canal Wharf, Cardiff.

029 2039 0939. *Sat 27 Delete 10pm-5am, £15/£12. Head High, who you may know better as punchy techno head Shed, makes his Cardiff debut tonight. Matt Owen, Lee Graves and Marc Parsons are here too, as is customary. See Clubs.

Karma

75 St Mary Street, Cardiff.

Fri + Sat 8pm-6am. karmaclubcardiff@gmail. com Sat 27 Circle 8 & Stickylemons 9pm-6am, £12 adv. DJs: Taxman (from

DJ Hype’s Playaz label), Propz & Rowney (G13), Bason, Bomber, Kookie b2b DJ Anagram, T.Bone, Pabz and Low. MCs: Traumatik, Joe Blow, Endo, Skamma, Slim Teng, Vizable, Deadly Knight Shade, Ras Robbie and Gifted.

Ladybird

41 St Mary St, Cardiff. 029 2066 5500 / info@ ladybirdcardiff.com / www. ladybirdcardiff.com Wednesdays Cheeky 10pm-4am, £2. Tickets are £2, drinks (some of them) are £2 and there are two rooms of music. Thursdays Propaganda 10pm-4am, £4. UK-wide indie night’s Cardiff wing. You can tell it’s the Cardiff one becuse they list Stereophonics first on the list of bands likely to be played. Fridays Mi Casa 10pm-4am. House and techno every week, often with some pretty big names. They never announce them in time for these listings though. Fri 5 Craft Underground 10pm6am, £7 adv. These promoters seem to be new to Cardiff but have a decent lookinh house lineup for you: Third Son , Alex Descarada, Joel-T, James Campbell, Lucas Alexander, Brodyr and Adam Carey. Mi Casa residents are in room 2. Saturdays Solution 10pm-4am. A night whose flyer has a big photo

of a model in her bra and pants. Sundays Sunday Project 7pm-3am, free with guestlist. Free industry night offers floor fillers and house classics.

The Lemon Factory

37 St Helens Road, Swansea.

07969 671379 / www. lemonfactorybar.co.uk/ Sat 27 Rhigol 10pm, £9/£7 adv. House, disco and garage with Ricardo Da Rhythm, Harrison BDP and Richie Curran. First 2016 bash for relatively new Swansea promoters.

Metros

Baker’s Row, Cardiff. 029 2039 9942 / www. metroscardiff.com Wednesdays Cheapskates 9pm-4am, £5. Hywel plays ‘alternative mayhem’ and old skool cheese. Fridays Subversion 9.30pm-3.30am, £3 with flyer before 10.30pm.

Drinks promos, no dress code. Rock, punk, metal and alternative beats. Saturdays Slacker 9.30pm-3.30am.

Wherein Hywel plays alternative and new music.

Minskys Show Bar

Cathedral Walk, St David’s Centre, Cardiff. 029 2023 3128 / www.minskysshowbar.com

Fridays & Saturdays 8pm1am. Dancing and cabaret with regular drag acts including Tina Sparkle, Miss Babs and Jolene Dover.

Missoula

84-86 St Mary Street, Cardiff.

029 2037 1315 / www. missoulabars.co.uk/ missoulacardiff

Fridays Unfunkinbelievable Half price drinks from 5-10pm. What I find ‘unfunkinbelievable’ is that there’s a club night called ‘Unfunkinbelievable’ in the year 2015. Saturdays ‘Miss’ Behaviour Music, cocktails, party. All these things are found here.

Mocka Lounge

pic Gary Brown

DUB PHIZIX & STRATEGY Rise @ Sin City, Swansea, Sat 6 Feb Tickets: £8. Info: 01792 468892 / www.sincityclub.co.uk Manchester has earned its reputation as one of the UK's top cities in which to go raving, whatever your preferred dance genre, but hasn't produced many drum'n'bass producers of great renown. Dub Phizix, whose real name is George Ovens and who apparently has a tattoo of Alex Ferguson's face somewhere about his person, has gone against that grain since emerging in the early 2010s. Most recently, he's been enlisted to do the honours for the relentless Fabriclive mix album series – turning in an intricate 43-track opus that shows his unorthodox approach to d'n'b beatwork, and ability to make matters soulful without veering towards lightweight cheese. On this trip to Swansea he's joined by his regular MC foil, Strategy – a fellow Mancunian who cut his teeth on the city's hip-hop scene.

Mill Lane, Cardiff. Mon-Sat 11am-late. 029 2022 1295 / www.mockalounge.com Thursdays The Social Affair 9pm-3am. Over-25s night with chart hits through the ages. sque, live music and DJs. Fridays Timeless DJ Dan Nicholas plays r’n’b, funk, disco and old skool.

Just old skool. Saturdays Decorum Soulful and upfront house, plus funk, disco etc, from Sinky and Styles. Sundays VIP Chris Evans (My Playhouse) plays club classics, funky house and r’n’b.

Monkey Bar

13 Castle Street, Swansea.

01792 480822 / www. monkeycafe.co.uk Wednesdays Drop 10pm4am. Hip-hop, drum’n’bass, house, garage, jungle and grime. Fridays Dime 10pm-6am, £5/£3 before 12 or with a Kon Tiki stamp.

Hip-hop, grime, house and drum’n’bass. Fri 5 brings General Levy down for some 1994-vintage ragga jungle business; DJ Luck & MC Neat headline Fri 19 and Fri

26 features grime survivor Jammer and 1Xtra’s DJ Cable (see Clubs for more on that one). Saturdays Get Busy £3 with a Kon Tiki stamp.

Funk, soul, hip-hop, Motown, boogie and party.

www.revolution-bars.co.uk Tuesdays Sync 9pm-3am.

Student night featuring hazers, lasers and drink deals.

Fridays + Saturdays 9pm3am. DJs, drinks offers, free area hire.

Mozarts

The Robin Hood

Walter Road, Swansea.

01792 649984 / www. mozartsswansea.co.uk Fri 5 Hip-Drop 8pm-3am.

Mod, Stax, reggae and northern soul. Fri 12 Yum Yum Club 8pm-3am. Funk, soul, reggae, disco and hip-hop.

Penarth Ex-Servicemens Club

69 Windsor Rd, Penarth.

029 2070 7530 / www. penarthexservicemensclub. co.uk Sat 20 Get On Up! 7.30pm12.30am, £3 adv. Funk night with DJ sets from Leon Watkins, Gareth Howell and Liam Curtin.

Popworld

Wind Street, Swansea. MonFri + Sun 8pm-3am; Sat 3pm-3am. 01792 470676.

Tuesdays Popstar Karaoke 9pm-3am. Karaoke night with a £50 prize. Wednesdays W.H.I.P. 9pm, free before 11. That’s short for What Happens In Popworld.

Thursdays T.N.T. 9pm-3am.

That’s short for Thirsty Night Thursday. All drinks are £1.50 before 12am, apart from wines, cocktails, champagnes and – oh, Swansea – Rekorderlig. Fridays + Saturdays Ain’t No Party Like A Popworld Party 8pm-3am, £2-£4 (Fri)/£3-£5 (Sat).

Pryzm (formerly Oceana)

Greyfriars Road, Cardiff.

029 2023 3854 / www. pryzm.co.uk/cardiff Wednesdays Nu 9.30pm3am. Room 1: Monique B and Dan Willow play commercial r’n’b; room 2: Sole and Pro play old skool house. Thurs 31 9pm-3am, £15/£25 VIP. Three rooms of dance, r’n’b and pop/party anthems, with Nottingham breakthrough DJ Philip George the headline act. Fridays + Saturdays 10pm-3am. Three music arenas, VIP booths, other stuff.

Saturday is in conjunction with Jongleurs comedy club, which also takes place here.

Fri 4 Dec features a guest appearance from the UK Pleasure Boys, a ‘male revue’ who feature someone off Big Brother. Sat 5 ushers in Danny Mac, aka Dodger from Hollyoaks.

Pulse

3 Churchill Way, Cardiff.

029 2064 1010 / www.

pulsecardiff.com. Gay venue.

Wednesdays Warped 10pm-4am. Join DJ Craig W on a journey through time with the best hits from the last two decades. Fridays Pulsetastic 10pm-5am, £4/£3. With live PAs once a month. Saturdays Pop Til You Drop 10pm-5am, £5/£4 b4 11. The very best chart remixes and classic hits all night long.

Revolution

Castle Street, Cardiff. Open from 11am. 029 2023 6689 /

16 Severn Grove, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 029 2037 8829 / www. robinhoodbar.co.uk Sat 6 + Sat 5 Mar Totally Mod For It Free. Every first Saturday of the month, DJ 45 presents an evening of 60s/70s beat, rhythm & blues, soul, ska, 80s/90s Britpop and 2-tone.

Room 112

3-6 St Mary Street, Cardiff.

Open Thurs 9pm-3am, Fri + Sat 10pm-4am. 029 2066 7996 / www.room112.net Fridays Bedrock 9pm-4am, £10/£5 before 12. R’n’b, hip-hop and dancehall.

Saturdays Pillow Talk 9pm-4am, £10. Old skool r’n’b, hip-hop, house and decadent partying is this night’s deal.

The Scene

Plymouth Street, Swansea.

07730 432166 / www. thesceneclub.co.uk Fri 5 Feb + Fri 4 Mar Night Train 10pm-3am, £3.

Swansea Scooter Society DJs play R&B, mod, soul, jazz etc on the first Friday of every month. Sat 6 Feb + Sat 5 Mar Dead Of Night 10pm-3am, £3. Goth/alternative club night, on the first Saturday of every month.

Sat 13 Dogruff Afterparty 1.30-5am, £10 adv. Following the evening rave at the Unit (see a couple of columns to the right), quality house and techno folks traipse over here for a few hours. Some of these people will be playing here, some at Unit: Shaun Edwards, Luke Tainton, Kye Davies, Indigo King, Nathan Bridges, Thomas Webb, Gareth Richards, Oliver Leo Porter, Richie Curran and Mikki Wings Sat 27 Dirtbox 9pm-5am. Hard dance specialists have booked a boshing night here but you’ll have to check back to see who’s playing it, OK?

Sin City

Dilwyn Street, Swansea.

01792 468892 / bookings@ alternativeswansea.com Tuesdays Hustle 10pm3am. Funk, soul, Motown and hip-hop. Thursdays Sin Savers 10pm-3am, £3.

Student night, back for the new term. Fridays Monsters Of Rock 10pm-3.30am, £4/£2 before 12.30. Indie in room 1, metal in room 2. Saturdays Sink 10pm-3am. Hip-hop, drum’n’bass, dubstep etc, with special guests plus resident DJs Dubman, Swiss Elf and South. Sat 6 Rise 10pm-4am.

Drum’n’bass night headlined

by Dub Phizix & Strategy, along with Kazm b2b Nordle, Urkle Murkle b2b Jamoir, Nomad b2b G.Coin, Ransom b2b Kooley b2b Stu Grady and host Reuben MC. Sat 27 Rise 10pm-4am. More d’n’b, this time with Med School Records’ Etherwood in the headline position. Long Boy, Jack Sauce, Grok, Walbeoff BUZZ 61

events and TSB also feature.

Soda Lounge

Back in the day, the British folk scene was populated by earnest young men and women with guitars performing standardised traditional songs and a few of their own compositions, usually influenced by Bob Dylan, Donovan or Joan Baez. These days, those earnest young men and women are still around but they’re in the company of a whole new breed of folk musicians whose versions of traditional songs are anything but standardised and whose own compositions are light years away from 1960s protest singers.

Foremost among this new breed of folk musicians are the genre-bending trio Lau: three musicians whose folk roots are a springboard for some of the most exciting music being produced in Britain today, and not just on the folk scene.

Lau formed in 2004 as the result of an informal session of three blokes, Scottish fiddle player Aidan O’Rourke, Orcadian guitarist and singer Kris Drever and East Anglian accordionist and keyboards player Martin Green, playing a few tunes around a kitchen table in Edinburgh.

Individually recognised as being among the finest contemporary folk musicians, together they are an unstoppable force of nature, as their shelves full of awards, reams of ecstatic reviews and breathless plaudits from excited audiences around the globe testify.

To date Lau have released five critically acclaimed albums and several EPs of collaborations with artists as diverse as Scottish songwriter Karine Polwart and electronica innovator Adem. Produced

by Joan Wasser (aka Joan As Policewoman), their most recent release, 2015’s The Bell That Never Rang, is a startlingly original album that takes folk music to places it’s rarely ever been before, with the band producing some of their finest music to date. That incredible music lies at the heart of Lau’s legendary live performances, where folk, electronica, hints of classical music, rock and improvisation come thrillingly together, as you can discover for yourselves as Lau hit the stage at Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on Mon 8 Feb as part of the Roots Unearthed series.

Buzz also recommends Leon Hunt & Jason Titley. Top notch roots music from former Daily Planet members. Llandeilo Acoustic, Angel Hotel, Llandeilo. (Thurs 11) Gigspanner. Fiddle player Peter Knight’s highly regarded combo. Rumney Folk Club, Whitehall Parade, Rumney, Cardiff. CF3 3DJ (Fri 19) Otavo Yo. Russian folk rebels. Pontardawe Arts Centre. (Wed 24) Please send your folk and roots listings to listings@buzzmag.co.uk or phone them in to 029 2022 6767

BUZZ 62

St Mary Street, Cardiff. 029 2037 3363 / www. sodalounge.co.uk Tuesdays Cartel £4/£3.50.

UK-wide student night. Mr. Mozafari will be playing vocal house and electro upstairs; DJ Wallace will supply r’n’b and chart in the Soda Lounge. Wednesdays Replay 10pm, £5/£4. The official sports night of the Cardiff Metropolitan University. Thursdays Clique 10pm, £4. New night promising the hottest r’n’b and dancefloor fillers.

Saturdays Soiree 9pm-4am.

Three rooms including the Attic which is “the social playground for the high flyers and social elite, really the only place to be seen.”

Imagine catching your reflection in the mirror just after writing that.

St Joseph’s Social Club

29 Whitchurch Road, Cardiff. 029 2061 9286.

Fri 5 Soul In The City #3 7.30pm, £6/£5 adv. Motown, Stax, northern soul and funk from Liam, Shelley and Mr Potter.

names. For their first Cardiff night they’ve got Skream to headline with a three-hour set, along with the Apex Collective. It does finish pretty early, true, but there’s an afterparty at Cube in town courtesy of Deep Inside.

Undertone (basement of 10 Feet Tall)

11a + 12 Church Street, Cardiff. 029 2022 8883 / www.undertonecardiff.com Tue 23 The Mixtape 10pm-4am, £8/£5. Featuring resident DJs and special guest Earl Jeffers, from Darkhouse Fam. Thurs 18 Fundraver 10pm-4am. House and techno, presumably for charity. Thurs 25 Fire: Strictly Grime 10.30pm-4am, £4/£3. The best in grime and UK garage. *Fri 5 Groove Theory 10pm-5am, £13/£12. Detroit’s Jay Daniel makes his Welsh debut with a set that will likely span soul, funk and house, weaved together in that Motor City style, kinda thing. See Clubs.

Fri 12 La Fiesta 10pm-4am, £3. The best in commercial music and the biggest of hits, apparently. Fri 19 Selecta 10pm, £4/£3. Classic UK garage anthems with a hint of grime all night long with Rich Tea.Fri 26 Temple 10pm-

Dogruff, whose parties are essential if you live in/near Swansea and bark up the tree of underground house and techno, have an epic two-part party on Sat 13. It starts in Unit, a warehouse on Neath Road, before moving to the Scene nightclub around 1am, and finishing at 5.

Tiger Tiger

Friary House, Greyfriars Rd, Cardiff. Open Mon-Fri 12pm-2am, Sat 12pm-3am, Sun 12pm-12.30am. 029 2039 1944 / www.tigertigercardiff.co.uk Every Day Lucky Voice Karaoke From £2.50 per session. The UK's leading private karaoke experience each day of the week. Wednesdays Shotgun Rules 10pm-3am, £5/£3.50. Exclusive midweek student party, now transferred from Revolution. You don’t need NUS to get in though. Fridays Koosday 10pm-3am, £7/£5. Something that has lots of decor, smoke machines etc and describes itself as an “Arrogantly Premium Clubbing Experience”. How depressing. Saturdays Kanaloa Polynesian style area with cocktails, VIP booths, dancers etc.

Tramshed

Clare Road, Grangetown, Cardiff. 0117 9259273 / www.tramshedcardiff.com Sat 20 Apex Cardiff Launch Party 8pm-12am, £15 adv. Apex are some Bristol club promoters who book some pretty big

4am. Monthly drum’n’bass night, headliner TBC as usual.

Sat 6 Cardiff’s Finest 10pm-4am. House and techno played by residents and locals. Sat 13 Move On Up! 11pm-4am, £4/£3 adv. Funk, soul, Motown, R&B, disco and rock’n’roll. Sat 20 Rotary Club 10pm-4am, £4/£2 before 12. Disco, house and boogie with Clare James being the guest DJ of honour. Sat 27 Distant Glow 10pm-4am.

Electronic stuff (I think a DJ set, maybe live) from a Cardiff duo who claim to be influenced by Vangelis, Stockhausen and Harry Partsch.

Unit

Neath Road, Swansea. se_dr@outlook.com / www. facebook.com/iamdogruff Sat 13 Dogruff 5pm-1am, £10 adv. The Unit is, say promoters Dogruff, an old industrial warehouse which now has a licence for an eighthour rave – so that’s just what they’ve done. Ticket price includes an afterparty at the Scene club – see their listing for DJ info.

The Vaults

The Old Natwest Bank, 113116 Bute Street, Cardiff Bay.

www.vaultspresents.com Fri 5 Vaults D&B Presents 10pm-5am, £13 adv. LTJ Bukem’s first Cardiff appearance for a few years (I think) is the main attraction this evening; Ransom, Kooley, Apollo, Lubi J, Speedo and Tribe One also rinse the drum’n’bass in the main room. Neil Young & Friends handle room 2; Submerge do biz in the Banking Hall. Sat 6 Memorex 9pm-4am, £20 adv. Siberian goddess of the tundra Nina Kraviz makes what I think is her Cardiff debut, with The Organ Grinder, Scott Kerr, Sinky and JV also on board. Tickets for this sold out immediately but check Facebook or whatever, some are bound to get sold. Sat 5 Mar Memorex 10pm-5am, £18.50/£15.

Eclectic takes on house and techno. Main room: Borrowed Identity, Honey Dijon and Molly – from Germany, the US and France respectively – plus Memorex DJs. Room 2 is Hosted by Octave and features Cono Frito, Liam Matear, Elliot Mitchell, Adam Carey, HighForThis, James Coughlin and G Love. The Banking Hall is hosted by Trip City.

Warehouse 54

Cambrian Rd, Newport.

01633 259144 / www.wh54. com Wednesdays Wild Wednesdays Matt Kirke mixes up club-influenced beats from reggae to rock, d’n’b to dancefloor-led house.

Thursday Warehouse54 Live! A free festival-inspired mix of bass and live bands every week. Thurs 18 Future Generation 10pm3am, £5. Sets from Kovert Music, Mayhem, Matt Kirk and K-Krush. Hosted by Nyla Webbe (Benji out of Skindred’s daughter, fact fans). Friday Shake It Off An eclectic mix of live band sounds, from hip-hop to swing to punk to soul to folk to funk, then DJs playing alt anthems, pop-punk and ‘dirty pleasures’. Saturdays VHS Vandals An audiovisual mix of indie anthems, old school hip-hop, mashups and funk-infused beats. Sat 13 is a Valentine’s Masquerade Party, while Sat 27 has guest DJ CJ Beatz, from 1Xtra.

Wow Bar

4 Churchill Way, Cardiff.

Gay venue. Free all day Sun-Thurs; before 11pm Fri + Sat. 029 2066 6247 / www.wowbarcardiff.com Wednesdays Wish You Were Here Free. Student night with “inflight entertainment” from Lambrini Rampage and Mary Golds, plus music from DJ Krys. Thursdays The Night With No Name Free.

DJ Craig and Mary Golds offer “mad games and crazy entertainment.” Fridays The Greatest Show In The City Free b4 11. With WOW Showgirls Miss Kitty and Marcia, plus special guests every week. Saturdays The VKend Free b4 11. With DJs Craig and Krys. You can get cheap deals in VK. £6.50 for a fishbowl. £6 for a jug of WKD. Settle down now, kids.

Sundays The Cuckoo Club Free. DJ Krys plays the tunes

until late.

events EVERY MONDAY

Ballet The Gate, Cardiff.

6-9.30pm, £6.50/£5.50/£3 taster. Info 029 2048 3344.

Beginners 6-7pm; intermediate 7-8; advanced 8-9.30.

Runs until Mon 21 Mar, with a break for half term on Mon 15 Feb. Bharatanatyam Dance Classes For Adult Beginners Bayview House, Cardiff Bay. 8.15-9.15pm. Info 029 2075 1158.

Cardiff Inter Varsity Club Meeting The Plum Tree, Canton, Cardiff. 8.30pm, £5 (three-month trial membership). Info 07526 141392. A friendly social group offering the chance to “liven up your social life and meet new friends” through a varied events programme including theatre, live music, walks, badminton, table tennis and pub nights. More info at www.cardiffivc.org.uk.

Ceroc The Gate, Cardiff.

7.45-10.45pm, £7/£5 NUS. Info 029 2048 3344. Sessions for a dance style billed as a combo of salsa, ballroom, hip-hop, tango and jive. Runs until Mon 21 Mar, with a break for half term on Mon 15 Feb. Children’s Ballet The Gate, Cardiff. 4-7.30pm, £6.50/£5.50/£3 taster. Info 029 2048 3344. Ages 4-6 4pm; 6-8 4.45; grade 1 5.45; grade 3 6.45. Runs until Mon 21 Mar, with a break for half term on Mon 15 Feb. Children’s Ballroom Dancing Classes Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 7-9pm. Info 01495 243252.

Community Choir Sessions Cornwall Street Church Hall, Cardiff. 7.30-9.30pm, free.

Info 07952 752823. Led by Pauline Down and taking place most Mondays; ring ahead to check.

Freestyle Fitness Yoga Kings Road Studios, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 6-7pm, £7/£6. Info 07774 601544 / sarasclasses4@gmail.com.

Every Monday.

India Dance Wales Classes Highmead House, Lisvane, Cardiff. Info 029 2075 1158.

For Grade 2 to vocational level. These classes are by special application only at various points in the month – not on specific days, hence listing them here. To apply write to admin@indiadancewales.com with previous dance experience and reason for wanting to join India Dance Wales.

Making Music The Gate, Cardiff. 6-10pm, £7.50-£9.50 per session/£4 taster. Info 029 2048 3344. Learn to play improvised rock and pop and basic chord sequences.

Beginners 6-8pm; intermediate 8-10. Runs until Mon 21 Mar, with a break for half term on Mon 15 Feb. Musical Theatre The Riverfront, Newport. 6.158.30pm, £6/£5. Info 01633 656757. 7-11 years old: 6.15-7.15pm; 12 and up: 7.158.30pm. Breaking for half

events term on Mon 15 Feb. Newport Badminton Club Pill Millennium Centre, Newport. 7.30-9.30pm. Info 07789 965285. One of the largest badminton clubs in South East Wales. Monday club nights have coaching with Carissa Turner, the current Ladies Welsh number one, for juniors and then senior club members.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Cardiff Central Sports And Community Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff.

Info 029 2022 1330 / www. nofitstate.org. Today features Youth Circus Wookies (age 7-9, 4.30-6pm); Youth Circus Ewoks (age 5-7, 5-6pm); Flying Trapeze L3 (6-8pm); Aerial Hoop L3 (6-8pm); Static Trapeze L3 (6-8pm); Aerial Yoga (6.15-7.45pm); Aerial Hoop L2 (8-10pm); Flying Trapeze L1 (8-10pm); Static Trapeze L4 (8-10pm) and Flexibility (8-9.30pm).

Taking place in a new venue for 2016.

Official Guided Tours – Every Day Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. £5/£4.

Info 029 2063 6464. Tours of the centre running daily for one hour. Advance booking recommended.

Pilates Conway Road Methodist Church Hall, Cardiff. 7-8pm, £6/£30 for six sessions. Info 07872 306745 / info@burlesquecardiff. co.uk. Mixed ability class with Steph; please bring your own mat.

Pilates The Gate, Cardiff.

10.30am-1.30pm, £5.50-£7.50.

Info 029 2048 3344. Gentle fitness for the first hour, general for the second two.

Runs until Mon 21 Mar, with a break for half term on Mon 15 Feb. Quizzical The North Star, Cardiff. 8.30pm, free. Info 029 2062 4050.

RAD Children’s Ballet The Gate, Cardiff. 4-7.45pm, £6.50/£5.50/£3 taster. Info 029 2048 3344. 4-6-year-olds: 4-4.45pm; 6-8 4.45-5.45pm; Ballet Grade 1 6-8 yrs 5.456.45pm; Ballet Grade 2 6-8 yrs 6.45-7.45pm. Runs until Mon 21 Mar, with a break for half term on Mon 15 Feb. Salsa Classes Mischiefs, Cardiff Bay. 7.30-9.30pm, £5/£4 NUS. Info 07800 565651. Beginners for the first hour, then improvers/ intermediate.

SeeWales Sightseeing Day Tour: Golden Gower National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff (pickup point). 9am5.30pm, £5 off if you present this magazine. Info 029 2022 7227 / www.seewales. com. Day tours from Cardiff, every Monday, Thursday and Sunday. This one visits the Gower, Swansea Bay, ParcLe-Breos, the Dylan Thomas Centre and more.

St Donats Atlantic Chorale St Donats Arts Centre, Vale Of Glamorgan. 7.30pm.

Info 01446 799100. Choir rehearsals.

Tai Chi: Health Qigong Glyndwr Community Hall, Penarth. 10.30-11.30am. Info 029 2020 6042.

Tango Dancing Argentine Barocco, Cardiff. 8-10.45pm, £3/£1. Info 029 2023 7332.

Tang Soo Do Chapter Arts Centre, Canton, Cardiff.

7-9pm. Info 07734 557767.

Learn traditional Korean karate; beginners welcome.

Yoga Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 12.301.15pm. Info 029 2087 7959.

On tomorrow also.

Yoga With Valerie Price St Mary’s Church Hall, Canton, Cardiff. 6.30-9.30pm. Info admin@yoga-works.co.uk.

6.30-8pm: intermediate; 8.109.30pm: beginners.

EVERY TUESDAY

A Ballroom Dance Memorial Hall, Newbridge.

7-11pm. Info 01495 243252.

Acrobalance The Gate, Cardiff. 8-10pm, £7/£5.50.

Info 029 2048 3344.

Combining elements of partner lifts, poses and transitions that involve two and sometimes more people.

Runs until Tue 22 Mar, with a break for half term on Tue 16 Feb. Adult Give It A Go Climbing Session Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

7-8.30pm, £10. Info 029 2048 4880. Every Tuesday to Thursday.

Aikido Village Hall, Heol Syr Lewis, Morganstown.

8-10pm. Info 07790 167560.

Every Tuesday and Friday.

American Line Dancing The Gate, Cardiff. 2.454.45pm, £3. Info 029 2048 3344. Runs until Tue 22 Mar, with a break for half term on Tue 16 Feb. Belly Dance Classes Conway Road Methodist Church Hall, Cardiff. 6.307.45pm, £6/£25 for five sessions. Info 07872 306745.

Mixed ability class with Steph.

Beth’s Buns Pilates Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff. 7.15-8.15pm, £5. Info 029 2048 4880.

Bring It Pong 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883. New weekly session of table tennis, with two tables in the main bar (little known fact: table tennis is one of the best games to play while drinking). No session on Tue 9 this month.

Circus Skills The Riverfront, Newport. 7-8.30pm, £3.50 per session. Info 01633 656757.

For ages 14 and up. Breaking for half term on Tue 16 Feb. Contemporary Dance The Gate, Cardiff. 6-8pm, £5-£6.50. Info 029 2048 3344.

Beginners 6-7pm; intermediate 7-8. Runs until Tue 22 Mar, with a break for half term on Tue 16 Feb. Extend The Gate, Cardiff.

11am, £2.50. Info 029 2048 3344. Exercise to music, aimed at over-60s and people with a disability. Runs until Tue 22 Mar, with a break for half term on Tue 16 Feb. Funkypump Fitness Universal Gym, Cardiff. 6pm.

Info www. funkypumpfitness.co.uk.

Boxing-based high-intensity workout with a house soundtrack. First session free. In this gym every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Gitananda Yoga St David's Uniting Church, Pontypridd.

7-8.30pm, free. Info 01443 408065.

Glam Dram St Donats Arts Centre, Vale Of Glamorgan.

7pm. Info 01446 799100.

Amateur theatre company for adults.

India Dance Wales – Bharatanatyam Classes Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 5-6pm. Info 07410 977427. Beginners’ class.

India Dance Wales Classes Rubicon Dance, Adamsdown, Cardiff. 6.30pm. Info 029 2075 1158. From beginners to next level and for all ages and abilities.

Irish Dancing The Gate, Cardiff. 5.15-7.15pm, £7/£5.50. Info 029 2048 3344.

Kids 5.15-6.15; adults 6.157.15. Runs until Tue 22 Mar, with a break for half term on Tue 16 Feb. Jamaican Bum Flex Channel View Leisure Centre, Cardiff. 6-7pm, £5. Info 07950 256969. Dancehall/reggae style dance moves, “turned into a tough bum workout for the ladies” by Latone Holder.

Also on Wednesday and Thursday.

Jazz Workshops For Beginners Atradius Offices (4th floor), Cardiff Bay. 6.208pm, £10. Info 07806 625717.

All instruments and ages welcome.

Kizomba Tango Classes 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 6pm, £5.

Info 029 2022 8883. Learn African samba here.

Laughter Yoga Llandaff North Community Centre, Cardiff. 7-8pm, £5 (suggested donation). Info www. sparklylaughter.co.uk. “No experience required, no stretching and no mats needed,” promise the organisers.

Life Drawing 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 4pm, £5. Info 029 2022 8883. Hosted by Cardiff Life Model.

Lindy Hop Dance Classes & Social Swing Dancing The Garage, Swansea.

6-10pm. Info 01792 475147.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Cardiff Central Sports And Community Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff.

Info 029 2022 1330 / www. nofitstate.org. Today: Youth Ground Skills – Jedi (11+, 4.15-6pm); Youth Circus Padawans (age 9-11, 4.306pm); Hula Hoop (6-7pm); Performance (7-9pm); Circus Mishmash (6-8pm); Beginners Aerial L1 (8-10pm) and Static Trapeze L2 (8-10pm).

Off Centre Silver Dragon, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 5pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464. Adult drama group meeting weekly to develop performance skills.

Official Guided Tours – Every Day Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. £5/£4.

Info 029 2063 6464.

Open Mic Night Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Pilates And Stretch Conway Road Methodist Church Hall, Cardiff. 8-9pm, £6/£25 for five sessions. Info 07872 306745 / info@burlesquecardiff.co.uk. With Steph; bring your own mat please.

Pilates: Beginners The Gate, Cardiff. 6.30-7.30pm, £5.50-£7.50. Info 029 2048 3344. Runs until Tue 22 Mar, with a break for half term on Tue 16 Feb. Pregnancy Yoga Om Studio, Partridge Lane, Cardiff.

6-7.15pm, £35/£30 (five-week blocks). Info kalavathi@ omstudio.co.uk.

Salsa Classes Kapu, Cardiff. 7.30-10.30pm, £5/£4 NUS. Info 07800 565651.

Beginners’ class starts 7.30pm; improvers 8.30; bachata 9.30.

Salsa Classes La Tasca, Cardiff. 7-10.30pm, £5.

Info 07949 270618. Every Tuesday. Beginners 7.15-8pm; Improvers 8.30-9.30pm; dancing 9.45-10.30pm.

SeeWales Sightseeing Day Tour: Mines & Mountains National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff (pickup point). 9am5.30pm, £5 off if you present this magazine. Info 029 2022 7227 / www.seewales.com.

Every Tuesday and Friday.

This one visits Big Pit Mining Museum of Wales and Brecon Beacons National Park (including BBNP visitors centre).

Tai Chi / Qigong Shibashi Continuation St Mary’s Church Hall, Canton, Cardiff.

6.30-7.30pm. Info 029 2020 6042.

Yoga Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 5.30-6.30 + 6.45-8pm. Info 029 2087 7959.

Yoga Classes Om Studio, Partridge Lane, Cardiff. 7.309pm, £9. Info 07727 139379 / www.omstudio.co.uk. With Kalavathi Devi.

Yoga Share M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 5-7pm, £4 (suggested donation).

Info 029 2047 3373. Led by Ashtanga practitioner Sarah Cleary.

Yoga With Valerie Price Llandough Institute, Penarth.

8.30-9.30pm. Info admin@ yoga-works.co.uk. Mixed level class.

Zumba: Dance Exercise Classes Fairwater Social & Athletic Club, Cardiff. 6-7pm.

Info 07891 712344. Led by Irene Davies, as is...

Zumba: Dance Exercise Classes St Faith Church Hall, Llanishen, Cardiff.

8-9pm. Info 07891 712344.

EVERY WEDNESDAY

Adult Give It A Go Climbing Session Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

7-8.30pm, £10. Info 029 2048 4880.

A Tea Dance Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 2-4pm. Info 01495 243252.

Beginners Belly Dance Conway Road Methodist Church Hall, Cardiff. 6.157.15pm, £6/£30 for six sessions. Info 07872 306745 / info@burlesquecardiff. co.uk. Mixed ability class with Steph. Running until Wed 17 Feb. Beginners Cabaret And Showgirl Dancing Conway Road Methodist Church Hall, Cardiff. 7.30-9pm. Info 07872 306745. With Steph. Running until Wed 17 Feb. More info at www.cardiffcabaretclub. com.

Ceramics For Adults The Riverfront, Newport. 6-8pm, £30 (five weeks). Info 01633 656757. Breaking for half term on Wed 17 Feb. Ceroc Dance Class Dockers Club, Swansea. 7.45pm-12am, £6/£8 freestyles. Info cerocsouthwales@gmail. com.

Contemporary Dance Youth Session The Gate, Cardiff. 5pm, £3-£6. Info 029 2048 3344. Runs until Wed 23 Mar, with a break for half term on Wed 17 Feb. Freestyle Fitness Yoga Wake Up Kings Road Studios, Pontcanna, Cardiff.

7.15-8am, £7/£6. Info 07774 601544 / sarasclasses4@gmail.com.

Jamaican Bum Flex Canton Community Centre, Cardiff. 8-9pm, £5. Info 07950 256969.

Newport Youth Dance The Riverfront, Newport. 4.156pm, £2.75 per session. Info 01633 656757. 7-10 years old: 4.15-5pm; 14-18: 5-6pm.

Breaking for half term on Wed 17 Feb. NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Cardiff Central Sports And Community Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff.

Info 029 2022 1330 / www.

Climbing Session Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

7-8.30pm, £10. Info 029 2048 4880.

Alexander Technique & Yoga M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 11.30am-1pm, £16/£80 for six sessions. Info 029 2047 3373.

Art Club Penarth Pier Pavilion. 4.15-5.15pm, £5.

Info 0844 8700887. Creative fun for 5-11-year-olds with tutor Becky.

Ballet Academy Wales Classes – Children 6-11 Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

4-5pm, £4.95. Info 07837 937351.

On Sat 6, pop in to the Penarth Pier Pavilion to present your purported 'beach treasures' to Christian Baars, a geologist. If you think you've discovered another new dinosaur in the Vale, or just a neat-looking fossil, he'll give you the lowdown. nofitstate.org. Today: Youth Acrobatics Jedi (11+, 4.15-6pm); Adult Acrobatics (6-8pm); Creative Aerial L3+ (8-10pm).

Official Guided Tours – Every Day Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. £5/£4.

Info 029 2063 6464.

Pilates The Gate, Cardiff.

6-8pm, £5.50-£7.50. Info 029 2048 3344. General fitness session for the first hour, advanced for the second.

Runs until Wed 23 Mar, with a break for half term on Wed 17 Feb. Pub Quiz The Pilot, Penarth.

8pm. Info 029 2071 0615.

With Hayley.

Salsa Classes Rhiwbina Recreational Club, Whitchurch, Cardiff. 8-10pm, £5/£4 NUS. Info 07800 565651.

SeeWales Sightseeing Tour: Romans And Ruins National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff (pickup point). 9am5.30pm, £5 off if you present this magazine. Info 029 2022 7227 / www.seewales.com.

Day tours from Cardiff, every Wednesday and Saturday.

This one visits Caerleon, Caerwent, Tintern Abbey, the Wye Valley, Abbey Mill Craft Centre and Raglan Castle.

Yoga Classes Om Studio, Partridge Lane, Cardiff. 9.3011am, 1-2.15pm + 7-9pm, £9/£8. Info 07727 139379 / www.omstudio.co.uk..

Yoga Trwy Gyfrwng Y Gymraeg Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff. 7-8.30pm.

Info admin@yoga-works. co.uk.

Yu-Gi-Oh Tournaments The Freaks Geeks and Autographs Store, Swansea.

5.30pm, £3.50. Info 07914 683534.

Zumba Classes La Tasca, Cardiff. 6pm, £4. Info 07949 270618.

EVERY THURSDAY Adult Give It A Go

Bingo Market Street Club, Barry. 8.30pm. Info 01446 733863.

Biodanza Bishop of Llandaff High School, Cardiff. 7-9pm, £6/£5. Info antoinette@ biodanza4all.com. “A fusion of music, movement and feeling” taught here by Antoinette Lorraine.

Breakdance The Riverfront, Newport. 6.15-7pm, £3.50 per session. Info 01633 656757. Learn break dancing styles, uprock, freezes and power moves. For ages 8-18.

Breaking for half term on Thurs 18 Feb. Ceroc Dance Class Lysaght Institute, Newport. 7.3010.45pm, £8/£6 NUS. Info cerocsouthwales@gmail. com.

Children’s Latin/Ballroom Classes Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 4.30-8pm. Info 01495 243252.

Funkypump Fitness Universal Gym, Cardiff. 6pm.

Info www.funkypumpfitness. co.uk.

Hand Drumming Group Canton Uniting Church, Cardiff. 6-6.50pm, £15 (five weeks). Info 01446 401209.

Hosted by Laura Bradshaw.

Hard Côr Japan Room, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464. Join the Centre’s urban choir who blend choral singing with hip-hop. Every Thursday and Saturday; contact takepart@ wmc.org.uk for further details.

Hatch The Riverfront, Newport. 4.30pm, £8 per session/£60 per term. Info 01633 656757. New youth theatre programme organised by the tin Shed Theatre Co. Breaking for half term on Thurs 18 Feb. Jamaican Bum Flex Trinity Church Centre, Newport Road, Cardiff. 6.30-7.30pm, £5. Info 07950 256969.

Newport Badminton Club BUZZ 63

events

BAFTA CYMRU Happy New Year all!

As the film world focuses on Awards season, Globes, SAG Awards, Oscars and of course the EE BAFTA Film Awards on Valentine’s Day we are looking forward to our 25th Cymru Awards in October and Games Awards in June.

Many people think our Awards are a closed event, for industry nominees only, but this is not the case – we actively encourage anyone interested in Welsh film and television to come along and find out who has won an Award and rub shoulders with them in the after party.

Keep and eye on our website if you are interested in joining us!

Our events programme continues apace, with a great variety of opportunities. We kick off with a preview of the series finale of War & Peace which will be followed by a Q&A with the cast and crew.

We’ll also offer our student and career starter members a chance to chat over an intimate drink with the series exec producer Bethan Jones.

In our Chapter slot we’ll be screening the new film from Red And Black Films – The Call Up. When a group of elite online gamers each receive a mysterious invitation to trial a state-of-the-art virtual reality video game, it’s a dream come true and impossible to resist. Those attending will be able to hear from the filmmakers about how they made the film.

Another new Welsh film, The Lighthouse (directed by Chris Crow) will be our Cineworld event at the end of the month; we will be talking all things special effects with a screening of the 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who and a Q&A with Real SFX in Caernarfon and talking all things visual effects with another local company, BAIT. We’re still accepting membership applications for students, career starters and branch members – find out more on our site.

Info: www.bafta.org/wales

BUZZ 64

Newport Active Living Centre. 7.30-9.30pm. Info 07789 965285.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Cardiff Central Sports And Community Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org.

Today: Flying Trapeze L1/2 (6-8pm); Static Trapeze L2 (6-8pm); Ropes & Silks L2 (6-8pm); Static Trapeze L3 (8-10pm); Ropes & Silks L3 + 4 (8-10pm).

Official Guided Tours – Every Day Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. £5/£4. Info 029 2063 6464.

Pilates Kings Road Studios, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 6.157.15pm, £7/£6. Info 07774 601544 / sarasclasses4@ gmail.com. Every Thursday.

Salsa Buena Class Little Shop Of Calm, Cowbridge.

8.30-10.30pm, free. Info 07800 565651. Beginners 8.30pm; improvers 9.30.

Salsa Classes La Tasca, Cardiff. 7-11pm, £5. Info 07949 270618. Beginners 7.15-8pm; improvers 8.30-9.30pm; Rueda 9.4510.30pm.

Salsa Dancing Classes Revolucion De Cuba, Cardiff.

8-10pm, £6/£5 NUS. Info 029 2023 6689. Salsa, bachata, zouk and kizomba.

SeeWales Sightseeing Day Tour: Golden Gower National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff (pickup point). 9am5.30pm, £5 off if you present this magazine. Info 029 2022 7227 / www.seewales.com.

Tai Chi / Qigong Shibashi Albert Road Church & Community Centre, Penarth.

6.30-9.15pm. Info 029 2020 6042. 6.30-7.30: Tai Chi/ Qigong; 7.45-9.15: Tai Chi Short Form.

Tai Chi / Qigong St Albans Church Hall, Splott, Cardiff.

10.30-11.30am. Info 029 2020 6042.

The Alexander Technique M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 11.30am-1pm, £16.

Info info@yogaskies.co.uk.

Small group class hosted by Mike Young.

Yoga Classes Cardiff Steiner School, Llandaff North, Cardiff. 6-7.15 + 7.15-8.30pm, £8/£6.50. Info info@yogaskies.co.uk.

Hosted by Mike Young.

Yoga Classes Om Studio, Partridge Lane, Cardiff.

7-8am + 1-2.30, 6-7.15 + 7.30-8.45pm, £9/£8.

Info 07727 139379 / www. omstudio.co.uk. 11am: Mums & Baby yoga; 7.30pm: Pregnancy yoga.

EVERY FRIDAY

Aikido Village Hall, Heol Syr Lewis, Morganstown.

8-10pm. Info 07790 167560.

Boys’ Dance The Riverfront, Newport. 4.455.30pm, £2.75 per session.

Info 01633 656757. Taught

by Rubicon, for ages 6-12.

Breaking for half term on Fri 19 Feb. Cardiff Aikikai The Dojo, Roath, Cardiff. 6.30-10pm.

Info mcaluan@ cardiffaikikai.co.uk.

Cardiff Table Tennis Community Club Upper Hall, Sport Wales, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 7-9pm.

Info 01446 412352.

Featuring 16 table tennis

tables; players of all ages and abilities are welcome.

Children’s Tap/Ballet Classes Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 10.30-11.30am.

Info 01495 243252.

Community Choir Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 9.4511.45am, £72/£48 (12 weeks). Info 01446 401209.

Little’ns Dance The Riverfront, Newport. 9.4510.25am + 10.30-11.15am, £3 per session. Info 01633 656757. Breaking for half term on Fri 19 Feb. Newport Photographic Club Skip Jennings Hall, Maindee, Newport. 7.30pm.

Info 01633 400685.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Cardiff Central Sports And Community Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org.

Today: Youth Aerial Jedi (11+, 4.15-6pm); Aerial Conditioning (6-7.30pm); Flying Trapeze Taster (6-8pm).

Official Guided Tours – Every Day Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. £5/£4. Info 029 2063 6464.

Older Adult Dance/ Exercise The Riverfront, Newport. 11.15am-12.15pm, £2.80. Info 01633 656757.

Low impact dance and exercise class aimed at the over 50s. Breaking for half term on Fri 19 Feb. Rhiwbina Farmers Market The Butchers Arms, Rhiwbina. 10am-1pm, free.

Info 029 2022 7982.

SeeWales Sightseeing Day Tour: Mines & Mountains National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff (pickup point). 9am5.30pm, £5 off if you present this magazine. Info 029 2022 7227 / www.seewales.com.

Streetwise Street Dance Class Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 4.30-8.30pm, £3.50 per class. Info 01685 384111. Call for individual class times.

Tango Argentine Chapter Arts Centre, Canton, Cardiff.

7.30-8.45pm, £7/£4. Info 029 2023 7332. No experience or partner required.

Zumba: Dance Exercise Classes Sbectrwm Community Centre, Fairwater, Cardiff. 1-2pm.

Info 07891 712344. With Irene Davies.

EVERY SATURDAY

African Drumming Sessions Penarth Pier Pavilion. 10.30-11.30am, £5.

Info 0844 8700887.

Ballroom Dancing Class Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil.

10am kids / 11am adults, £4 per class. Info 01685 384111. 10am: kids; 11am: adults; 12pm: private tuition.

Children’s Climbing Classes Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

10-11.30am, £12. Info 029 2048 4880. Every Saturday and Sunday.

Clwb Drama The Riverfront, Newport.

11.30am-12.30, £5. Info 01633 656757. Welsh language drama group for ages 7+. Breaking for half term on Sat 20 Feb. Family Give It A Go Climbing Session Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff. 12, 2 + 4pm,

£15. Info 029 2048 4880.

Every Saturday and Sunday.

Funkypump Fitness Universal Gym, Cardiff.

9.30am. Info www. funkypumpfitness.co.uk.

Hard Côr Sony Room, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11am, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

Mini Musical Theatre The Riverfront, Newport.

10-11am, £5. Info 01633 656757. Run by Defying Gravity, professional tutors will teach ballet and drama to kids aged 3-6. Breaking for half term on Sat 20 Feb. NoFit State Circus: Youth Circus Cardiff Central Sports And Community Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff.

10.30am-12pm, £7/£6 per session. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org.

Today: Youth Circus Wookies (age 7-9, 10-11.30am); Youth Circus Ewoks (age 5-7, 10.30-11.30am); Youth Circus Padawans (age 9-11, 11.30am-1pm).

Performance Academy Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil.

10am-1pm, £10. Info 01685 384111. Offering professional theatre and performance coaching in dance, acting, musical theatre and singing.

Roath Real Food Market Mackintosh Sports Club Car Park, Roath, Cardiff.

9.30am-1pm, free. Info 029 2022 7982.

SeeWales Sightseeing Tour: Romans And Ruins National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff (pickup point). 9am5.30pm, £5 off if you present this magazine. Info 029 2022 7227 / www.seewales.com.

Sewing Workshops Barnabas Arts House, Newport. 10am-1pm. Info 01633 673739. Hosted by Ellery Design – see www. ellerydesign.com for details of how to book and/or contact them.

St Mary Street Cardiff Market St Mary Street, Cardiff. 11am-5pm, free.

Info 029 2019 0036. Selling artisan foods, vintage clothing, antique furniture and bric-a-brac.

Yoga Classes Om Studio, Partridge Lane, Cardiff.

8-9.30am, £8. Info 07727 139379 / www.omstudio. co.uk. With Kalavathi Devi.

EVERY SUNDAY

Ballet Academy Wales Classes – Adults Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 12-1pm, £6.50. Info 07837 937351.

Ballet For Beginners Dance Studio, Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 2-3.30pm, £6/£15 for three classes.

Info info@burlesquecardiff. co.uk. Hosted by Stephanie of Burlesque Cardiff.

Bridgend Undercover Car Boot Sale Multistorey Car Park, Bridgend Town Centre.

7am-12pm, free (selling cars £6; selling cars with trailers £10). Info 01656 661338.

Cabaret And Showgirl Dancing For All Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 11am12.30pm. Info 07872 306745.

With Steph. Beginners and mixed ability class. More info at www.cardiffcabaretclub.com.

Children’s Climbing Classes Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff.

10-11.30am, £12. Info 029

2048 4880.

Cooper’s Quiz Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm, £1 to play. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Hosted by Ben Cooper.

Draw Somebody’s Sunday Body Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 2-4pm, £7.50. Info 07830 381930. Hosted by Cardiff Life Model.

Family Give It A Go Climbing Session Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff. 12, 2 + 4pm, £15. Info 029 2048 4880.

Farmers’ Market National History Museum, St Fagans.

10am-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. Welsh producers sell their wares every week at this brand new market.

Lindy Hop Dance Classes & Social Swing Dancing Pontardawe Arts Centre.

6-10pm. Info 01792 863722.

NoFit State Circus Classes And Courses Cardiff Central Sports And Community Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff. Info 029 2022 1330 / www.nofitstate.org.

Today: Youth All Skills Jedi (11+, 12-2pm) and Youth Performance Jedi (11+, 2-4pm).

Official Guided Tours – Every Day Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. £5/£4. Info 029 2063 6464. *Riverside Farmers’ Market Fitzhammon Embankment, Cardiff. 10am2pm, free. Info 029 2022 7982. Always worth a trip.

SeeWales Sightseeing Day Tour: Golden Gower National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff (pickup point). 9am5.30pm, £5 off if you present this magazine. Info 029 2022 7227 / www.seewales.com.

Sunday Board Games Cardiff Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 3pm, free.

Info 029 2030 4400. Weekly session featuring a mixture of competitive and cooperative games.

MONDAY 1

An Evening With Floyd Mayweather Jr St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7pm, £55-£100.

Info 029 2087 8444.

Inaminutenow Presents The Alan Partridge Quiz Buffalo, Cardiff. 7-10pm, £1 to play. Info 029 2031 0312.

Netball: Superleague Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

4-10pm. Info 0300 3003125.

Poetry Open Mic The Capel, Bargoed. 7-10pm, free. Info 01443 830272.

With guest readers Mike Jenkins and Mike Church.

First Monday of every month.

Science Cafe Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, free.

Info 01970 623232. Roger Santer on ‘seeing colour through animal eyes’.

Write On Writers Morganstown Village Hall.

6.30-8.30pm. Info 07512 235758. An open group of writers who encourage others to write and also critique work. Here every first and third Monday of the month.

TUESDAY 2

Basketball: Tournament Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

12.30-4pm. Info 029 2020 5286.

CRW Networking Event

events Face 11, Cathays, Cardiff.

4-6pm, free. Info 029 2022 8221. Cancer Research Wales offer chance to learn more about the Mongol Rally and the work that it will support.

Juke Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info 07933 844234. Fortnightly open mic event (also on Tue 16) for writers to perform in whatever genre they’d like: poetry, rap, storytelling, drama etc.

Lip Sync Battle Mary’s, Cardiff. Free. Info michaeljasinski@outlook.com.

Every Tuesday this month, with a £300 cash prize up for grabs.

Talk: Swansea Bay City: Technological Shifts, Economic Evolution Swansea Museum. 1pm.

Info www.risw.org.uk. By Dr Graham Humphrys and hosted by the Royal Institution Of South Wales.

First of four talks, one every Tuesday this month, on the overarching theme of ‘copper to call centres: the impact of technological change on Swansea’.

ThirtyFifty Wine Tasting Evening & Antipasti Le Monde, Cardiff. £29. Info 020 8288 0314. Two-hour event; book in advance please.

WEDNESDAY 3

Nataly Churchill Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil.

7.30pm, £10. Info 01685 384111. Spiritualist medium.

On tomorrow also.

Pop-Up Produce Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 3-8pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400.

Monthly market selling quality local food etc.

Reminiscence Monthly Cardiff Story, The Hayes, Cardiff. 11am-1pm, free.

Info 029 2078 8334. Come to the museum and share your memories of Cardiff, on the first Wednesday of every month.

Sing Welsh! St Catherine’s Church Hall, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 1-2.30pm, £30/£25 for four sessions. Info 07952 752823. Led by Pauline Down, teaching you to sing Welsh language folk songs.

Also on Wed 17, Wed 24 and Tue 1 Mar. Skill Builder: Risotto Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 6-9pm, £80. Info 01443 222716. An Angela Gray Cookery School course. I think I make a passable risotto, although I’m sure if I went on this course I would be shamed into realising it was inaccurate, perhaps even an insult to Italy.

Stories By Gaslight Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 7pm, £5 adv.

Info info@blossomsgallery. co.uk. With Sara Rundle.

Workshop: 55+ YMCA, Swansea. 1-3pm, free. Info 01792 516900. Open to

anyone aged over 55. No experience necessary, beginners welcome. Also on Wed 10 and Wed 24.

THURSDAY 4

Banff Mountain Film Festival St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £13.50. Info 029 2087 8444. This touring showcase of short films based around action sports etc returns to Cardiff.

Booklaunch: Dean Allen Waterloo Tea, Penylan, Cardiff. 6.30pm, free. Info 029 2087 8444. Talking about his new book, Empire, War & Cricket.

Boulders Winter Tales: Eliot Stevens Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff. 7pm, free (donations requested). Info 029 2048 4880. Stevens, a climber, presents a lecture entitled ‘Small Rocks, Big Objectives’.

Cardiff Archaeological Society Lecture Chemistry Lecture Theatre, Main Building, Cardiff University.

7.15pm. Info www. cardiffarchsoc.btck. co.uk. ‘Investigating Early Medieval Population Mobility In Southeast Wales’ by Dr Katie Hemer.

Looking At Renaissance Paintings Penarth Pier Pavilion. 2-4pm, £8. Info 0844 8700887. Art History Lecture with Stella Lyons.

Every Thursday this month.

Meet The Gardener National History Museum, St Fagans. 2-3pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3500. Every Thursday this month.

Nataly Churchill Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil.

7.30pm, £10. Info 01685 384111.

New Poetry & Fiction Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £2.50. Info 029 2030 4400. With guests Peter Finch, who has a new book called The Roots Of Rock: From Cardiff To Mississippi And Back, plus Jenny Lewis and an open mic.

Northern Lingo Bingo Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2039 7933.

This is a night which seems to feature people playing bingo and speaking in Yorkshire dialect.

Skill Builder: Pasta Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 6-9pm, £80. Info 01443 222716.

Story And Rhyme Time In Welsh For Babies Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenafon. 9.30-11am, free. Info 029 2057 3650.

Storytelling and singing for parents and babies through the medium of Welsh, plus soft play equipment etc.

Every Thursday during term time.

Storytelling Suppers Kemi’s, Pontcanna, Cardiff.

7pm, £14. Info 029 2037 2055. Stories by Francis Maxey. Price includes food.

Tim Jarvis Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

7.45pm, £11.50/£10.50. Info 01874 611622. An audience with British polar explorer whiz.

Winter Readings From The Lonely Crowd Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff.

7.30pm, free. Info 07933 844234. Featuring readings from Christine Thatcher, Rhian Elizabeth, Tom Vowler, Susmita Bhattacharya, and more.

FRIDAY 5

BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Thurs 4 Feb Tickets: £13.50. Info: 029 2087 8444 / www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk Not a ‘festival’ in the traditionally understood sense, granted, but packaging enough high-octane action and face-distorting G-force into one evening that you may leave feeling as zonged out as if you’d just finished an especially hectic weekender. What’s more, you’ll be doing nowt more exerting than sitting in a chair watching footage of action sports. The Banff Mountain Film Festival collates films – varying from in-yer-face clips of wild/dangerous stunts to longer, more documentary-like sections – depicting climbers, mountain bikers, skiers and so forth, generally in locations of extraordinary natural beauty. This festival toured the UK last year, including Cardiff in its itinerary, and proved enough of a hit to return this month.

Art Opinions Service National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Bring in a piece of art for opinions/referrals by the Art Department.

Bongo’s Bingo The Depot, Cardiff. 7pm, £3. Info www. depotcardiff.co.uk. The third ironic bingo night currently running in Cardiff launches today and will feature cash prizes, “shit prizes”, rave rounds, dance-offs and DJs. Cardiff Inter Varsity Club Meeting Park Plaza Hotel, Cardiff. 8.30pm, £5 (threemonth trial membership).

Info 07526 141392 / www. cardiffivc.org.uk. Meeting here on the first Friday of each month.

Chinese New Year In Swansea Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. 7pm. Info 01792 475715. Black tie fundraising dinner hosted by Mal Pope and Kev Johns.

Farmers Market High Street, Merthyr Tydfil. Free.

Info 01685 725106. Quality produce from no more than 50 miles away, on the first Friday of each month.

Ghost Tour Cardiff Castle.

7.15pm, £15. Info 07538 878609. Also on Thurs 11, Fri 12, Fri 19 and Thurs 25.

Iolo Williams Miners’

Institute, Blackwood.

7.30pm, £14/£12. Info 01495 227206. Welsh wildlife advocate talks about the fauna of his homeland.

Jon Ronson: An Evening Of Public Shaming Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15. Info 029 2030 4400. Investigative writer of note pays a visit to his hometown to do a show based on his recent book about Twitter beef and similar things that get people into trouble in very modern ways. All sold out though.

Let’s Get Quizzical The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £2 to enter. Info 01497 821762. Pub quiz.

Little Mice Club: Outer Space National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10.30am12pm, free. Info 01792 463980. Enjoy bilingual play, song and crafts and meet Morys the Museum Mouse.

Milonga Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.45pm, £5. Info 01970 623232. Open tango dance event presented by AberTango.

Museum Ghost Walk National History Museum, St Fagans. 7.15pm, £15. Info 029 2057 3500. Presented by Cardiff History & Hauntings.

Also on Sat 6, Fri 12, Fri 19 and Sat 20.

Stargazing & AstroPhotography Evening Dark Skies Reserve, Brecon Beacons. £55. Info 01874 749092. A Good Day Out Event. Also on Sat 13 and Sat 27.

Talk: Sue Williams & Dr. Nick Ossei-Gerning Bay Art, Cardiff Bay. 6-6.45pm, free. Info bayartcardiff@ gmail.com. Relating to the exhibition currently showing here, which you can see more about in the Art listings.

Toddler Days Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. £5 (adults).

Info 029 2047 5475. Monthly day for toddlers with a special theme each month, February’s being ‘Fairytale Frolics’.

Workshop Bike Sale Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 10am12pm. Info www.cycletrainingwales.org.uk. Adult bikes on sale from £60; kids’ bikes from £10. On tomorrow also and every Friday this month.

SATURDAY 6

Ammanford Monthly Arts, Crafts & Food Fair Coffee Cove Cafe Bar, Barry Island.

11am-3.30pm. Info ammanfordcraftcoop@ outlook.com. Every first Saturday of the month.

Dewch Y Ganu National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 11am, free. Info 01792 463980. Sessions for Welsh learners.

Eclectic Crafters Centenary Hall, Maryport Street, Usk. Info eclectic. crafters@gmail.com.

Craft fair held on the first Saturday of each month.

Badminton: Senior Nationals Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-8pm.

Info 0300 300 3124. On tomorrow also.

Beach Treasures Penarth Pier Pavilion. 12-2pm, free.

Info 0844 8700887. Drop-

in event with geologist Dr Christian Baars. Bring fossils or other finds from the beach at Penarth and he’ll try and tell you about them.

Boxing: Welsh Light Middleweight Championship Riverside Suite, Newport Centre.

6.30pm, £30-£60. Info 01633 656757. The top-billed bout is between Barrie Jones and Bradley Pryce, with fights between several other locals on the undercard also. *Celt Fire Fest Celt Experience Brewery, Caerphilly. 6pm-1am, £10 adv. Info 029 2086 7707. Celt might be the most interesting Welsh brewery on the downlow. This is a chance to drink some interesting sounding new beers, plus eat street food and all that.

There are coaches to and from Cardiff too, so you don’t have to worry about getting the last train or bringing a designated driver with you.

Craft Club National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am1pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Craft Fair Coffee Cove Cafe Bar, Barry Island. 10am3.30pm, free/£10 to set up a stall. Info 07948 399111.

Every first Saturday of the month.

Craft Fair Pyle Life Centre, nr Bridgend. Info 07544 905718.

Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475.

Celebrate Tim Peake’s mission to the International Space Station in this funfilled show. (At weekends and half term until Sun 28) Family Saturdays Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11am-4pm, free.

Info 029 2063 6464. Craft workshops.

Festival Of Diversity XIII St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £11/£9 under16s. Info 029 2087 8444.

Diversity within Malaysian culture, specifically. Music and dance from said nation will feature.

Football: Barclays Premier League – Swansea City v Crystal Palace Liberty Stadium, Swansea. 3pm. Info 0870 400004.

Festive Funday National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 12-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980. Featuring Olaf the snowman, real donkeys, carols around the tree and a special visit from Santa.

Football: Sky Bet Championship – Cardiff City v MK Dons Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff. 3pm. Info 0845 3451400. I assumed it was a point of policy that Cardiff and Swansea don’t play at home on the same day, but that is what seems to be happening here.

Football: Welsh Cup Fourth Round – Barry Town United vs The New Saints Jenner Park, Barry.

5.15pm, £5. Info 07557 665847. I’ve listed this tie because someone from Barry Town sent me the details. You might think this would spur me to include the rest of the relevant Welsh Cup matches in BUZZ 65

events these listings... but you’d be mistaken.

Fungi Illustration Course Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 10am-3.30pm, £50/£40. Info info@ blossomsgallery.co.uk. With Tereska Shepherd. On tomorrow also.

Handmade Arts and Crafts Market Tabernacl Chapel, The Hayes, Cardiff. 10am4pm. Info uniquefairs@gmx. co.uk.

Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Coventry Blaze Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £6-£15. Info 029 2038 2001.

Imbolc – Light A Celtic Candle National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Kidsmarkets Family Sale Ararat Centre For The Community, Whitchurch, Cardiff. 11am-12.30pm, £1/ kids free. Info 07760 802088.

Featuring 25 stalls of great quality new and pre-loved baby and children’s items.

LGBT History Month Event National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 11am-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Family art activity, entertainment, stalls and talks.

Llandaff Ghost Walk City Cross, Cathedral Green, Llandaff (meeting point).

7.45pm, £10. Info 07538 878609. A walk through woodlands, ruins and graveyards. Also on Fri 12, Sat 20 and Sat 27.

Love Food Hate Waste Cook Up Plasnewydd YMCA, Cardiff. 11am-2.30pm, £5.

Info 07934 011061. Info becca@greencityevents. co.uk. Prepare and cook tasty dishes whilst learning how to reduce food waste. Also on Sat 13.

Masterclass Special: Classic Fish Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am-4.30pm, £195. Info 01443 222716.

Museum Ghost Walk National History Museum, St Fagans. 7.15pm, £15. Info 029 2057 3500.

Open Haus The Printhaus, Canton, Cardiff. 10am-2pm, free. Info 029 2022 0349.

Monthly open studios here, an opportunity to meet the artists and makers in this creative community. On the first Saturday of every month.

Pottery Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am-4.30pm, £55. Info 029 2048 4611. With Jan Beeny.

Saturday Adult Craft Workshop Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea. 10.30am1pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

Saturday Family Workshop YMCA, Swansea.

10am-1pm, free. Info 01792 516900. For kids aged 4-13. Hosted by artist Dan McCabe.

Search For Life Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. Find out how life is thought to have started on this planet, where life has been found in some of the most extreme places on the Earth, and how we can use this new-found knowledge to search for life on other planets and moons in the Solar System. On tomorrow also, then Sat 27 and Sun 28.

BUZZ 66

Table Tennis: Vets Team Championships Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-6pm.

Info 07754 525754. On tomorrow also.

Tin Plate Poets + Mark Montinaro Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £6/£5. Info 0845 2263510. Spoken word/ poetry double bill.

Willow Hearts Humble

By Nature, Penalt, nr Monmouth. 10am, £35. Info 01600 714595. Craft course with Amanda Rayner.

Workshop Bike Sale Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 10am-12pm. Info www.cycletrainingwales. org.uk.

SUNDAY 7

Badminton: Senior Nationals Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-8pm.

Info 0300 300 3124.

Cardiff Storytelling Circle Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

8pm, £4. Info 029 2030 4400.

Charity Quiz Night Penylan Pantry, Cardiff. 6-8.30pm, £3.

Info 07854 724980. In aid of the Welsh Refugee Council.

Chinese New Year Celebration National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 11am-4.30pm, free.

Info 01792 463980. Featuring performances, crafts and a dragon dance display.

Chinese New Year Show Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

6.30pm, £3.50. Info 01970 623232. Organised by the Chinese Student Society at Aberystwyth University Cwmbran Craft Fayre Our Lady’s School Hall, Cwmbran. 1-4pm. Info cwmbran_crafts@hotmail. co.uk. Every first Sunday of the month.

Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends and half term until Sun 28) Fungi Illustration Course Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 10am-3.30pm, £50/£40. Info info@ blossomsgallery.co.uk.

Massive: World Premiere Tramshed, Cardiff. 7pm, £8 adv. Info 0117 9259273.

Massive is a documentary about all those early-00s metal/metalcore/emo bands that you love. As well as the screening there’ll be a Q&A with the director and producers, and an “exclusive top secet performance”.

Rustic Willow Hearts & Decorative Bunting Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am-4.30pm, £55. Info 029 2048 4611. With Melanie Bastier.

Search For Life Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475.

Smallholding For Beginners Humble By Nature, Penalt, nr Monmouth.

9.45am, £120. Info 01600 714595. With Liz Shankland.

There’s one of these courses on every month all year.

Superbowl Sunday 10 Feet Tall + Gwdihw, Cardiff.

10pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883. Featuring US style food, booze served in red cups or pitchers, the game screened live for its 94-hour duration and someone calling it the ‘Superb Owl’ then pausing in expectation of laughter. I’m

listing these venues together because they’re siblings, so to speak.

Table Tennis: Vets Team Championships Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-6pm.

Info 07754 525754.

MONDAY 8

Creative Writing Open Mic Dempseys, Cardiff. 7.30pm.

Info 029 2023 9253. Also on Mon 29.

Gymnastics: Vault & Tumble Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-4pm. Info 0300 3003127.

Joy Of Living Mindfulness Group Meeting Gaia Yoga Studio, Roath, Cardiff.

7.30-9pm, free (donations welcome). Info 07412 346054.

On the second and fourth Monday of every month.

Open Evening Carmarthen School of Art, Coleg Sir Gar, Carmarthen. 5-7.30pm, free.

Info 01554 748201. Come and meet staff and find out about career opportunities within the art, design and craft industries.

TUESDAY 9

Black Kettle Collective YMCA, Swansea. 5-7pm, free. Info 01792 516900. An evening of recruitment for “a team of young people who are interested to exploring new artistic possibilities in the lead up to the Gallery’s reopening in 2016.” Also on Tue 23.

Lip Sync Battle Mary’s, Cardiff. Free. Info michaeljasinski@outlook.com.

Meet The Curator: Natural Sciences National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 1.05pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

Poetry Night Pontardawe Arts Centre. 7.30-9.30pm.

Info 01792 863722. With Glyn Roberts.

Science Cafe Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com. Talks from local experts on subjects in their field of study.

Talk: The White Heat Of Technology – DVLA From The 70s To Now Swansea Museum. 1pm. Info www. risw.org.uk. By Oliver Morley; hosted by the Royal Institution Of South Wales.

Tea Dance Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 2-4pm, £4. Info 01656 815995. Also on Tue 23.

The Parkway’s Pancake Sports Challenge Parkway Hotel, Cwmbran. 2-4pm, £5.50/£4.50. Info 01633 871199. A pancake making competition, no less, featuring representatives from Newport County FC, Newport Gwent Dragons RFC, Pontypool RFC and The Parkway’s Leisure Club.

WEDNESDAY 10

Badminton: 5x60 SW Finals Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 10am-5pm. Info 0300 300 3124.

Lunchtime Talk – Treasures: Adventures In Archaeology National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

1.05pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

Poetry Reading Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth.

2-2.45pm, free. Info info@ blossomsgallery.co.uk. With

Eileen Harrison. Also on Sat 20.

Scriveners Writers’ Group Royal Exchange, Brynmawr.

8pm. Info 01495 753629.

Established group aiming to provide constructive criticism, help, advice and guidance to its members. Also on Wed 24.

Workshop: 55+ YMCA, Swansea. 1-3pm, free. Info 01792 516900.

THURSDAY 11

Bad Biddies Bingo 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £2. Info 029 2022 8883. Every second Thursday of the month.

Booklaunch: Slipping The Leash Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £2. Info 029 2030 4400. Poetry from Graham Hartill, Phil Maillard and Chris Torrance.

Cardiff BookTalk: Julian Barnes One School Of Optomertry And Vision Sciences, Cardiff. 6.30-9pm, free. Info 029 2087 0554. A discussion of Barnes’ novel The Sense Of An Ending.

He won’t be there taking about it, but John Aggleton, Jonathan Scourfield and Emma West will. Book in advance please.

Ghost Tour Cardiff Castle.

8.15pm, £15. Info 07538 878609.

Left Suit Events Speed Quiz The Full Moon, Cardiff.

8pm, £3 to play. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

“Like no other pub quiz you’ve seen!” say The Full Moon. Also on Thurs 25.

Looking At Renaissance Paintings Penarth Pier Pavilion. 2-4pm, £8. Info 0844 8700887.

Meet The Gardener National History Museum, St Fagans. 2-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Skill Builder: Knife Skills Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 6-9pm, £80. Info 01443 222716.

Story And Rhyme Time In Welsh For Babies Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenafon. 9.30-11am, free.

Info 029 2057 3650.

SWDFAS Lecture: Lost Houses Of Cardiff Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 2pm, £6.

Info 029 2030 4400. Lecture

by Matthew Williams.

Volleyball: Indoor Tournament Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-6pm.

Info 07879 458323. On tomorrow also.

FRIDAY 12

Booklaunch: Holly Müller Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff.

7pm, free. Info 07830 381930.

Holly is a Cardiff-based writer who also plays in a couple of bands, and has a debut novel (published by Bloomsbury no less) set in post-war Austria. The event will feature her reading to a live musical accompaniment, and an Austrian buffet.

Carmarthenshire Sports Personality Awards Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £10. Info 0845 2263510.

Before you sound off on social media, remember that despite the name, these awards are given out for sporting ability, not personality.

Dinky Dragons Cardiff Story, The Hayes, Cardiff.

10am-3pm, free. Info 029 2078 8334. Family fun day for 0-5-year-olds on the second Friday of every month.

Ghost Tour Cardiff Castle.

7.15pm, £15. Info 07538 878609.

Llandaff Ghost Walk City Cross, Cathedral Green, Llandaff (meeting point).

7.45pm, £10. Info 07538 878609.

Masterclass Special: Classic Meat Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am-4.30pm, £195. Info 01443 222716.

Museum Ghost Walk National History Museum, St Fagans. 7.15pm, £15. Info 029 2057 3500.

Tea Dance St Donats Arts Centre, Vale Of Glamorgan.

2pm, £5. Info 01446 799100.

With Alan Taylor.

Info cwmbran_crafts@ hotmail.co.uk. Every second Saturday of the month.

Chepstow Farmers’ Market Cormeilles Square, Chepstow. 8.30am-1pm, free.

Info 01291 626370. Every second and fourth Saturday of the month.

Chinese New Year Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11am-4pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464. A variety of Chinese-inspired craft workshops and family activity.

Chocolates, Hearts & Flowers Small World Theatre, Cardigan. 1pm, £25/£15 under-16s. Info 01239 615952. Make artisan raw chocolates and stitched sentimental keepsakes for your Valentine. Or someone else’s, the better to sow the

Gridiron. Tossing the old pigskin around. A fast track to cranial trauma. Whatever your preferred term for American football, it climaxes in the Super Bowl every February, and Cardiff-based fans can watch it at the Depot, Gwdihw or 10 Feet Tall, late on Sun 7.

Toddler Time Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11am-3pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

Valentine Ball Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 7pm, £10 adv. Info 01495 243252. A night of dancing with Mark Porter and band.

Valentine Chocolate Truffle Making Humble

By Nature, Penalt, nr Monmouth. 10am, £35. Info 01600 714595.

Volleyball: Indoor Tournament Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-6pm.

Info 07879 458323.

Welsh Hearts Great Gatsby Valentines Charity Ball Jurys Inn, Cardiff. 7pm, £39.50. Info 029 2064 7735.

Featuring a three-course meal, entertainment from Owen Money and dancing until 1am.

Workshop Bike Sale Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 10am-12pm. Info www.cycletrainingwales. org.uk.

SATURDAY 13

Asteroids, Comets & Impacts From Space National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 1+ 3pm, free. Info 01792 463980. Science spectacle for all the family.

Badminton: Tournament Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

9am-6pm. Info 0300 300 3124.

Baked To Perfection Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am3.30pm, £170. Info 01443 222716.

Caerwent Craft Fayre Caerwent Village Hall, Monmouthshire. 2.30-4.30pm.

seeds of discord.

Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. On every day until Sun 21. (At weekends and half term until Sun 28) Drop-In Knotwork & Beadwork Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. £5 per session.

Info 029 2048 4611. With Suzen Millodot every month.

Enamel Jewellery Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am-4.30pm, £55. Info 029 2048 4611. With Kathryn Willis.

Essential Bike Maintenance Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff.

9.30am-4pm, £65. Info www. cycletrainingwales.org.uk.

Farmers’ Market Twyn Community Centre, Caerphilly. 9.30am, free. Info 01656 658963. Every second Saturday of the month.

Football: Barclays Premier League – Swansea City v Southampton Liberty Stadium, Swansea. 3pm. Info 0870 400004.

Funky Craft Fayre Ostreme Centre, Mumbles, Swansea.

Info 01792 369224. On the second Saturday of every month.

Introduction To Pottery: Pinch Making Technique And Glaze Decoration M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 2-4pm, £45 (two weeks)/£120 (six weeks).

Info 029 2047 3373. A sixweek course, every Saturday until 19 Mar, split into three sections each lasting two courses.

Karaoke The Hollybush, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2025 5042. With Ian WindsorSmith. Also on Sat 27.

Linocut Printmaking

events Workshop Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 10am-4pm, £45.

Info info@blossomsgallery. co.uk. With Ian Phillips.

Love Food Hate Waste Cook Up Oasis Centre, Splott, Cardiff. 11am-2.30pm, £5. Info 07934 011061. Info becca@greencityevents. co.uk.

Marvellous Moon Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10am + 4pm, free.

Info 01792 463980. Lunarbased kids’ activities. (Until Sun 21) Mumbles Produce Market Seafront Car Park, Mumbles.

9am-1pm, free. Info 01792 361012. Every second Saturday of the month.

Newport Craft Fayre The Gallery, Newport Indoor Market. 9am-4.30pm, free.

Info 01633 656656. Every second Saturday of the month.

Nimble Fingers Craft Fayre Victoria Hall, Mumbles, Swansea. 10am4pm, free. Info 07790 298913.

On the second Saturday of every month.

Rugby Union: RBS Six Nations: Wales v Scotland Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

4.50pm, £30-£75. Info 08442 777888. First of three Six Nations games here this month and next, with France showing up on Fri 26 and Italy on Sat 19 Mar. Stargazing & AstroPhotography Evening Dark Skies Reserve, Brecon Beacons. £55. Info 01874 749092.

Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. Find out more about some familiar constellations, the planets, how stars are born and how they die. (Until Sun 21) The Herbivore: A Vegan Valentine Embassy Cafe, Cathays, Cardiff. 7pm, £25.

Info simon@theherbivore. co.uk. A five-course vegan meal, or “Valentine’s without the cheese” as they dub it, from pop-up dinner party creators who were previously found in Kemi’s, Pontcanna.

Valentine’s Pamper Day Rhiwderin Village Hall.

10am-3pm. Info sjjewels7@ tesco.net.

Workshop For Adults: Writing That Love Poem Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea. 10.30am-1pm, £1.60-£5. Info 01792 463980.

With Steve Griffiths. Hoping that he’s just going to walk in, scrawl “DON’T” on a whiteboard and walk out again.

Workshop: Creative Movement YMCA, Swansea.

10.30am-4pm, free. Info 01792 516900. With dance artist Catherine Bennett and artist Arwen Roberts.

SUNDAY 14

Attack! Pro Wrestling: Wrestling To Make Love 2 Cathays Community Centre, Cardiff. 4-7pm, £10 adv.

Info 029 2037 3144. Local indy wrestler faves with a Valentine’s special, lineup TBC. You can go to the event in Walkabout right after, too.

Celtic Manor Wedding Fayre Celtic Manor, nr Newport. 10.30am-4pm. Info 01633 413000.

Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay.

Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends and half term until Sun 28) Fencing: Tournament Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

9am-5pm. Info 07530 226532.

Gymnastics: Trampoline Grades Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-6pm. Info 0300 3003127.

Marina Market National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10am-4pm, free.

Info 01792 463980.

Marvellous Moon Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10am + 4pm, free.

Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 21) My Roman Valentine National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 2-4pm, £2. Info 029 2057 3550. Make a heart necklace for someone special and find out about what and how the Romans celebrated at this time of year.

Rouge Renger Cuisine: Molecular Madness The Gate, Cardiff. £49. Info 029 2048 3344. Five-course Valentine meal cooked by Charles Rouse, who has worked for ‘Heston’ among others. The menu features lots of gels, foams and powders, a bit like an episode of Ready Steady Cook set in a sports nutrition store.

Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Sun 21) Valentine’s Extravaganza Arms Park, Cardiff. 6pm, £55 adv. Info info@gthc.org.uk. A George Thomas Hospice Care fundraising event featuring entertainment, an auction, food and music.

Valentine’s Pre-Loved Popup Fair National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10am-4pm, free.

Info 01792 463980.

Valentine’s Tea Dance Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 2.30pm, £5.

Info 0845 2263510.

Valentine Supper Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am-3.30pm, £170. Info 01443 222716.

Wrestling: St Valentine’s Day Massacre Walkabout, Cardiff. 7pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2072 7930. Featuring appearances from Jack Jester (ICW) and Princess Nadia among others.

MONDAY 15

Build-A-World Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11am-4pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464. Half term activity in which kids are invited to help create a “large scale world of mischief”. (Until Sat 20) Constellation View-Tube National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. Free. Info 01792 463980. Drop in to make a constellation viewer. (Until Sun 21) Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends and half term until Sun 28) Dylan’s Animals: Animal Masks And Face Painting Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea. 1-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980. Family drop-in workshop suitable for all ages and abilities.

Gwd Mondays Quiz Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2039 7933.

Live Superstars Of Wrestling Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £12/£9. Info 0845 2263510.

Marvellous Moon Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10am + 4pm, free.

Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 21) Medieval Games National History Museum, St Fagans.

11am-1pm + 2-4pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3500. Learn how people kept themselves entertained in the Age of the Princes. (Until Wed 17) Ocho Tequila Tasting 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7pm, free.

Info 029 2022 8883.

Roman Boot Camp National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 11am-3pm, £2. Info 029 2057 3550. What was life like in the Roman army?

Meet some Roman soldiers in costume who’ll tell you all about it in this drop-in workshop. (Until Fri 19) Shapeshifters Miners Theatre, Ammanford.

10.30am + 2.30pm, £5 kids/free adults. Info 0845 2263510. Learn how to make and experiment with light and shadow puppets, create and develop story characters.

On tomorrow also.

Snooker: Welsh Open World Championship Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 10.30am. Info 029 2022 4488. Opening day of this annual tournament, whitting 128 cuemasters down to a slim 64. (Until Sun 21) Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Sun 21) Through The Keyhole National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am-1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500. Come and see one of the Museum’s historic buildings brought to life through a living history demonstration.

(Until Fri 19) Velotech Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff.

9.30am-4pm, £450 (four days). Info www.cycletrainingwales.org.uk. (Until Thurs 18) Write On Writers Morganstown Village Hall.

6.30-8.30pm. Info 07512 235758.

TUESDAY 16

Behind The Scenes: Art National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 1.05pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Emily O’Reilly talks about paper conservation.

Build-A-World Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11am-4pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 20) Constellation View-Tube National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. Free. Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 21) Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends and half term until Sun 28) Family Art Workshops: Silent Explosion National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

11am + 1pm + 3pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7951. Create art inspired by Welsh artist Ivor Davies. (Until Fri 19) Family Workshops: Treasures & Adventures National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 11am-1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

Make a piece of art inspired

by the Treasures exhibition and find out more about archaeological treasures and adventure. (Until Fri 19) Half Term Workshops YMCA, Swansea. 11am-4pm, free. Info 01792 516900.

Explore the creative world of words to create your own characters, with children’s author Myfanwy Millward.

Juke Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 7pm, free. Info 07933 844234.

Lip Sync Battle Mary’s, Cardiff. Free. Info michaeljasinski@outlook.com.

Marvellous Moon Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10am + 4pm, free.

Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 21) Medieval Games National History Museum, St Fagans.

11am-1pm + 2-4pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3500. (Until Wed 17) Poetry Upstairs The Hen & Chickens, Abergavenny.

8pm, free. Info 01873 853613.

Ann Drysdale launches Miss Jekyll’s Gardening Boots and William Ayot launches Re-enchanting The Forest.

Roman Boot Camp National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 11am-3pm, £2. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Fri 19) Shapeshifters Miners Theatre, Ammanford.

10.30am + 2.30pm, £5 kids/free adults. Info 0845 2263510.

Snooker: Welsh Open World Championship Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 10.30am + 7pm. Info 029 2022 4488.

(Until Sun 21) Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Sun 21) Talk: The Economy Of Swansea And Its Surrounding Area Today Swansea Museum. 1pm.

Info www.risw.org.uk. By Professor David Blackaby; hosted by the Royal Institution Of South Wales.

Through The Keyhole National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am-1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

(Until Fri 19) Tropical Encounters Cardiff Castle. £3. Info 029 2087 8100. See and hold live exotic animals such as snakes and lizards, a skunk and meerkats. The pretext for this is that two of the Castle’s previous owners were dead keen on exotic animals.

Velotech Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff.

9.30am-4pm, £450 (four days). Info www. cycletrainingwales.org.uk.

(Until Thurs 18)

WEDNESDAY 17

Build-A-World Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11am-4pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 20) Constellation View-Tube National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. Free. Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 21) Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends and half term until Sun 28) Glass Workshop Mission Gallery, Swansea. 11am-2pm, £6. Info 01792 652016. Family craft activity with Rhian Hâf.

Family Art Workshops: Silent Explosion National

Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

11am + 1pm + 3pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7951. (Until Fri 19) Family Workshops: Treasures & Adventures National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 11am-1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

(Until Fri 19) Half Term At The Pavilion Penarth Pier Pavilion. Free.

Info 0844 8700887. With activities for all ages and a whole programme of Kids Club screenings in the cinema. On tomorrow also.

Lunchtime Talk – Treasures: Adventures In Archaeology National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

1.05pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

Marvellous Moon Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10am + 4pm, free.

Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 21) Medieval Games National History Museum, St Fagans.

11am-1pm + 2-4pm, free.

Info 029 2057 3500. (Finishes today) Pruning Hybrid Tea Roses National History Museum, St Fagans. 2-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Roman Boot Camp National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 11am-3pm, £2. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Fri 19) Sing Welsh! St Catherine’s Church Hall, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 1-2.30pm, £30/£25 for four sessions. Info 07952 752823.

Skill Builder: Winter Warmers Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan.

6-9pm, £80. Info 01443 222716.

Snooker: Welsh Open World Championship Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 10.30am + 7pm. Info 029 2022 4488.

(Until Sun 21) Space Science National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 11.30am, 1pm + 3pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

Join CBBC’s science communicator Jon Chase to learn new facts about the universe.

(Until Sat 20) Spice Preview Night Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

Info 07429 598414. A chance for you to go along and see what you might get out of this adventure, activity, sports and social group.

Through The Keyhole National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am-1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

(Until Fri 19) Velotech Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff.

9.30am-4pm, £450 (four days). Info www.cycletrainingwales.org.uk. (Until Thurs 18) Warrior School Cardiff Castle. 10am, £10 (age 10 and up)/£7.50 (age 5-9).

Info 029 2087 8100. Kids can learn how to sword fight under the expert tuition of The Warwick Warriors. Ages 5-9: 10am + 12.30pm; age 10+: 11am. On tomorrow also.

What Ya Got? 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883. New open mic night incorporating music, poetry, storytelling, comedy, cabaret etc.

Writing Workshop Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea.

2-4pm, free. Info 01792

463980. Aimed at ages 10-16.

Book in advance please.

THURSDAY 18

Booklaunch: Dean Burnett The Corran Resort & Spa, Laugharne. 4pm, free. Info shelley.phillips@ serenglobalmedia.com.

‘Rolling’ Dean Burnett, a sometime standup comic who writes about science in a whimsical and accessible way in the Guardian, has a book out. Email the address above if you want to go.

There’s a launch in Cardiff next month, too.

Build-A-World Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11am-4pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 20) Cardiff Archaeological Society Lecture Chemistry Lecture Theatre, Main Building, Cardiff University.

7.15pm. Info www. cardiffarchsoc.btck.co.uk.

‘Investigating The Origins Of Stone Crafting In Egypt’s Eastern Desert’ by Dr Elizabeth Bloxham.

Constellation View-Tube National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. Free. Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 21) Craft Afternoon Drill Hall, Chepstow. 2-4pm. Info 01291 625981. Drop-in sessions for kids of all ages (must be accompanied by an adult).

Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends and half term until Sun 28) Family Art Workshops: Silent Explosion National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

11am + 1pm + 3pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7951. (Until Fri 19) Family Workshops: Treasures & Adventures National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 11am-1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

(Until Fri 19) Glass Mobile Making Mission Gallery, Swansea.

11am-2pm, £6. Info 01792 652016. Family craft activity with Dierdre Finnerty.

Half Term At The Pavilion Penarth Pier Pavilion. Free.

Info 0844 8700887.

Half Term Workshops YMCA, Swansea. 11am-4pm, free. Info 01792 516900.

Discover different ways of illustrating and experiment with a variety of printmaking techniques, with artists Arwen Roberts and Dan McCabe.

Lecture: Cardiff’s Victorian Buildings Cardiff Castle. Info 029 2087 8100.

Looking At Renaissance Paintings Penarth Pier Pavilion. 2-4pm, £8. Info 0844 8700887.

Marvellous Moon Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10am + 4pm, free.

Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 21) Meet The Gardener National History Museum, St Fagans. 2-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Roman Boot Camp National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 11am-3pm, £2. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Fri 19) Snooker: Welsh Open World Championship Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 10.30am + 7pm. Info 029 2022 4488.

(Until Sun 21) Space Science National BUZZ 67

events Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 11.30am, 1pm + 3pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

(Until Sat 20) Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Sun 21) Story And Rhyme Time In Welsh For Babies Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenafon. 9.30-11am, free.

Info 029 2057 3650.

Talk: Swansea, City Of Sanctuary Swansea Museum. 7.30pm. Info www. risw.org.uk. By Alan Thomas and others; hosted by the Royal Institution Of South Wales.

The Full Moon Against Humanity The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, £2. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com. A session playing the wilfully offensive card game Cards Against Humanity.

Through The Keyhole National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am-1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

(Until Fri 19) Velotech Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff.

9.30am-4pm, £450 (four days). Info www.cycletrainingwales.org.uk. (Finishes today) Warrior School Cardiff Castle. 10am, £10 (age 10 and up)/£7.50 (age 5-9). Info 029 2087 8100.

FRIDAY 19

Aberration: All Queered Up Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

7.30pm, £7.50. Info 01970 623232. An evening of talks, discussion and music celebrating LGBT History Month.

A Day In The Lambing Shed Humble By Nature, Penalt, nr Monmouth. 10am, £115. Info 01600 714595.

Animal husbandry with Tim Stephens.

Andy Kirkpatrick Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 8pm, £14.50/£13.50. Info 01874 611622. Mountaineer of notoriously challenging locations talks about his life and work.

Build-A-World Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11am-4pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 20) Chiaroscuro Sculptures Mission Gallery, Swansea.

11am-2pm, £6. Info 01792 652016. Family craft activity with Lucy Donald.

Constellation View-Tube National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. Free. Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 21) Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends and half term until Sun 28) Dylan’s Animals: Animal Finger Puppets Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea.

1-4pm, free. Info 01792 463980. Family drop-in workshop suitable for all ages and abilities.

Exhibition Launch: Transformation Swansea Museum. Free. Info 01792 653763. See the Art listings for more about the exhibition in question.

Family Art Workshops: Silent Explosion National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

11am + 1pm + 3pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7951. (Finishes today) Family Workshops: Treasures & Adventures National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 11am-1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

(Finishes today) Ghost Tour Cardiff Castle.

7.15pm, £15. Info 07538 878609.

Junior Ghost Tour St Fagans Castle. 5.45pm, £8.50.

Info 029 2057 3500. For kids aged 7-11. On tomorrow also.

Marvellous Moon Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10am + 4pm, free.

Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 21) Museum Ghost Walk National History Museum, St Fagans. 7.15pm, £15. Info 029 2057 3500.

Roman Boot Camp National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 11am-3pm, £2. Info 029 2057 3550. (Until Fri 19) Snooker: Welsh Open World Championship Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 12 + 7pm.

Info 029 2022 4488. (Until Sun 21) So You Think You’re Smart? Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 7pm, free. Info 01495 243252. Quiz night, every third Friday of the month.

Space Science National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 11.30am, 1pm + 3pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

(Until Sat 20) Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Sun 21) Through The Keyhole National History Museum, St Fagans. 11am-1pm + 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

(Until Fri 19) Wheelbuilding Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 9.30am-4pm, £95.

Info www.cycletrainingwales. org.uk.

Workshop Bike Sale Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 10am-12pm. Info www.cycletrainingwales. org.uk.

SATURDAY 20

Another Night With The Stars Drill Hall, Chepstow.

6pm, £5. Info 01291 625981.

Another opportunity to come stargazing with Usk Astronomical Society, with indoor planetarium, outdoor telescopes (weather permitting), meeting meteorites and a constellation of craft activities for kids.

Build-A-World Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 11am-4pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464. (Finishes today) Brecon Craft Fair Market Hall, Brecon. 9am-4.30pm.

Info 01495 753782. Every third Saturday of the month.

Cardiff Anarchist Bookfair Cathays Community Centre, Cardiff. 10am, free. Info 029 2037 3144. Featuring three workshop spaces for talks and discussions, and a main hall of stalls, plus creche, bar, cafe and more. In the evening there will be a benefit gig and social.

Castle Underground Cinema Cardiff Castle.

2-10pm. Info 029 2087 8100.

Today features Cinderella

(2pm), Labyrinth (4.30pm) and The Shawshank Redemption (8pm). A different programme is on tomorrow.

Cherry Bomb Bazaar The Scene Club, Swansea.

12-5pm, free. Info 07730 432166. Lots of stalls selling alternative clothing, jewellery, accessories, homeware, records, upcycled hippy clothing, artwork, crafts and cosmetics.

Constellation View-Tube National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. Free. Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 21) Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends and half term until Sun 28) Embroidery: Creating Your Own Narrative Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am4.30pm, £55. Info 029 2048 4611. With Alison Moger.

Felt Slippers Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am4.30pm, £65. Info 029 2048 4611. With Claire Cawte.

Football: Sky Bet Championship – Cardiff City v Brighton & Hove Albion Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff. 12.30pm. Info 0845 3451400.

Further Bike Maintenance Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 9.30am-4pm, £65. Info www. cycletrainingwales.org.uk..

Gymnastics: Aerobatic Championships Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-5pm.

Info 0300 3003127.

Introduction To Pottery: Pinch Making Technique And Glaze Decoration M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 2-4pm, £45 (two weeks)/£120 (six weeks). Info 029 2047 3373.

Junior Ghost Tour St Fagans Castle. 5.45pm, £8.50.

Info 029 2057 3500.

Lampeter Beer Festival University Of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter. £3.

Info 01570 424971. See the Food & Drink section for a little more on this.

Llandaff Ghost Walk City Cross, Cathedral Green, Llandaff (meeting point).

7.45pm, £10. Info 07538 878609.

Marvellous Moon Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10am + 4pm, free.

Info 01792 463980. (Until Sun 21) Mask Making Workshop M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 1.30-4.30pm. Info 029 2047 3373. With James Green.

Museum Friends Lecture: Morfydd Llwyn Owen And Ernest Jones National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

10.30am, £10. Info 029 2039 7951. Rhian Davies talks about the lives of these late 19th/early 20th century Welsh figures.

Museum Ghost Walk National History Museum, St Fagans. 7.15pm, £15. Info 029 2057 3500.

Nantgarw Craft Fair Nantgarw China Works.

11am-3pm, free. Info deb_0001@hotmail.co.uk.

Every third Saturday of the

month.

Narberth A Capella Voice Festival Workshops Queens Hall, Narberth. 9.30-11.30am + 1-3pm, £5-£10. Info 01834 869323. Featuring workshops led by Michael Deason-Barrow, Seimon Morris and the South African Zulu Male Choir (morning); Camilo Menjura, Ffynnon and Michael Deason-Barrow again (afternoon).

Poetry Reading Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth.

2-2.45pm, free. Info info@ blossomsgallery.co.uk.

Roller Derby: Tiger Bay Brawlers vs. Soy Division Talybont Sports Village, Cardiff. Info tigerbaybrawlers@gmail. com. Soy Division are not from a specific location, but rather comprised of players who don’t eat meat.

Snooker: Welsh Open World Championship Semi Finals Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 1 + 7pm. Info 029 2022 4488.

(Until Sun 21) Space Science National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 11.30am, 1pm + 3pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

(Finishes today) Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Until Sun 21) Talk At 2 Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 2pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400.

Exhibition guide with Richard Higlett and Thomas Williams.

Try Gamelan St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 1pm, £8/£5. Info 029 2087 8444. I think they’re talking about giving these sessions the old heave-ho for budgetary reasons, so if you’ve been meaning to tinkle some Javanese gongs, best get your skates on.

SUNDAY 21

Cardiff Creative Writers Monthly Meetup Little Man Coffee Co, Cardiff. 12.30pm, £5. Info 07830 381930.

Cardiff Vintage Kilo Sale Tramshed, Cardiff. 11am5pm, £2. Info 0117 9259273.

Organised by vintage shop Blue Honey, the premise of this is that you sift through “thousands of kilos” of vintage clothes and buy them by weight – £15 a kilo. HOT TAKE: the people buying and selling this stuff should give most of it to Calais relief drives instead. HOTTER TAKE: maybe they already did?

Castle Underground Cinema Cardiff Castle.

2-10pm. Info 029 2087 8100.

Today features Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (2pm), Goonies (4pm) and Raiders Of The Lost Ark (8pm).

Constellation View-Tube National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. Free. Info 01792 463980. (Finishes today) Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends and half term until Sun 28) Fencing: BYC Qualifiers – Sabre Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-5pm. Info 07530 226532.

Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Sheffield Steelers Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 6pm, £6-£15. Info 029 2038 2001.

Judo: Welsh U-15 Open Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

9am-6pm. Info 029 2033 4945.

Marvellous Moon Trail National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 10am + 4pm, free.

Info 01792 463980. (Finishes today) Masterclass: Pasta Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am4.30pm, £185. Info 01443 222716.

Portraits In Clay Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am-4.30pm, £110 (two days). Info 029 2048 4611.

With Mary Jones. Also on

Professor Ian Hargreaves; hosted by the Royal Institution Of South Wales.

Tea Dance Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 2-4pm, £4. Info 01656 815995.

WEDNESDAY 24

Cardiff Fashion Fest Gwdihw, Cardiff. 4pm. Info 029 2039 7933. Featuring collections from various vintage/ niche retailers from Cardiff, plus DJ sets.

Elliecoptor Hoops Hula Hoop Class Plasnewydd YMCA, Cardiff. 8-9pm, £5.

Info 07934 011061. Last Wednesday of every month.

Moved from the Abacus, which is closed at the time of writing but hopefully open in a new location soon.

Games Wales South 10 Feet

From Thurs 18-Sat 20, the annual A Capella Voice Festival returns to Narberth.

Starting at somewhere called Folly Farm on Thurs 18, the bulk of the events are at the Queens Hall, and include daytime workshops led by evening performers.

Sun 28.

Seedy Sunday National Botanic Garden Of Wales, Carmarthenshire. Info 01558 667149. Annual table-top seed swap with lots of talks, tables and exhibitors.

Snooker: Welsh Open World Championship Final Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff.

1 + 7pm, £26/£22. Info 029 2022 4488. (Finishes today) Star Tours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Finishes today) Welsh National Wedding Fayre Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. 11am-4pm, free.

Info 01792 475715.

MONDAY 22

Joy Of Living Mindfulness Group Meeting Gaia Yoga Studio, Roath, Cardiff. 7.309pm, free (donations welcome). Info 07412 346054.

Wooden Bird Sculptures Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 1-4pm, £35.

Info info@blossomsgallery. co.uk. With Pod Clare.

TUESDAY 23

After School Art Group Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 4-5.30pm, £6.

Info info@blossomsgallery. co.uk. For ages 6-12.

Black Kettle Collective YMCA, Swansea. 5-7pm, free.

Info 01792 516900.

Lip Sync Battle Mary’s, Cardiff. Free. Info michaeljasinski@outlook.com.

Talk: The Digital Future Of Media & Society Swansea Museum. 1pm.

Info www.risw.org.uk. By

Tall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free.

Info 029 2022 8883. Social meetup for video-games developers that happens once a month in Cardiff.

Low Light Digital Photography Sunflower & I, Cardiff Bay. 6.30-9pm, £35.

Info www. infocusphotographycourses. com. Photography course hosted by Amanda Wilson at In Focus.

Natural Sciences Luchtime Talk National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

1.05pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. ‘A Long War and a Troubled Peace: Economy and Society in South Wales c1800-1820’ by Professor Bill Jones.

Scriveners Writers’ Group Royal Exchange, Brynmawr.

8pm. Info 01495 753629.

Sing Welsh! St Catherine’s Church Hall, Pontcanna, Cardiff. 1-2.30pm, £30/£25 for four sessions. Info 07952 752823.

Skill Builder: Speedy Thai Supper Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan.

6-9pm, £80. Info 01443 222716.

Welly Wednesday National Botanic Garden Of Wales, Carmarthenshire. Info 01558 667149. An hour of fun, outdoor activities for pre-schoolers and their grownups.

Workshop: 55+ YMCA, Swansea. 1-3pm, free. Info 01792 516900.

Young Artists Workshops Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 4-5.30pm, £6.

Info info@blossomsgallery. co.uk. For ages 12-18.

JUST ANNOUNCED FOR MARCH: JACK SAVORETTI (Tramshed, Cardiff, Wed 2) THEORY OF A DEADMAN (Cardiff University Students Union, Thurs 3) SAUL WILLIAMS (Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Fri 4) PETER HOOK (Tramshed, Thurs 10) EXODUS (The Globe, Cardiff, Fri 11) BIG COUNTRY + MIDGE URE + NICK HAYWARD + CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT (Princess Royal BUZZ 68

live music THURSDAY 25

After Hours Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. 6.30-10pm, £3.

Info 029 2047 5475. Evening events for adults only.

Design Stuff 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 6pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883. Each month, two designers talk about a topic of their choice which is based in and around design.

Four Bars Swing Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £5. Info 029 2023 9253. Featuring a lindy hop class for beginners, followed by dancing to classic swing tracks.

Gallery Talk: James Green M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 7.30-9.30pm. Info 029 2047 3373. Chatting about his exhibition, currently showing here and listed in the Art listings.

Ghost Tour Cardiff Castle.

7.15pm, £15. Info 07538 878609.

Ivor Davies Exhibition Seminar: Conservation Conversation National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

2pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

Left Suit Events Speed Quiz The Full Moon, Cardiff.

8pm, £3 to play. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

Looking At Renaissance Paintings Penarth Pier Pavilion. 2-4pm, £8. Info 0844 8700887.

Meet The Gardener National History Museum, St Fagans. 2-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Nourish The Us-ness Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

8pm, £6/£5. Info 029 2030 4400. With storyteller Cath Little and poet Susan Richardson.

Pump Up The Volume Boulders, St Catherine's Park, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £15/£12 members. Info 029 2048 4880. A techno-themed bouldering event focusing only on climbing volumes (thus forming a pun). Live DJ and guest setting from Tom Newberry.

Skill Builder: Fish Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 6-9pm, £80. Info 01443 222716.

Story And Rhyme Time In Welsh For Babies Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenafon. 9.30-11am, free.

Info 029 2057 3650.

Taith Iaith National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

1.05pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. Monthly session for Welsh learners.

The Wearable Art Show 2016 Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

4 + 7.15pm, £6-£10. Info 029 2039 1391. Costumes inspired by Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and made from scrap materials. On tomorrow also.

Writer In Residence Talk: Joe Dunthorne YMCA, Swansea. 5.30pm, free. Info 01792 516900.

FRIDAY 26

Aromatic Spice Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan. 9.30am-3.30pm, £170. Info 01443 222716.

Lunchtime Talk: Captured Moments Mission Gallery, Swansea. 12-1pm, free. Info

01792 652016. With Rhian Hâf and Chris Jones.

Ride Leader Training Cycle Training Wales, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 9.30am-4pm, £110. Info www.cycletrainingwales.org.uk.

Rugby Union: RBS Six Nations: Wales v France Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

8.05pm, £35-£85. Info 08442 777888.

Spring In The Vegetable Garden National History Museum, St Fagans. 2-3pm, free. Info 029 2057 3500.

(Until Fri 19) The Wearable Art Show 2016 Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1, 4 + 7.15pm, £6-£10. Info 029 2039 1391.

Workshop Bike Sale Cardiff Cycle Workshop, Gabalfa, Cardiff. 10am-12pm. Info www.cycletrainingwales. org.uk.

SATURDAY 27

Craft Fair Ogmore Vale Life Centre. Info 07544 905718.

Darts: Tramshed Pro Darts Masters Tramshed, Cardiff.

7pm, £25 adv. Info 0117 9259273. Featuring Michael Van Gerwen, Raymond Van Barneveld and Mark Webster, aka actual title winners.

Been noticing an uptick in darts appreciation among indie kid/millennial/memeaware types, will any of them turn out for this?

Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (At weekends and half term until Sun 28) Etching Glass Workshop Mission Gallery, Swansea.

11am-2pm, £15. Info 01792 652016. Adult workshop with Rhian Hâf.

Football: Sky Bet Championship – Cardiff City v Preston North End Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff.

3pm. Info 0845 3451400.

Gymnastics: Welsh Championships Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-5pm.

Info 0300 3003127. On tomorrow also.

Ice Hockey: League – Cardiff Devils v Coventry Blaze Ice Arena, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £6-£15. Info 029 2038 2001.

Introduction To Pottery: Coil Building And Glaze Decoration M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 2-4pm, £45 (two weeks)/£120 (six weeks). Info 029 2047 3373.

Karaoke The Hollybush, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2025 5042.

Lambing At Llwyn Yr Eos National History Museum, St Fagans. Free. Info 029 2057 3500. On tomorrow also, and every weekend in March.

Llandaff Ghost Walk City Cross, Cathedral Green, Llandaff (meeting point).

7.45pm, £10. Info 07538 878609.

Mandala Painting: Spirals Of Life Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 10am-4pm, £35.

Info info@blossomsgallery. co.uk. With Anne Thomas.

Mysteries Of The Solar System National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 2pm, free.

Info 01792 463980. Dr Chris

North talks about the fleet of spacecraft currently exploring the solar system.

Picture This: Collage Making Workshop M.A.D.E. Gallery & Shop, Cardiff. 1.304pm. Info 029 2047 3373.

With James Green.

Search For Life Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. On tomorrow also.

Seedy Saturday Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 11am2pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400. Share seeds, plants and unwanted garden equipment, while taking tips from gardening experts.

Space Animation National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 11.30am + 2.30pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

Create a space-inspired story using recycled goods then bring it to life using digital stop motion techniques. On tomorrow also.

Stargazing & AstroPhotography Evening Dark Skies Reserve, Brecon Beacons. £55. Info 01874 749092.

Weber Winter Warmer Course Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale Of Glamorgan.

10am-2pm, £100. Info 01443 222716.

Winter Ladies Day Chepstow Racecourse.

12.05pm, £20-£27. Info 01291 622260. Featuring, in addition to the racing, tribute acts to Michael Bublé and Olly Murs, plus a fashion show. With such a delightful lineup for the gals, it looks like the only ‘nags’ today will be the horses! Sorry, got a bit too into the spirit of things there.

SUNDAY 28

Beginners Digital Photography Stretchy Suzie’s, Cardiff. 11am-4pm, £75. Info www. infocusphotographycourses. com. Practical photography course hosted by Amanda Wilson at In Focus.

Craft Fair LC2, Swansea.

10am-4pm, £25 to set up a table. Info cottagecraftfairs@gmail.com.

Dafydd Wigley: Wales – The Next 5 Years Rhos Y Gilwen, Pembrokeshire.

1-3.15pm, £15. Info 01239 841387. Talking about the potential changing face of Welsh politics. Price of this talk includes lunch.

Destination Space Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475. (Finishes today) Gymnastics: Welsh Championships Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-5pm.

Info 0300 3003127.

Fencing: BYQ Qualifiers – Foil Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. 9am-5pm. Info 07530 226532.

Lambing At Llwyn Yr Eos National History Museum, St Fagans. Free. Info 029 2057 3500.

Portraits In Clay Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am-4.30pm, £110 (two days). Info 029 2048 4611.

Search For Life Techniquest, Cardiff Bay.

Info 029 2047 5475.

Space Animation National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. 11.30am + 2.30pm, free. Info 01792 463980.

St David’s Day National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon. 2-4pm, free. Info 029 2057 3550. Makes Welsh cakes and dragon/leekrelated stuff.

MONDAY 29

Creative Writing Open Mic Dempseys, Cardiff. 7.30pm.

Info 029 2023 9253.

Science Cafe Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, free.

Info 01970 623232. Karen Siu Ting on ‘how do poison arrow frogs get their poison?’

live MONDAY 1

Atrium Live Music Night Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm.

Info 029 2038 7026. Every Monday.

Live Jazz Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 447360. Every Monday.

Live Original Music Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Presented by U&I Radio.

Every Monday.

Monday Club 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883. Local singersongwriters perform in the main bar every week.

Ukulele Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff.

8.30pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509. Every Monday, with The Plucking Fourstrings.

TUESDAY 2

Capital City Jazz Orchestra Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

Acoustic Tuesday South Riverside Community Development Centre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £5. Info 029 2030 4400. Regular event led by pioneering local musicians and singers.

Community Samba Band – Practise Dates Westenders Hall, Llanfaes, Brecon.

6-8pm, £4/£2 under-16s. Info sambabrecon@yahoo.co.uk.

Every Tuesday.

Elin Manhan Thomas Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.45pm, £15/£12. Info 029 2039 1391.

Top rated soprano.

Preservation Rhythm Kings Café Jazz, Cardiff.

8pm, £4.50/£4/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

Quatuor Psophos Cardiff University Concert Hall.

7-8.45pm, £8/£6/free NUS. Info 029 2087 4816. Former BBC New Generation Artists feature in this International Quartet Series concert.

Robert Plane, Lucy Gould & Benjamin Frith St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 1pm, £6.75/£5.75. Info 029 2087 8444. Chamber folk trio.

The 8 O’Clock Spot Gwdihw, Cardiff. 8pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933. Live bands

presented by Dragon Radio.

The Sherlocks + Blaenavon + Bandicoot The Lemon Factory, Swansea. 7pm, £7 adv. Info 07969 671379. Still can’t believe there’s an English indie buzzband called Blaenavon.

WEDNESDAY 3

Alex G + Caramel + Honey Pot Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Headliner is an American indie type who has a “dreamy lo-fi sound”.

Aubrey Parsons The Fig Tree, Penarth. 7pm, free. Info 029 2070 2512. Jazz. Also on Wed 10. You have to buy a meal as this is a restaurant.

Bandaoke Porter’s, Cardiff.

8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com. “Sing with a fully rehearsed band and become the Popstar you always dreamed of being.”

Christian Garrick Quartet Jazzland, Swansea. 8.3011pm, £12. Info 07802 912789.

Eleven Harps, A Flute & A Violin Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

1.15pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. This sounds like a classical version of those UK house production teams whose names were just a list of their equipment, but is in fact a celebration of the 75th birthday of harpist/composer Bernard Andrés.

Eliza & The Bear Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Indie-folk stuff.

Fickle Friends The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £7 adv. Info info@thefullmooncardiff.com. Brighton indie combo, presented by Sound Nation.

Gideon Conn + People Poems + Francesca’s Word Salad Gwdihw, Cardiff. 8pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933. A Folk In The Owl’s Nest night.

Jazz Night Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 7pm. Info 01443 491424.

Mavron Quartet Spring Recital The Gate, Cardiff.

7pm, £2-£6. Info 029 2048 3344. #Notjustjazz Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026. New weekly night (here every Wednesday), titled on account of its music policy.

Open Jam Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff.

8pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509. Every Wednesday.

Expect to hear jazz, blues, rock or ska here.

Open Mic Market Street Club, Barry. 8pm. Info 01446 733863. Every Wednesday.

Saint [The] Sinner + Griever + Calling Apollo + Ghosts As Alibis + Remember The Fallen The Lemon Factory, Swansea.

7pm, £5 adv. Info 07969 671379.

Sinfonia Cymru The Riverfront, Newport. 1pm, £5.50/£4.50. Info 01633 656757. First Wednesday classical recital.

The Bug Club + Sophie Lynch And The Special Friends NosDa, Cardiff.

8.30pm, free. Info 029 2037 8866. Presented by U&I

Radio.

Tom Syson Group Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

Torfaen Big Band + CACMS Big Band Whiteheads Sports & Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport.

8pm, £8. Info malc@dancebands.plus.com. South Wales Big Band Society gig.

THURSDAY 4

Bob Fox Newport Fugitives Athletic Club, Rogerstone, Newport. 8.45pm. Info 01633 897923. A Newport Folk Club night.

Dethias + Led By Lions + The Loved & Lost Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 8pm. Info mail@ givemefuel.co.uk.

Fairview The Bunker, Cardiff. 7pm, £4. Info james@ thebunkercardiff.com.

Grown Up Music The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com. Jam session presented

by Pi & Hash.

Hackensack Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £6/£5. Info 029 2038 7026.

Invisible Orchestra The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 07590 471888. A 20-piece big band whose music covers lots of funky genres.

Jimjam Open Mic Session The Claude Hotel, Albany Road, Cardiff. 9pm, free.

Info 07557 505123. Every Thursday. This week’s guest band is The Dirt.

Locus Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 6pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464. Live work-inprogress musical collaboration between Angharad Van Rijswijk and Richard James, broadcast on Resonance FM. Also here on Sun 14, Mon 22 and Sun 28 this month.

Networks + The Mausoleum Trap + Without Shores + Calling Apollo The Parrot, Carmarthen. 7.30pm, £5 adv.

Info 01267 231012.

Open Mic Night Cellar Bar, Cardigan. Free. Info 07818 056599. Every Thursday.

Open Mic Night Lyceum Tavern, Newport. 8.30pm.

Info 01633 858636. Every Thursday except when there’s a guest on.

The Defiled + Forever Never + Vampires Everywhere The Scene Club, Swansea. 7pm, £13/£10 adv. Info 07730 432166.

Yawning Dog + Recluse + Think Pretty + Greenmailer The Lemon Factory, Swansea. 8pm, £4.

Info 07969 671379. Presented

by Spread Eagle Xross.

FRIDAY 5

2 Tickets 2 the Gun Show Kiwis, Cardiff. 10pm, free.

Info 029 2039 8965.

Afternoon In Paris Pontardawe Arts Centre.

7.30pm, £8.60 adv. Info 01792 863722.

A Taste Of Quo Workmen’s Hall, Caerphilly. 7.30pm, £8/£6 adv. Info 07512 237983.

Status Quo tribute band.

They have an amazing logo with twin Strats and palm trees in silhouette, sug-

Theatre, Port Talbot, Wed 16) KING KING (The Globe, Thurs 17) MARIAH CAREY (Motorpoint Arena, Mon 21) YOLANDA BROWN + LEMAR (St David's Hall, Cardiff, Wed 23) WALES GOES POP! (The Gate, Fri 25-Sun 27) MUSHROOMHEAD + AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE (The Globe, Tue 29) JUST ANNOUNCED FOR APRIL: NEWTON FAULKNER (Cardiff University, Sun 10) BUZZ 69

live music gesting that they consider Margarita Time to be the definitive Quo jam.

Attercopus + Fluff Tongue + Ironclad The Lemon Factory, Swansea. 7pm, free.

Info 07969 671379. Metal.

Ironclad are from Swansea and no relation to the south Wales hardcore band from a few years back.

Aubrey Parsons Porter’s, Cardiff. 9pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Beautiful Strangers The Scene Club, Swansea. 7pm.

Info 07730 432166.

Big Mac’s Wholly Soul Band Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £15 adv. Info 029 2089 0862.

Cadacus + Swns + Brokers Crowleys Rock Bar, Swansea. 8pm, free. Info 07981 684142.

Chinese New Year – Big Band Swing Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £36. Info 029 2070 5391. A five-course Chinese meal plus music from crooner Leighton Rafferty.

Dave Morris & The Knock Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2023 9253. Charity gig (not sure which charity).

Fingertrap + Lucas Lucas Warehouse54, Newport.

8pm. Info 01633 259144.

Fingertrap are in the main room, LL on the roof terrace.

Hazel O’Connor Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £15/£14. Info 01239 621200.

Including a meet’n’greet right after the show. In Builth Wells tomorrow.

Hozier + Wyvern Lingo St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £29.50/£22.50. Info 029 2087

8444. Sold out. I keep forgetting this guy is Irish and not American.

Live Acoustic Night The Pilot, Penarth. Free. Info 029 2071 0615. On the first Friday of each month.

Manalishi Café Jazz, Cardiff. 9pm, £4. Info 029 2038 7026. Blues.

Marius Neset & Daniel Herskedal Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.45pm, £12. Info 029 2039 1391. Jazz.

Neck Deep + State Champs + Creeper + Light Years Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union.

7pm, £13.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. Pop-punk ensembles.

Open Mic Night The Met, Abertillery. 7.30pm, £2. Info 01495 355800.

Open Night The Ivy Bush, Pontardawe. 8pm. Info huwpudner@ntlworld.com. A Valley Folk Club night.

Pentreffest Noz St Fagans Village Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2023 2970.

Monthly folk night.

SOW Classical Album Launch The Gate, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2048 3344. A group who perform classical music with the primary aim of sharing their faith through their songs.

Hey, it’s worked before.

During the Middle Ages, for example. *Spaceheads + Mwstard + Howie Reeve The Parrot, Carmarthen. 7.30pm, £5 adv. Info 01267 231012.

Headliners are an experimental trumpet’n’percussion duo who’ve been around since

live review THE LIBERTINES Motorpoint Arena,

Cardiff, Tue 26 Jan

the 90s. Alec from Mwstard has booked them here and in Newport, where they play tomorrow.

The Broadcasts + 100,000 Bodybags + Luke Beasley + Andrew Skelto The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £3. Info gigs@thedragonffli. com.

The Don Fox Scandal Band The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

The Modulators Black Lion, Llandaff, Cardiff. 9pm, free.

Info 029 2056 7312.

The Sporadics + Lacertillia + Poetic Justice + Kickin’ Bambi The Moon Club, Cardiff.

6.30pm, £8/£6 adv. Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com. Crowbar and Corvus present a night of punky, psychy, crusty delights.

Three Legg’d Mare Blossoms Gallery, Aberystwyth. 7pm, £3-£7.

Info info@blossomsgallery. co.uk. Traditional songs with a difference, they say.

Unplugged And Acoustic Monthly Group Cellar Bar, Cardigan. £3. Info 07818 056599.

SATURDAY 6

An Evening With Hazel O’Connor Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells. 7.30pm, £15/£14. Info 01982 552555.

Aubrey Parsons St David’s Hotel, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2045 4045. Also on Fri 19 and Fri 26.

Black Water Chemistry + Commander Boom Crowleys Rock Bar, Swansea.

8pm, free. Info 07981 684142.

Broken Fires + Son Of One Eye + Jaffro The Parrot, Carmarthen. 8pm, £5/£4 adv.

Info 01267 231012.

Claire Jones Blake Theatre, Monmouth. 7.30pm, £14/£12.

Info 01600 719401. Harpist.

Eat Your Greens The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com.

Ferocious Dog & The Leylines The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £11 adv. Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com. Folky punk band headline this sold-out gig.

Gogo Penguin + Daudi Matsiko The Gate, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 029 2048 3344. See Music.

Guto Dafis & Daniel Kilbride Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5.

Info 029 2030 4400. Folk.

Jean Toussaint’s Roots & Herbs – The Blakey Project Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £16/£15.

Info 01792 602060. Top jazz sax man toasts the life of Art Blakey, who died 25 years ago.

John Nicholas The Admiral Napier, Canton, Cardiff.

8.30pm, free. Info 029 2030 3945.

Junior Conservatoire Foyer Recital Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 2pm, free. Info 029 2039 1391. Jazz.

Keith James Little Shop Of Calm, Cowbridge. 8.3010.30pm, free. Info 01446 771166. Performing the music of Cat Stevens.

Kitty Daisy & Lewis + Barnes Courtney Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 8pm, £12 adv.

Info 029 2023 2199. Retro rockabilly youngsters – at least, they were young when they started and are definitely still younger than me – for a date booked several months ago.

Madassa The Globe, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Mayor’s Charity Concert Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £8/£5.

Info 01873 850805. With the Abergavenny Borough Band.

Mike Chappell Trio The Wellington Hotel, Brecon.

8pm, free. Info 01874 625225.

A Brecon Jazz Club evening Penarth Rocks! Paget Rooms, Penarth. 4-11.30pm, £20/£15 adv. Info 029 2070 0721. A day of tribute acts, specifically these: Blurd (a tribute to Blur), London Calling (The Clash), 2Rude (2 Tone etc), The Hindenbergs (Led Zeppelin) and The Flares (60s and 70s hits).

Peter Bruntnell, Jeff Finlin & Clive Barnes The Chattery, Swansea. 7.30pm, £10. Info 01792 473276.

Sounds Of Simon St Donats Arts Centre, Vale Of Glamorgan. 7.30pm, £12.

Info 01446 799100. Simon & Garfunkel tribute act.

Spaceheads + Mwstard + Howie Reeve Le Pub, Newport. 8pm, £5. Info 01633 221477.

Talon Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 8pm, £15.50. Info 01633 868239. Acoustic Eagles renditions.

The 4th Kind Kiwis, Cardiff.

10pm, free. Info 029 2039 8965.

The Cadillac 3 Tramshed, Cardiff. 7pm, £13.50 adv. Info 0117 9259273. Some kind of newjack southern rock band.

Sold out mind you.

The Lash + Crowsaw + Beth Blade & The Beautiful Disasters + Reggie Santanos And The Dim Panico The Dolls House, Abertillery. 7pm.

Info 01495 213300. Ozzy Osbourne tribute.

The Sick Livers + Failed State + Tenplusone The Lemon Factory, Swansea.

7pm, £5 adv. Info 07969 671379.

Ultimate Floyd The Dragonffli, Pontypool.

8.30pm, £6/£5 adv. Info gigs@ thedragonffli.com. Pink Floyd tribute.

Whiskey Lies The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm, free. Info 01495 247178.

Whitney Queen Of The Night The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £21/£19.

Info 01633 656757. Rebecca Freckleton pays tribute to W Houston.

Zoë Schwarz Blue Commotion Cwmbran RFC, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran.

7.30pm, £10/£8 members.

Info 01633 483238. A Borough Blues Club gig. Note the change of venue, effective as of this month.

SUNDAY 7

Andy Lewis Duo Pontyclun RFC. 6.30pm, free. Info 01443 222240.

Crystal Balloon + Cherryshoes Gwdihw, Cardiff. 8pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933. A Folk In The

Over their career The Libertines have followed the standard ‘Behind The Music’ story: band has nothing., band tries hard, band gets success, sex, drugs and rock‘n’roll. Then the whole thing self-destructs and everyone cries.

Pete, Carl, John and Gary seem to have buried the hatchet and embarked on a new musical path in their careers. Their first studio album in 11 years, Anthems For Doomed Youth, was released late last year. Full of emotional baggage, the band started to play a number of festival sets, which led to the announcement of their first UK arena tour.

Support from The Sherlocks and The Enemy, who both had decent sets, were a perfect way to warm the crowd up. As the Motorpoint began to fill, a swell of drunken bodies began to swirl. As soon as the Libs walked onto the stage half empty plastic bottles of beer started to be pelted in their direction. The audience chanted “Libertines! Libertines!

Libertines!", bobbing up and down slowly. before exploding in a buzz of electricity when the quartet played some of their best known songs like What Katie Did, Don’t Look Back Into The Sun and Time For Heroes.

Despite Petey slagging off the local audience halfway through ("You Cardiff crowds are notorious for being shit"), you can’t help but love him anyway. He seems to effortlessly exude charisma without doing anything at all – and, surprisingly, his voice is in the best shape it's been in years. The overall production of the gig was amazing. The massive light display and video projections, which can often come off as a little naff, perfectly complemented their set and created an awestruck atmosphere.

After the encore, as the gig slowly screeched to an close, Pete picked up each mic stand and flung them into the audience, which was a perfect way to end an amazing set. words and photo JAYDON MARTIN

LULU (Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Tue 12) RICK ASTLEY (St David's Hall, Wed 13) HAWKWIND (Tramshed, Thurs 14) 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER (Motorpoint Arena, Fri 15 + Sat 16) THE ICICLE WORKS (Clwb Ifor Bach, Fri 15) BELLOWHEAD (St David's Hall, Sun 17) GREGORY PORTER (St David's Hall, Wed 20) OUGHT (Clwb Ifor Bach, Wed 20) JUST ANNOUNCED FOR BUZZ 70

live music Owl’s Nest night.

Ensemble Cymru Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

2.30pm, £3-£9. Info 01970 623232.

Philharmonia Orchestra St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 3pm, £7.50-£39.50. Info 029 2087 8444. John Wilson conducts a programme of Vaughn Williams and Finzi.

Richie Ramone Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 8pm, £12 adv. Info mail@givemefuel.co.uk.

“The fastest, most powerful drummer who ever played with the legendary punk rock band the Ramones,” says the blurb, carefully avoiding using the word “best”.

The Wyrd Wonder: The Suchlike Zen Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £7/£6. Info 029 2030 4400.

Music, poetry and storytelling from The Shelley Duvalls, Mr LOVE, Derec Jones, Howard Ingham, Amanda Rackstraw, Philippa Irving, Bryan Marshall, Zeuk and Debra Humphries.

They Say Fall + Revelation + Giving Into Ghosts + Wake Up Call + Led By Lions The Lemon Factory, Swansea. 7pm, £5 adv. Info 07969 671379.

MONDAY 8

Atrium Live Music Night Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Classic Rock Show Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £33/£23. Info 01792 475715.

Imagine a covers band in a pub. Then imagine you were in a theatre instead, and the PA was better, but it took longer to walk to the bar and you weren’t allowed to bring your dog in.

Duo Concertante Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells.

7.30pm, £10. Info 01982 552555. Violin/piano duo.

Lau + Jess Morgan St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 8pm, £16.50/£15.50 adv. Info 029 2087 8444. A Roots Unearthed gig.

Live Jazz Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 447360.

Live Original Music Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Monday Club 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883.

Slipknot + Suicidal Tendencies Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 7pm, £39.50.

Info 029 2022 4488. I bet Suicidal Tendencies will be a laff riot in this context. Do let me know if you go along.

See Music.

Ukulele Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff.

8.30pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

TUESDAY 9

Community Samba Band – Practise Dates Westenders Hall, Llanfaes, Brecon.

6-8pm, £4/£2 under-16s. Info sambabrecon@yahoo.co.uk.

Gavin James The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £9 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Joe Parillo Cardiff University Concert Hall.

7-8.45pm, £8/£6/free

NUS. Info 029 2087 4816.

International Piano Series concert.

John Davies Quintet Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4.50/£4/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

London Winds Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2039 1391.

Paul Baxter Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

Paul Carrack Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £40/£30. Info 01792 475715. I didn’t even realise he was in Squeeze (twice!) but he was.

In Cardiff tomorrow.

The Classic Rock Show Part 2 St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £22.50. Info 029 2087 8444.

The Stone Angels + Dead Ground + The Himalayas 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7pm, £2.

Info 029 2022 8883.

Three Cane Whale + Maarja Nuut Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2030 4400.

UK folk trio plus Estonian violinist in support. In Cardigan tomorrow.

Wonderbrass + Barracwda Gwdihw, Cardiff.

8pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933. A Mardi Gras celebration gig.

WEDNESDAY 10

All Time Low + Good Charlotte Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £27.50. Info 029 2022 4488.

Attic Folk 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £4/£3 adv.

Info 029 2022 8883. With acts TBC. Aubrey Parsons The Fig Tree, Penarth. 7pm, free. Info 029 2070 2512.

Beethoven: Music In Revolution Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15pm, £8/£6 adv. Info 029 2039 1391.

Featuring the Royal Welsh College Chamber Orchestra and Royal Welsh College Chamber Choir. *Bob Mould The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £22.50 adv.

Info 07590 471888. First Cardiff visit for one-time Hüsker Dü düde since Sugar, his subsequent band, played here in the early 90s. This set will probably have lots of HD, a teaspoon of Sugar and selections from his generally gloomy solo albums. This might well be sold out by the time you read this.

Cairns-Howarth Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

7.45pm, £5-£7. Info 01970 623232. Guitar and fiddle folk duo.

Damien Barber & Mike Wilson Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club. 7.30pm. Info 01443 226892. A Llantrisant Folk Club night.

Folk Night Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 7pm. Info 01443 491424.

Fossette + Inscape + The Hip Fire The Lemon Factory, Swansea. 7pm. Info 07969 671379.

Guardalavaca De Cuba!

Jazzland, Swansea. 8.3011pm, £10. Info 07802 912789. #Notjustjazz Café Jazz,

Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Open Jam Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff.

8pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

Open Mic Market Street Club, Barry. 8pm. Info 01446 733863.

Open Mic Acoustic Night Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil.

7pm, free. Info 01685 384111.

Paul Carrack St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £28.50.

Info 029 2087 8444.

PINS + Peace And Love Barbershop Muhammad Ali The Moon Club, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £10/£8 adv. Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com. Mancunian postpunkers headline. The support, who are also from MCR, have an extraordinarily bad name but might be alright.

Three Cane Whale + Maarja Nuut Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £3-£12. Info 01239 621200.

Vitor Pereira Quintet Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

Wonderbrass Whiteheads Sports & Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £8.

Info malc@dancebands.plus. com. South Wales Big Band Society gig.

THURSDAY 11

7 Steps – The Music Of Miles Café Jazz, Cardiff.

8pm, £6/£5. Info 029 2038 7026.

Beethoven: Evening Concert 2 Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.15pm, £12/£10 adv.

Info 029 2039 1391. Featuring the Elias String Quartet.

Beethoven: Late Night Concert 1 Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 9.45pm, £8/£6 adv.

Info 029 2039 1391. Featuring the Elias String Quartet and pianist Benjamin Frith. Ha, I’ve stayed up much later than 9.45pm, to me that isn’t late night at all.

Beethoven: Lunchtime Concert 2 Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15pm, £8/£6 adv.

Info 029 2039 1391. Featuring the Gould Piano Trio and Elias String Quartet.

Blood For Betrayal + Back Down The Bunker, Cardiff. 7.30pm. Info cabinfevercardiff@gmail. com. Beatdown hardcore bands, presented by Cabin Fever Cardiff Folk Club Dempseys, Cardiff. 7.30pm.

Info 029 2023 9253.

Ghosts As Alibis + Your Protected + Cancel The Transmission The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5.

Info info@thefullmooncardiff.com.

Gwair The Open Hearth, Sebastopol, Pontypool.

7.30pm. Info 01495 763752.

This month’s edition of the Open Hearth Acoustic night, on the second Thursday of every month.

Jimjam Open Mic Session The Claude Hotel, Albany Road, Cardiff. 9pm, free.

Info 07557 505123. Every Thursday. This week’s guest band is the Kenny Driscoll Band.

RICK WAKEMAN Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare, Sun 28 Feb Tickets: £24.50. Info: 08000 147111 / coliseum.rct-arts.org The habit of calling someone a “national treasure” might be a little played out nowadays, but many people still appear willing to apply this sobriquet to prog rock absurdist turned endearingly crabby anecdote machine, Rick Wakeman. If the Google stats are accurate, at least. First achieving fame in the early 70s as keyboard player with Yes, and arguably the driver of their most self-parodically self-indulgent moments, Wakeman went on to create lavish solo prog rock operas, as well as being a hired hand for some of the 70s’ most noteworthy pop stars. Latterly, he’s reinvented himself as an avuncular reconteur thanks to Grumpy Old Men and other TV shows; tonight, then, will be partly song-based, part stories from nearly 50 years in the music biz.

Leon Hunt & Jason Titley Angel Hotel, Llandeilo. Info info@llandeiloacoustic.com.

Mass Collective Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Open Mic Night Cellar Bar, Cardigan. Free. Info 07818 056599.

Open Mic Night Lyceum Tavern, Newport. 8.30pm.

Info 01633 858636.

Sum 41 + Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes + Roam Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £18.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458.

These bands are on the Kerrang! Tour 2016, and this date is sold out.

The Front Bottoms + Kevin Devine & The Goddamn Band The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12.50 adv.

Info 07590 471888. Not only is it an affront to decency that this venue is hosting bands named in such vulgar and blasphemous fashion, the pop-punk loving godless slurry children of the region have bought every single ticket in advance.

Toyface Gwdihw, Cardiff.

8pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 029 2039 7933.

FRIDAY 12

Agrona + Bangover + Scryre + Dread Bolt The

Duke, Neath. 8pm, free. Info 01639 643892. Metal.

Antwerp 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 10pm, £3. Info 029 2022 8883. Solo electronic music from a man who doesn’t come from Antwerp.

Back To Bacharach Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £20/£18.50. Info 01792 475715. An orchestra perform Burt’s classics in aid of Breast Cancer Now. Beethoven: Evening Concert 2 Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 029 2039 1391.

Beethoven: Lunchtime Concert 3 Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15pm, £8/£6 adv.

Info 029 2039 1391. Featuring the Gould Piano Trio.

Deadbeat Deluxe The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com.

Fisherman’s Friends St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £21.50. Info 029 2087 8444. An old bloke on the bus talked to me about Fisherman’s Friends the other day. The cough lozenges that is, not the Cornish vocal group of the same name. *From Now On Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

6pm, £20 per day/£45 for three days. Info 029 2030 4400. Third year for this commendable festival of leftfield music and art. Today features Julia Holter, Meilyr Jones, Laura J Martin, Accu and Arc Vertiac. (Until Sun 14) Gabrielle Aplin + Lewis Watson Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union.

7.30pm, £16.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. See Music.

Heather Small Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 7.30pm, £25-£27.50. Info 01656 815995. One-time M Person performs hits and solo stuff.

Jakey Boy Hughes + Tim Welsh + Alex Valentine The Globe At Hay, Hay-OnWye. 8pm, £5 adv. Info 01497 821762.

Junior Hacksaw Café Jazz, Cardiff. 9pm, £4. Info 029 2038 7026. Blues.

Lunchtime Concert National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff. 1pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951. With students from the Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama.

Palenco + Omaloma + Cadno Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. *Snuff The Globe, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07590 471888. Comedy punk rock

MAY: BRYAN ADAMS (Motorpoint Arena, Sun 1) DJ YODA (The Globe, Fri 6) BILLY OCEAN (Tramshed, Wed 11) JOSH GROBAN (Motorpoint Arena, Tue 17) QUANTIC (Clwb Ifor Bach, Tue 17) 9BACH (The Globe, Sat 21) HOT 8 BRASS BAND (Sin City, Swansea, Wed 25) ALEXANDER O'NEAL (Tramshed, Fri 27) PUBLIC IMAGE LTD (Tramshed, Sun 29) SHELLAC (Tramshed, Mon 30) BUZZ 71

live music chaps. They are 30 years old (as a band) this year and their second album is 20 years old.

Spring King The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £7 adv. Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com. Sound Nation present a mildly hyped new indie band, as is their wont.

Tempers Fray + Full Strength + Gaia Bleeds Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 7pm. Info mail@givemefuel.co.uk. Tuff stuff hardcore. Headliners are on the Rucktion label.

The Domino Collective + The Appletree Theory Warehouse54, Newport. 8pm.

Info 01633 259144. TDC are in the main room, TAT on the roof terrace.

The Jazz Boys Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

The Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7.30pm, £22.50. Info 01686 614555.

The Valentine’s Thank You Gig 4 The Garage, Swansea. 8pm, £12.50 adv.

Info 01792 475147. Featuring sets from The Squirts, Brian Breeze Bands, Plastic Sam’s Stargazer, Rookery Lane and The Ukoholix.

The Vim Dicta + Toad Stool The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £2. Info gigs@ thedragonffli.com.

Tom Roynon-Blake Le Pub, Newport. 7pm, £2. Info 01633 221477.

Valentine’s Evening Hamptons, Penarth. 7.30pm, £39. Info 029 2070 5391. Five courses, one singer, he being Aubrey Parsons.

SATURDAY 13

69 Love Songs, Or An Absolutely Cuckoo Valentine’s Day, Or Let’s Pretend We’re Stephen Merritt Gwdihw, Cardiff.

6pm, £3. Info 029 2039 7933.

Local musicians cover songs from this infamous romancethemed indie opus. Nat The Hammer, Francesca’s Word Salad, Shiny Tiger and Ed Stockham are confirmed so far.

A Foreigner’s Journey Ebbw Vale Institute. 7pm, £10 adv. Info 01495 708022. Don’t you just hate it when you’re trying to listen to some cutting edge electroacoustic minimal composition in your earphones but it’s drowned out by Don’t Stop Believin’ playing on the radio? I do.

Beethoven: Coffee Concert 1 Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

11am, £10/£8. Info 029 2039 1391.

Beethoven: Evening Concert 3 Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 8pm, £12/£10. Info 029 2039 1391. Featuring the Gould Piano Trio with David Adams on viola.

Beethoven: Song Recital Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15pm, free. Info 029 2039 1391.

Beethoven: Student Showcase Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 3pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2039 1391.

Ben Huws Pontyclun RFC. 7pm, free. Info 01443 222240.

Ben Huws Duo Peppermint, Cardiff. 1-4.30pm, free. Info 029 2039 9199. In addition to BUZZ 72

Ben’s gig above, his duo will be playing three 45-minute sets on the bounce, just like The Beatles did. Probably won’t have to knock back as many horny sailors afterwards though.

Bowie: A Celebration The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5 adv. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

Arranged in doublequick time after Dave’s passing in January, this also sold out in a few days but a month is a long time in the field of public mourning, so maybe there’ll be some returns.

The Maddie Jones Band, Instructions + Diamond Dags, Hipicat, Ohhimark, Dead In The Water, Francesca’s Word Salad, Dave Morris and Ossia will all be playing, and raising £££ for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Buzzcocks Tramshed, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £18 adv. Info 0117 9259273. Manc punk icons celebrate 40 years not out. See Upfront.

Chris Summerill Kiwis, Cardiff. 10pm, free. Info 029 2039 8965.

Dr Feelgood Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £13-£17.

Info 01792 475715.

Feelgood Experiment Gwdihw, Cardiff. 9pm, £4.

Info 029 2039 7933. Playing as part of the (last ever!) Fat City night. No relation to Dr Feelgood (see above). *From Now On Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

6pm, £20 per day/£45 for three days. Info 029 2030 4400. Today features Stealing Sheep, Bas Jan, Laura Cannell, Mark Lyken, Happy Meals, Apostille, Anna Homler & Steven Warwick: Breadwoman, Arc Vertiac, Giant Swan and CAM Sinema. (Until Sun 14) Joe Zeitlin & Ljubicka Stojanovic Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £1-£14.

Info 01239 621200. Cello/ piano duo.

Mike Dennis The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com.

Sons Of Liberty The Patriot, Crumlin. 9.30pm, free. Info 01495 247178. Southern rock band.

Stiff Bizkit Hobo’s, Bridgend. 7pm, £6 adv. Info www. hobosmusicvenue.com. Limp Bizkit tribute band. Let’s see all you irony boys put your money where your mouth is and show up at this!

Sunjay West End Club, Barry. 7.30pm, £8. Info 07561 143114. Blues/folk guitarist.

Tenplusone + Wilson The Dragonffli, Pontypool. 7pm, £2. Info gigs@thedragonffli. com.

The Blues Others The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07590 471888. Blues Brothers tribute band.

The MLC + Terrorbite + Trigger Mcpoopshute + Grim Citizens Crowleys Rock Bar, Swansea. 8pm, free. Info 07981 684142. An “anti-Valentine’s” night of punk bands with “no soppy shit”.

The Special Brew + Butterfly Collective Ex Servicemens Club, Taffs Well, nr Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6.

Info 029 2025 0731. Local

Bad Manners/2-Tone tribute band headline. Also featuring DJ Paul Ska Bridges (Barry Scooter Club).

The Trio Porter’s, Cardiff.

8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

The Upbeat Beatles Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

8pm, £20/£18. Info 01970 623232. Tribute band.

SUNDAY 14

Anda Union Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £15/£13. Info 01792 602060.

Mongolian folk ensemble. In Cardigan tomorrow.

Aubrey Parsons The Pontygwindy, Caerphilly. 3pm, free. Info 029 2088 4321.

Valentine’s special.

BBC NOW: Romeo & Juliet St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

3pm, £5-£35. Info 029 2087 8444. Thomas Søndergård conducts a programme of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Prokofiev. See Upfront.

Beethoven: Coffee Concert 2 Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

11am, £10/£8. Info 029 2039 1391. With the Gould Piano Trio.

Beethoven: Festival Finale Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 6pm, £12/£10. Info 029 2039 1391.

That’s all the Beethoven in this series guys. But I’ve got a sneaky feeling he’s going to appear in these listings again!

Beethoven: Folksong Arrangements Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2039 1391.

Beethoven In The Foyer Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 2.30pm, free. Info 029 2039 1391.

Bowling For Soup + The Dollyrots + Lacey + MC Lars Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union.

7pm, £20 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. I thought BFS did their last tour ever a year or two ago?

Folk Music & Song Session Arvon Ale House, Llandrindod Wells. 4pm.

Info 07477 627267. Also on Sun 28.

From Now On Festival Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

6pm, £20 per day/£45 for three days. Info 029 2030 4400. Today features H. Hawkline Gwaed Ar Y Sêr, L’Ocelle Mare, Threatmantics, Sweet Baboo: Synthfonia Cymru, Sleeper Society, Tim Parkinson: Time With People and Club Foot Foot. (Finishes today) Hot Club Swing Café Jazz, Cardiff. 7.45pm, £5/£3 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026. Gypsy jazz.

Locus Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 6pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

The Rotunda Trio 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883. Playing as part of the Valentine’s Day evening here, so while you probably could go along on your own and stand watching the band really intently, you might stand out a little.

MONDAY 15

Anda Union Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £3-£15.

Info 01239 621200.

Atrium Live Music Night

Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Blues And Jazz Club February Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 8pm, £8. Info 0845 2263510. Monthly night.

Live Jazz Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 447360.

Live Original Music Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Monday Club 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883.

Rumours Of Fleetwood Mac St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £32.50/£22.50. Info 029 2087 8444.

The Black Tambourines + Totem Terrors + Pipedream The Moon Club, Cardiff. 8pm, £5. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

Headliners are Cornish garage types whose name is nicked from an old American indie band, but pluralised.

Ukulele Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff.

8.30pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

Xivus + Bandicoot + Static Fires The Lemon Factory, Swansea. 7pm. Info 07969 671379.

TUESDAY 16

Community Samba Band – Practise Dates Westenders Hall, Llanfaes, Brecon.

6-8pm, £4/£2 under-16s. Info sambabrecon@yahoo.co.uk.

Fatherson The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £7 adv. Info 07590 471888. Some sort of young new indie band whose appearance in their promo shot is not meshing very well with the hardboiled American Oi! music I’m listening to while typing this listing.

Gun Outfit + Eugene Capper & Rhodri Brooks Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £7 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Headliners are from the States and come from the punk/hardcore side of the tracks, but are more kinda alt-country-sounding of late. It happens to all of us in the end.

Gwd Jams Gwdihw, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £3/free for performers. Info 029 2039 7933.

Monthly open jam session.

John Lloyd Trio Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

New Orleans Hot Potatoe Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4.50/£4/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

Star Turbine Arcadecardiff, Cardiff. 6-8pm, free. Info www. arcadecardiff.co.uk. Part of the Ian Watson exhibition (see the Art listings for more on that), this is the first of three live experimental/ electronic performances this month with invited musicians. Star Turbine are a Danish/Norwegian duo.

Xenia Pestova/Carla Rees/Heather Roche Cardiff University Concert Hall. 7-8.45pm, £8/£6/ free NUS. Info 029 2087 4816. Contemporary Voices concert.

WEDNESDAY 17

Aubrey Parsons The Star Inn, Treoes. 8pm, free. Info 01656 658458.

C Duncan + Tom Low Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm,

£7 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Singer-songwriter signed to the FatCat label headlines.

Chorusgirl + Nervous Twitch + Tigercats Gwdihw, Cardiff. 8pm, £4/£3.

Info 029 2039 7933. All My Friends with a night of fuzzy indiepop. Two of these bands are on the Fortuna Pop label.

Graham Bonnet + Evyltyde Sin City, Swansea.

7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 01792 468892. Him out of Rainbow and other hard rock heroes.

Hue & Cry The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £17.50 adv.

Info 07590 471888. Acoustic set.

Jeff Hooper And The Capital City Jazz Orchestra Whiteheads Sports & Social Club, Bassaleg, Newport. 8pm, £8.

Info malc@dancebands.plus. com. South Wales Big Band Society gig.

Let Spin Dempseys, Cardiff.

8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253. #Notjustjazz Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Open Jam Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff.

8pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

Open Mic Market Street Club, Barry. 8pm. Info 01446 733863.

Si Barron Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club.

7.30pm. Info 01443 226892. A Llantrisant Folk Club showcase night.

Vincent Herring / Eric Alexander Quintet Jazzland, Swansea. 8.3011pm, £14. Info 07802 912789.

THURSDAY 18

Aghast + A Vulgar Picture + Extinction + Failed State The Lemon Factory, Swansea. 7pm, £5. Info 07969 671379.

An Elegy + Guardian The Bunker, Cardiff. 7pm, £4. Info james@thebunkercardiff. com.

Black Peaks + The Physics House Band Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Choral Thursdays Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 6.30pm, free.

Info 029 2039 1391.

Coltrane Dedication Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £6/£5.

Info 029 2038 7026.

Côr Pawb Follies Theatre, Folly Farm, Narberth. 7.15pm, £3-£8. Info 01834 869323.

Opening event of the 2016 A Capella Voice Festival, which is mostly at Narberth Queens Hall. This features a west Walian 150-strong choir.

Fun Lovin’ Criminals Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union. 7.30pm, £23.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. The intention is to play their 1996 debut album in its entirety. Looks like you’re going to have to buy it back from the PDSA shop you gave it to if you want to swot up.

Gavin Davenport & Tom Kitching Lyceum Tavern, Newport. 8pm. Info 01633 858636. A Lyceum Folk Club night.

James Noble & Simon Callaghan Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £3-£12. Info 01970 623232. Music Club recital.

Jimjam Open Mic Session

The Claude Hotel, Albany Road, Cardiff. 9pm, free.

Info 07557 505123. Every Thursday. This week’s guest band is the Tony Breen Band.

Ofelia 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £4. Info 029 2022 8883. Single launch gig.

Open Mic Night Cellar Bar, Cardigan. Free. Info 07818 056599.

The Blues Band Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 8pm, £20/£18. Info 01874 611622.

The Crookes + Misty Miller The Globe, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £8 adv. Info 07590 471888.

The Horsenecks Burnett’s Hill Chapel, Martletwy, Pembrokeshire. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 01646 651725.

Old timey music duo from Portland.

The Sixth Element iQ The Dingle Hotel, Narberth. 8pm, £8/£7. Info 01834 869323. A Spanjazz night for a banmd featuring London jazz trumpeter Kevin Davy.

FRIDAY 19

Acoustic Strawbs Pontardawe Arts Centre.

7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 01792 863722.

Angelic Upstarts + The Oppressed Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Punk veterans from the north-east. The Murder Of Liddle Towers by them is a banger.

Anita Wardell & Trio Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12.

Info 029 2039 1391. Jazz vocalist. And trio.

Aubrey Parsons St David’s Hotel, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2045 4045.

BBC NOW: Beethoven’s Triple Concerto Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. 7.30pm, £12.50-£18. Info 01792 475715. Eivind Gullberg Jensen conducts a programme of Beethoven plus Wagner, Weber and Schubert.

Bella Collins & The Blue Café Jazz, Cardiff. 9pm, £4.

Info 029 2038 7026. Blues.

Big Joe Bone The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com.

City & Colour Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £25 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. Alexisonfire’s Dallas Green’s solo guise, the name of which I was very slow in realising was a pun.

I’m not embarrassed because I don’t really care about him, but lots of other people do and so this gig is sold out.

Faderhead + Dreams Divide + Dimethoxy Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15/£11 adv. Info mail@givemefuel. co.uk. Off-World present a bill of gothic/industrial/EBM kinda fare, with the headliner coming from Hamburg and pretty popular in ‘the scene’.

Gigspanner Whitehall Parade, Rumney, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07528 968016. A Rumney Folk Club gig.

Greg Rowlands + The Rumblestrutters The Ivy Bush, Pontardawe. 8pm. Info huwpudner@ntlworld.com.

Valley Folk Club night.

Harri Davies 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 9pm, £3. Info 029 2022 8883.

In Requiem Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 7pm, £4. Info

live music 01443 491424.

Jamee Summers Warehouse54, Newport. 8pm.

Info 01633 259144. Playing on the roof terrace.

Masts + Deadlines + Esuna Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. LP launch gig for Masts. Not been sent a copy at the time of writing.

Never Hill + Nineteen Fifty-Eight + Junior + Fire Fences + Seven Stories High Hobo’s, Bridgend. 7pm, £5/£4 adv.

Info www. hobosmusicvenue.com.

Rumours Of Fleetwood Mac Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £23.50. Info 01970 623232. Tribute band.

Seckou Keita Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 7.30pm, £13£15. Info 01646 695267.

Sicknote Steve The Met, Abertillery. 8pm, £5. Info 01495 355800. Blues.

South African Zulu Male Choi +, Camilo Menjura + Côr Y Gors Queens Hall, Narberth. 7.30pm, £8-£18.

Info 01834 869323. A Capella Voice Festival event.

Speak Brother The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £5 adv. Info 01497 821762.

A band with both harmonies and a rustic, folky sound.

The guy who I assume is the singer, as he’s closer to the camera than the other two members in the press photo, is wearing a smoking jacket/ beanie hat combo. Not keen.

The Happenings Kiwis, Cardiff. 10pm, free. Info 029 2039 8965.

The Imposters The Patriot, Crumlin. 9.30pm, free. Info 01495 247178.

Therapy? + The Membranes The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £17.50 adv.

Info 07590 471888. Ulster altmetal veterans shine a light on their divisive Infernal Love album, where they got the string section in, wore shiny suits and necked too many drugs. Blackpool rabblerousers The Membranes support.

Wille & The Bandits + Featherjaw The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com.

SATURDAY 20

19th Annual Rorke’s Drift Concert Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7.30pm, £9.50/£8.50.

Info 01874 611622. You’ve heard of measuring out your life in coffee spoons, well I measure out my life in occasions I’ve typed out the listing for this yearly event.

Andy Lewis Band Kiwis, Cardiff. 10pm, free. Info 029 2039 8965.

Big Mac’s Wholly Soul Band Memorial Hall, Newbridge. 7.30pm, £12. Info 01495 243252.

Big Sing! Queens Hall, Narberth. 3.30-4.30pm, free.

Info 01834 869323. A Capella Voice Festival event.

Brass Bands Championship Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. £7/£6.

Info 01656 815995.

Dr Syntax + Pete Cannon The Moon Club, Cardiff. 9pm, £6.50 adv. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

Playing the Hold Up hip-hop night.

Form Constants & Ian

Watson Arcadecardiff, Cardiff. 2-3pm, free. Info www. arcadecardiff.co.uk. An analogue synth and live visuals teamup.

Gareth Evans & Bella Collins The Hollybush, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2025 5042.

Girl Band Porter’s, Cardiff.

8pm. Info info@porterscardiff.com.

Green Haze Hobo’s, Bridgend. 7.30pm, free. Info www. hobosmusicvenue.com. Green Day tribute band, Jack Green 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 6pm. Info 029 2022 8883.

Jess Vincent & MG Boulter + Blind River Scare Barnabas Arts House, Newport. 7.30pm, £6. Info 01633 673739. A Down By The River night of country, folk etc.

Keith Leech with Climax Ceilidh Band CMC Sports and Social Club, University Hospital Of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8.

Info 029 2039 4207. A RUFF Ceilidh night, also featuring an interval spot from Cobblers Awl. Legend: A Tribute To The Music Of Bob Marley Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 8pm, £16/£15. Info 0845 2263510.

Apparently this is some kind of tribute to the music of Bob Marley.

Limehouse Lizzy The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Seckou Keita Pontardawe Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £12 adv. Info 01792 863722.

Renowned kora player.

Money Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Big concept UK indie band whose new album is reviewed in this issue. *Right Hand Left Hand Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

8pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2023 2199. Album launch gig for this tricksy, loop pedal-liking rock duo.

Rusty Shackle Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £10 adv. Info 029 2089 0862.

The Boom Sons + Beyond The Break + Static Fires + House Of Hosts + Beautiful Strangers The Scene Club, Swansea. 7pm, £4/£3 adv. Info 07730 432166.

The Farm The Tabernacle, Talgarth. 7.30pm, £3 adv. Info info@thetabernacle.co.uk. A Creation Acoustic Sessions night in Alan McGee’s odd little venue. He seems adept at getting yesteryear’s indie bands down to play unplugged sets – although rarely ones that were on his record label, for some reason.

The Hell + Constructor + Defeatist Sin City, Swansea.

7.30pm, £7 adv. Info 01792 468892. Many-membered metalcore type band from the UK. The Jam Movement The Dragonffli, Pontypool.

8.30pm, £6/£5 adv. Info gigs@ thedragonffli.com.

Theo Bard Snails Deli, Rhiwbina, Cardiff. 7pm, £18 inc buffet. Info 029 2062 0415. A “reggae-infused pop philosopher,” according to the poster.

The Sons Of Pitches +

Ffynnon + Côr Pawb Bach Queens Hall, Narberth.

7.30pm, £8-£18. Info 01834 869323. A Capella Voice Festival event.

The Upbeat Beatles Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale.

8pm, £12. Info 01495 355800.

Tim Cronin The Admiral Napier, Canton, Cardiff.

8.30pm, free. Info 029 2030 3945.

Toyface The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info info@thefullmooncardiff. com.

Wizards Of Oz The Dolls House, Abertillery. 8pm.

Info 01495 213300. Ozzy Osbourne tribute.

Whitehall Parade + Big Joe Bone + Luke Bennett NosDa, Cardiff. 7pm. Info 029 2037 8866. Post-Six Nations gig.

SUNDAY 21

Builth YFC Annual Concert Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells. 2 + 7pm, £8/£5. Info 01982 552555.

Chapter Four Jazz Quartet Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

9pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400. Jazz in the bar.

Chasing Cadence + Fake The Attack The Scene Club, Swansea. 7pm, £5 adv. Info 07730 432166.

Côrdydd St Andrews Church, Narberth. 1.302.30pm, £5-£12. Info 01834 869323. A Capella Voice Festival event.

Creeper + Grader Le Pub, Newport. 7pm, £6 adv. Info 01633 221477. Presented by the normally Cardiff-based Millionaires.

Lost In Despair + Illicit + Hiraeth The Lemon Factory, Swansea. 7pm, £5 adv. Info 07969 671379. Danish metalcore band headline.

Sophisticated Ladies Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £16/£15.

Info 01792 602060. Jazz vocal duo comprising Lee Gibson and Tina May. Sundae Sessions Gwdihw, Cardiff. 4pm, free. Info 029 2039 7933.

The Bowie Experience The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 07590 471888. I know what you’re thinking: David Bowie tribute acts must be patting their back pockets like Asda mums right now, yeah? Well I’ll stop you there, because this show is a fundraiser for Cancer Research UK. So shut it.

MONDAY 22

Atrium Live Music Night Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Gwd Mondays Open Mic Gwdihw, Cardiff. 7.30pm, free. Info 029 2039 7933.

Juan Galiardo Jazz Trio Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 1pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

First of four SW dates for Juan, a jazz pianist, in the next two days (plus another on Sat 27).

Juan Galiardo & AshleyJohn Long Sugo Restaurant, Penarth. 6.30pm. Info 029 2070 9955.

Live Jazz Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 447360.

Live Original Music Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Locus Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 6pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

Mary Rees Chopin Prize Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.15pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2039 1391.

Monday Club 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883.

The Joy Formidable Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Ukulele Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff.

8.30pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

TUESDAY 23

Arno Bornkamp & Catherine Milledge Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2039 1391.

Sax and piano jazz duo.

Community Samba Band – Practise Dates Westenders Hall, Llanfaes, Brecon.

6-8pm, £4/£2 under-16s. Info sambabrecon@yahoo.co.uk.

Django Dragons Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £4.50/£4/£2 NUS. Info 029 2038 7026.

Emily Francis Trio Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

Enter Shikari + The Wonder Years + The King Blues Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 7pm, £23.50. Info 029 2022 4488.

Jazz Jam Session Jazzland, Swansea. 8.30-11pm, free.

Info 07802 912789.

Juan Galiardo Trio Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 8pm, £7. Info 01874 611622.

Brecon Jazz Club night.

Pick N’ Mix Open Mic Gwdihw, Cardiff. 8pm, £3.

Info 029 2039 7933.

Rob Dunsford & Neve Spencer Moller Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 7.30pm, £2.50. Info 01686 614555.

Country/folk duo.

Subhumans + Reality Attack + Poetic Justice + Buff The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7pm, £10/£7.50 before 8.30. Info info@thefullmooncardiff.com. A-list anarcho punks headline. I really should see them one of these days, maybe this will be the one.

The Elwins + HMS Morris + The Cradles Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

Presented by Jealous Lovers Club.

The Mozart Effect St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 11am + 1.30pm, £5. Info 029 2087 8444. An entertaining introduction to the music of Mozart for pupils at keystage 2.

WEDNESDAY 24

A Viennese Strauss Gala Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £17/£16. Info 01873 850805. With the European Orchestral Ensemble.

Aubrey Parsons The Ivor, Pontyclun. 8pm, free. Info 01443 222287.

Blues Night Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 7pm. Info 01443 491424.

Boy & Bear The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £13.50 adv.

Info 07590 471888.

Brahams: Songs & Intermezzi Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15pm, £8/£6. Info

029 2039 1391.

Composer Portrait: Huw Watkins Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £10. Info 029 2063 6464.

Juan Galiardo Quartet Jazzland, Swansea. 8.3011pm, £10. Info 07802 912789.

Maria Luisa Rayan Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 029 2039 1391.

Internationally renowned

Info 07557 505123. Every Thursday. This week’s guest band is Roosevelt.

Juan Galliardo Trio Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm, £6/£5.

Info 029 2038 7026.

Martin Bennett’s Old Green River Band Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 8pm, £9 adv. Info 01656 815995. Jazz Club night.

Open Mic Night Cellar Bar, Cardigan. Free. Info 07818 056599.

From Wed 10-Sat 13, one Ludwig van Beethoven is given high priority at Cardiff's Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, via a programme of concerts, recitals and lectures dedicated to exploring the German composer's vast legacy. harpist.

Marion’s Singalong Congress Theatre, Cwmbran.

1-3pm, £6. Info 01633 868239. Songs from the shows and musical hall. #Notjustjazz Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Open Jam Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff.

8pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

Open Mic Market Street Club, Barry. 8pm. Info 01446 733863.

Otava Yo Pontardawe Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £9/£7. Info 01792 863722. Russian folkies.

Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama Students Dempseys, Cardiff. 8pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2023 9253.

Songs For The Way Home Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01970 623232. Female trio with a suite of songs inspired by interviews with east London residents.

Telegram + Warm Brains Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £8 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

THURSDAY 25

Composition: Wales Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 10am-1pm + 2-5pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

Open workshop events where composers worthy of wider exposure have the opportunity to hear their works performed by BBC NOW. Also on Sat 27 and Sun 28; all these events are free but book in advance please.

Dreadzone + Solar Wolf The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Or, to give this veteran UK dub-rock outfit their full name, Dreadful Zone.

Ensemble Cymru Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £14/£12. Info 029 2039 1391.

Works by Frank Bridge, Brahms, Mozart and Jean Françaix.

Jimjam Open Mic Session The Claude Hotel, Albany Road, Cardiff. 9pm, free.

Quicksilver Newport Fugitives Athletic Club, Rogerstone, Newport.

8.45pm. Info 01633 897923. A Newport Folk Club night.

Tibet + Palm Honey + Fivebyfive Gwdihw, Cardiff.

8pm, £4/£3. Info 029 2039 7933.

FRIDAY 26

1000 Voices – The Music Of The Movies Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 7pm, £12.50.

Info 029 2022 4488. Choral performance with, ya got it toots, a thousand people.

Aubrey Parsons St David’s Hotel, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2045 4045.

A Viennese Strauss Gala Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

7.30pm, £18.50/£17.50. Info 01874 611622.

Belial + Zephyr The Scene Club, Swansea. 7pm. Info 07730 432166.

Budapest Cafe Orchestra Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £15/£13. Info 01873 850805.

Fell Out Boy The Bunker, Cardiff. 8pm, £6 adv. Info james@thebunkercardiff. com. Fall Out Boy tribute band. In Bridgend tomorrow.

Icaris Duo Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £6/£4. Info 029 2087 7959. Flute and guitar duo.

In Requiem + The Boom Sons Hobo’s, Bridgend. 7pm.

Info www.hobosmusicvenue. com.

James Kennedy Pontyclun RFC. 6.30pm, free. Info 01443 222240.

Leighton & Kate Peppermint, Cardiff.

1-4.30pm, free. Info 029 2039 9199.

Macka B + Sun I Tafari The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12 adv. Info 07590 471888.

Reggae geezer.

Organ Recital National Museum & Gallery, Cardiff.

1pm, free. Info 029 2039 7951.

The Boot Hill Allstars The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free.

Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

The Mairee Express BUZZ 73

stage + Taffy Was A Thief Warehouse54, Newport. 8pm.

Info 01633 259144. TME are in the main room, TWAT (ho ho) on the roof terrace.

Will Varley Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8 adv. Info 029 2023 2199.

SATURDAY 27

THE GLEE CLUB

The comedy world is made up of many components that come together each week to create one of the best forms of entertainment around. The men and women who once worked nine to five wave goodbye to the daylight and say hello to the spotlight as they become part of the circuit.

Sausage rolls, traffic alerts and the M4; there's more to comedy than the glamour of applause breaks and encores.

Each week hundreds of these comedians set out across the country to stand on stages and make audiences laugh, a group of comedians who make up what we call 'the circuit', a collection of the hardest working funny people around today. You may not have heard of a lot of them but they are possibly the most original and funniest collection of comics in the world. From places as far as Australia to Penarth, they live for one thing, to make you laugh. Before the thirty date sold out tour shows and champagne baths (I can only imagine) comes day after day of writing, performing and perfecting material to comedy club standard.

Comedy clubs such as the Glee host four different comedians from the circuit each weekend offering a different show each night from these unsung heroes of the comedy world. The combination of the comedians, the audience and even the room demonstrates that live entertainment is by far the best around; I think Woody Allen said it best…“Life doesn’t imitate art, it imitates bad television”.

Every comedian you will have heard of from Rhod Gilbert to Michael McIntyre started out as part of the circuit and it's good to know that even the heady heights of TV and Arena fame doesn't put them off coming back to where it all began. Throughout the year the Glee welcomes back ‘special mystery guests’ to try out and hone new material to the standard you see in the Arenas and on TV. As the stars of tomorrow traverse the motorways and Wild Bean Cafes of the UK, the Glee sets up its room for another night of the best entertainment around.

Info: www.glee.co.uk/cardiff-comedy

BUZZ 74

2Rude The Globe, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £8 adv. Info 07590 471888.

A Night Of ELO St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £20.

Info 029 2087 8444. Tribute band.

Composition: Wales Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2-5 + 6-9pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

Côr Godre’r Aran Rhos Y Gilwen, Pembrokeshire.

8-10.15pm, £12. Info 01239 841387.

Desecration + Venom Prison + Sodomized Cadaver + Agrona + Vile Inscription Fuel Bar, Cardiff. 7pm, £6. Info mail@ givemefuel.co.uk.

Fauré Requiem – The University Singers Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

8pm, £2-£12. Info 01970 623232.

Fell Out Boy Hobo’s, Bridgend. 7.30-10.30pm. Info www.hobosmusicvenue.com.

Florence Black The Patriot, Crumlin. 7pm, free. Info 01495 247178.

GaGa Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 8pm, £16. Info 01686 614555.

Johnny2bad Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 8pm, £14.

Info 01633 868239. UB40 tribute band.

Juan Galiardo & Friends Jazz Trio Acapela, Pentyrch, Cardiff. 8pm, £10/£5 kids.

Info 029 2089 0862.

Jump Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £10. Info 029 2087 7959. Full band show from popular folkies.

Kill 66 The Dolls House, Abertillery. 8pm. Info 01495 213300.

Leveret Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £3-£14.

Info 01239 621200. UK folk trio.

London Calling Ebbw Vale Institute. 7pm. Info 01495 708022. Clash tribute band.

Mama Cabasa 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 10pm, £3. Info 029 2022 8883.

Maniac Street Preachers + Stereophonish Ex Servicemens Club, Taffs Well, nr Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5 adv.

Info 029 2025 0731. A brace of Welsh tribute bands.

O Duo Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

1.15pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2039 1391. Percussion duo inspired by Reich and Glass.

Sounds neat.

Propella Kiwis, Cardiff.

10pm, free. Info 029 2039 8965.

Rocket Joe Joe & The Old Time Bangers Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

St David’s Celebration Concert Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli.

7pm, £16/£13.50. Info 0845 2263510. Featuring Llanelli Male Choir, Dunvant Male Choir, Côr Ysgol Iau Llangennech, Eirlys Myfanwy Davies, Jordan Williams and host Garry Owen. *Stuart Chalmers + Seth

Cooke Arcadecardiff, Cardiff.

2-4pm, free. Info www. arcadecardiff.co.uk. The last of three live performances in this gallery space, as part of Ian Watson’s exhibition here, features sets from two UK experimental artists.

Subset Undertone, Cardiff.

7.30-9pm. Info 029 2022 8883.

The Rockin Sinners The Full Moon, Cardiff. 8pm, free.

Info info@thefullmooncardiff.com.

The Sensational 60s Experience Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £25/£23.

Info 01792 475715.

Turin Brakes + Tom Speight Pontardawe Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £22 adv. Info 01792 863722. See Music.

We’re No Heroes The Moon Club, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5 adv.

Info info@thefullmooncardiff.com. *Yorkston Thorne Khan + Laura Moody + Jim Ghedi & Toby Hay St John’s Church, Canton, Cardiff.

7pm, £13 adv. Info 029 2056 2022. Sound Nation present a cool lineup of experimental folk featuring a Scottish folkie, someone from the band Lamb and an Indian saranghi player.

SUNDAY 28

An Evening With Rick Wakeman Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 7.30pm, £24.50.

Info 0800 0147111.

Astroid Boys Hobo’s, Bridgend. 8pm, £8/£6 adv.

Info www.hobosmusicvenue. com.

Composition: Wales Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2-5 + 6-9pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

Composition: Wales Culmination Concert Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

Folk Music & Song Session Arvon Ale House, Llandrindod Wells. 4pm. Info 07477 627267.

J Liu Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

2pm, £14-£18. Info 029 2039 1391. Chinese classical pianist.

Keith James Cellar Bar, Cardigan. Free. Info 07818 056599. Performing his Cat Stevens covers set.

Lauren Brown Undertone, Cardiff. 7.39pm. Info 029 2022 8883.

Locus Foyer, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 6pm, free. Info 029 2063 6464.

Richard Hawley Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £25 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. See Music.

Stiff Little Fingers Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union. 7pm, £18.50 adv. Info 029 2078 1458. Veteran Ulster punks, play here every other year or so.

The Scrotes + Bandicoot + Apathy + Mig’s Buff The Lemon Factory, Swansea. 7pm, £3 adv. Info 07969 671379. An EP launch gig for the lamentably-named headiners.

The Wave Pictures + Featherjaw + My Name Is Ian The Moon Club, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £8 adv. Info info@ thefullmooncardiff.com.

MONDAY 29

Atrium Live Music Night Café Jazz, Cardiff. 8pm. Info 029 2038 7026.

Live Jazz Noah’s Yard, Swansea. 8pm. Info 01792 447360.

Live Original Music Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com.

Monday Club 10 Feet Tall, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2022 8883.

Ukulele Session The Andrew Buchan, Cardiff.

8.30pm, free. Info 029 2021 2509.

stage MONDAY 1

Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464. An all-female production of this Shakespeare play, presented here by Omidaze. (Until Sat 20) Peter Pan St Donats Arts Centre, Vale Of Glamorgan.

7pm, £8/£6. Info 01446 799100. Presented by Stage Door One Youth Theatre.

Tony Law Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 7 + 9pm, £12/£10. Info 029 2030 4400.

Standup, presented by Show & Tell and Little Wander.

TUESDAY 2

Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £45. Info 029 2063 6464. Held in the Preseli Room, this is based on the popular BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers and the price includes a canape reception and three-course meal. On tomorrow also.

Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 20) Mark Thomas Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. 8pm, £18. Info 029 2064 6900.

Performing his latest show, Trespass, about creating “mischief and random chance” in the urban world.

Madness In Valencia Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2039 1391.

A new version of Lope de Vega’s classic play by David Johnston. (Until Sat 6) Mojo Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

7pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2039 1391. Jez Butterworth’s play about gangland nightclub rivalries in Soho. (Until Sat 6) Narrative Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.15pm, £6-£12.

Info 029 2039 1391. A new play from Anthony Neilson, RWCMD alumnus and respected playwright. (Until Sat 6) Oliver! Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 7pm, £8/£6. Info 0800 0147111. Musical, and the debut production from Aberdare Community School.

(Until Thurs 4) Play | Silence The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. A double bill

of short plays by Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter.

(Until Sat 6) Rehearsal For Murder New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £11-£28. Info 029 2087 8889.

The Agatha Christie Theatre Company with a stage adaption of an infamous murder thriller. (Until Sat 6) The Forbidden Door Dolman Theatre, Newport.

2pm, £7. Info 01633 263670.

Storytelling from the T42 team.

WEDNESDAY 3

Dynamo Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 8pm, £38-£45. Info 029 2022 4488. But there was another man who performed incredible feats of magic, and he certainly would have been able to book more than six dates in the Motorpoint Arena, if it had been around at the time. (Until Sun 7) Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £45. Info 029 2063 6464.

Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2 + 7.30pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 20) Madness In Valencia Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2039 1391.

(Until Sat 6) Mojo Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

2.30 + 7pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2039 1391. (Until Sat 6) Narrative Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.15pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2039 1391. (Until Sat 6) Oliver! Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 7pm, £8/£6. Info 0800 0147111. (Until Thurs 4) Play | Silence The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Sat 6) Rehearsal For Murder New Theatre, Cardiff. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £10-£28. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 6) Richard III Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea. 7.15pm, £10/£8. Info 01792 475715. If Shakespeare could have lived for only 400 more years, he could have theoretically seen this play, which is presented

by Fluellen. (Until Fri 5) Scattered Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 10.30am + 1.30pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2030 4400. Theatre aimed at schools, presented by Theatr Clwyd. On tomorrow also.

The Joyce Grenfell Fan Club Mozarts, Swansea.

8-10.15pm, free. Info 01792 649984. Hobos Comedy night bussing performers from all over the south-west, they say.

THURSDAY 4

Children Of Eden Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £12. Info 0845 2263510. Kids’ play based on the Book Of Genesis. (Until Sat 6) Comedy Carousel Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £10/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. Hosted by Clint Edwards and featuring John Fothergill and Geoff Norcott.

Dynamo Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 8pm, £38-£45. Info 029 2022 4488. (Until Sun 7) Fame The Musical Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7pm, £10-£14. Info 01792 475715.

stage Presented by the Sir Harry Secombe Trust. (Until Sat 6) Folk + Tuplet + A Mighty Wind Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £14/£10.

Info 01792 602060. Triple bill of dance presented by National Dance Company Wales.

Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 20) Laughing Leek Comedy Ebbw Vale Institute. 7.30pm, £5 adv. Info 01495 708022.

With a Welsh standup comedian headliner TBC. Madness In Valencia Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2039 1391. (Until Sat 6) Mojo Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

7pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2039 1391. (Until Sat 6) Narrative Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.15pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2039 1391. (Until Sat 6) Oliver! Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 7pm, £8/£6. Info 0800 0147111. (Finishes today) Play | Silence The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Sat 6) Rehearsal For Murder New Theatre, Cardiff. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £10-£28. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 6) Richard III Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea. 1 + 7.15pm, £10/£8. Info 01792 475715. (Until Fri 5) Scattered Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 10.30am, 1.30pm + 7pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2030 4400.

Shadow Of A Quiet Society The Riverfront, Newport.

7.30pm, £10/£8. Info 01633 656757. New solo dance piece

by Gwyn Emberton.

Taith Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8. Info 029 2064 6900. Showcase for three new plays developed via the Sherman’s new writing initiative.

The Ruff Guide To Shakespeare Drill Hall, Chepstow. 1.30pm, £4/£2 adults. Info 01291 625981.

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s introduction to Shakespeare for young people.

FRIDAY 5

Alice In Wonderland The Muni, Pontypridd. 7.30pm, £11.50/£10.50. Info 01443 490390. Presented by Fame Factory Theatre School.

Children Of Eden Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £12. Info 0845 2263510.

(Until Sat 6) Drones Comedy Club Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

8.30pm, £3.50. Info 029 2030 4400. Also on Fri 19.

Dynamo Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 8pm, £38-£45. Info 029 2022 4488. (Until Sun 7) Fagin’s Last Hour Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £12. Info 0845 2263510. A dark reimagining of Oliver Twist, presented by Brother Wolf.

Fame The Musical Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7pm, £10-£14. Info 01792 475715.

(Until Sat 6) Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm,

£12. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 20) John Fothergill + Geoff Norcott + Karl Spain Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £15/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. With another comic TBC. On tomorrow also.

John Robertson + Tony Cowards + Susan Murray Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 8pm, £10.

Info 0845 2263510. Comedy Club night.

Madness In Valencia Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2039 1391.

(Until Sat 6) Mike Doyle Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7.30pm, £16/£15. Info 01633 868239.

In Blackwood tomorrow.

Mojo Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

7pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2039 1391. (Until Sat 6) Narrative Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 2.30 + 7.15pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2039 1391.

(Until Sat 6) Pam Ann Mary’s, Cardiff.

7pm, £12 adv. Info michaeljasinski@outlook.com.

Enduring comedy air hostess act cracks up the flyboys in Cardiff’s newest gay hotspot.

Play | Silence The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Sat 6) Rehearsal For Murder New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £11.50-£31.50. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 6) Richard III Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea. 7.15pm, £10/£8. Info 01792 475715.

(Finishes today) Sean Lock Theatr Hafren, Newtown. 8pm, £23. Info 01686 614555. UK standup/ sitcom/panel show fave.

‘Stute Comedy Nights Miners’ Institute, Blackwood.

8pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 01495 227206. With standups TBC. Wyrd Sisters Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £10/£8. Info 01970 623232.

Pratchett transported to the stage courtesy of Castaway Community Theatre. On tomorrow also.

SATURDAY 6

Children Of Eden Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £12. Info 0845 2263510. (Finishes today) Dynamo Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 2.30 + 8pm, £38-£45.

Info 029 2022 4488. (Until Sun 7) Fame The Musical Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7pm, £10-£14. Info 01792 475715.

(Finishes today) Frank Honeybone + Funmbi Omotayo + Peter White Jongleurs, Cardiff.

7pm, from £16. Info 08700 111960.

Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2 + 7.30pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464. (Until Sat 20) John Fothergill + Geoff Norcott + Karl Spain Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £16.95/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400.

Madness In Valencia Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2039 1391.

(Finishes today) Mike Doyle Miners’ Institute, Blackwood. 7.30pm, £16/£15. Info 01495 227206.

Mojo Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff.

7pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2039 1391. (Finishes today) Narrative Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.15pm, £6-£12. Info 029 2039 1391. (Finishes today) Now That’s Musicality 3 Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. 7pm, £8 adv. Info 01639 763214. Songs from the musicals.

Play | Silence The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Finishes today) Rehearsal For Murder New Theatre, Cardiff. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £11-£31.50. Info 029 2087 8889. (Finishes today) Shadow Of A Quiet Society Theatr Hafren, Newtown.

7.45pm, £10/£8. Info 01686 614555. Presented by Gwyn Emberton Dance.

Wyrd Sisters Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £10/£8.

Info 01970 623232.

SUNDAY 7

Dynamo Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. 8pm, £38-£45. Info 029 2022 4488. (Finishes today) Live Cabaret Market Street Club, Barry. 8.30pm. Info 01446 733863. Every Sunday.

McGorky’s Spectacular Circus And The Upside Down Smile Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £6.

Info 01792 602060. Family show, set in a circus, presented by the Rising Stars Theatre Company.

Paul McCaffrey + Clint Edwards + Drew Taylor + James Dunn + Robin Morgan Buffalo, Cardiff.

7pm, £10/£8 adv/£6 early bird. Info 029 2031 0312.

Presented by Buffalo Comedy.

Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 0845 2263510.

Gwyn Emberton Dance present a new production for six female dancers, including Eddie Ladd.

The Anniversary Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12.50/£8.50. Info 01633 263670. Bill Macllwraith’s play, courtesy of Newport Playgoers. (Until Sat 13) The Devil Inside Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15-£25. Info 029 2064 6900.

A “Faustian folk tale” based on a Robert Louis Stevenson short story, and presented by Music Theatre Wales.

The Rocky Horror Show New Theatre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £16-£35. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 13)

WEDNESDAY 10

Brecknock Federation Of Young Farmers Drama & One-Plus Festival Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7pm, £9/£8. Info 01874 611622.

(Until Sat 13) Chris Chopping + Rhys Lowis Stephen + Steffan Alun + Sarah Breeze + Bob Wildlife The Parrot, Carmarthen. 7.30pm, £4. Info 01267 231012. Comedy night.

Comedy Den Porter’s, Cardiff. 8pm. Info info@ porterscardiff.com. Hosted

by Charlie Smith and with standups TBC. Darkness Falls The Gate, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5 adv. Info

029 2048 3344. Saltmine Theatre Company with a play based on the Gospel Of John.

Grav Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 7.30pm, £8-£13. Info 01646 695267. (Until Sat 13) Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 20) Les Miserables Parc & Dare, Treorchy. 7pm, £6-£8.

Info 0800 0147111. (Until Thurs 11) Little Shop Of Horrors The Muni, Pontypridd. 7.30pm, £7.50/£5.50. Info 01443 490390. Presented by Y Pant School. On tomorrow also.

Paul Carroll’s Music Hall Tavern Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £20.50/£18.50. Info 01792 475715. This appears to be three aging drag acts with a troupe of dancers backing them up.

Rod Woodward Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells.

8pm, £16/£15. Info 01982 552555.

The Anniversary Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12.50/£8.50. Info 01633 263670. (Until Sat 13) The Rocky Horror Show New Theatre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £16-£35. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 13) Two Jacks Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 1pm, £6. Info 01656 815995. Lunchtime theatre presented by Fluellen.

THURSDAY 11

Brecknock Federation Of Young Farmers Drama & One-Plus Festival Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7pm, £9/£8. Info 01874 611622.

(Until Sat 13) Caterpillar Comedy Gwdihw, Cardiff. 8pm, free.

Info 029 2039 7933. Open mic standup night hosted by James Dunn.

Grav Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 7.30pm, £8-£13. Info 01646 695267. (Until Sat 13) Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 20) Jarred Christmas Queens Hall, Narberth. 7.45pm, £10. Info 01834 869323.

Comedian.

Les Miserables Parc & Dare, Treorchy. 7pm, £6-£8.

Info 0800 0147111. (Finishes today) Little Shop Of Horrors The Muni, Pontypridd. 7.30pm, £7.50/£5.50. Info 01443 490390.

Peter Pan Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale. 7pm, £8/£6. Info 01495 355800. Presented by Toppers. (Until Sat 13) Rob Beckett Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 8pm, £14. Info 01656 815995.

Rod Woodward Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 8pm, £16/£15. Info 01239 621200.

Sarah Millican Grand Theatre, Swansea. 8pm,

MONDAY 8

Brecknock Federation Of Young Farmers Drama & One-Plus Festival Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7pm, £9/£8. Info 01874 611622.

(Until Sat 13) Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 20) The Rocky Horror Show New Theatre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £25/£16. Info 029 2087 8889. Diana Vickers and Steve Punt are the names I recognise from this cast.

(Until Sat 13)

TUESDAY 9

Brecknock Federation Of Young Farmers Drama & One-Plus Festival Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7pm, £9/£8. Info 01874 611622.

(Until Sat 13) Grav Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 7.30pm, £8-£13. Info 01646 695267.

A return for this play about the life and times of the late Welsh rugby icon Ray Gravell. In Aberystwyth on Sat 20; Cardigan on Tue 23; Abertillery on Wed 24; Swansea on Fri 26; Blackwood on Sat 27. (Until Sat 13) Les Miserables Parc & Dare, Treorchy. 7pm, £6-£8.

Info 0800 0147111. Presented

by Treorchy Comprehensive School. Sold out each day!

(Until Thurs 11) Shadow Of A Quiet Society

SIR HENRY AT RAWLINSON END Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff, Fri 4 Mar Tickets: £15. Info: 029 2039 1391 / www.rwcmd.ac.uk Vivian Stanshall, who created this play's eponymous character and who is given ample credit by Guilty Dog Productions as they take it on a UK tour, was a brilliant lynchpin in the evolution of British pop/art/surrealism.

He died in 1995, but his spirit lives on in the continued popularity of Sir Henry At Rawlinson End – which started as a song on a 1972 LP by his group, the Bonzo Dog Band, then turned into a radio play, then a film. Sir Henry is an aristocratic lush with a deceased brother whose ghost haunts Rawlinson End, his stately home. Supporting characters, variously related to and employed by Henry, weave in and out of the melee; Mike Livesey plays the lead role here, with a no doubt jaunty onstage musical backing.

BUZZ 75

stage £25.50. Info 01792 475715.

Performing Outside, her new standup show about the outdoors.

The Anniversary Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12.50/£8.50. Info 01633 263670. (Until Sat 13) The Glass Menagerie The Riverfront, Newport.

7.30pm, £6.50-£12.50. Info 01633 656757. Tennessee Williams’ play, co-presented

by Theatr Pena and The Riverfront. In Milford Haven on Tue 16; Pontardawe on Wed 17; Newtown on Thurs 25; Abergavenny on Sat 27; Carmarthen on Mon 29.

(Until Sat 13) The Rocky Horror Show New Theatre, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £20-£39. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 13) Tipping Point Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £12£14. Info 01970 623232.

Experimental dance presented by Turtle Key Arts. On tomorrow also.

Tommy Tiernan Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 6.45pm, £17.

Info 0871 4720400. Top Irish comedian.

FRIDAY 12

Andy Robinson + Mickey Sharma + Steve Shanyaski + John Moloney Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £15/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. On tomorrow also.

Brecknock Federation Of Young Farmers Drama & One-Plus Festival Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7pm, £9/£8. Info 01874 611622.

(Until Sat 13) Grav Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 7.30pm, £8-£13. Info 01646 695267. (Until Sat 13) Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 20) Katya & Trixie Mary’s, Cardiff. 6pm, £30 adv/£40 VIP. Info michael-jasinski@ outlook.com. A double bill of drag acts who’ve been on Drag Race.

Mark Dolan + Tamar Broadbent + Ignacio Lopez The Function Room, Pontyclun. 7.15pm, £10 adv.

Info 07790 864217. A Comedy Cow night of standup.

Peter Pan Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale. 7pm, £8/£6. Info 01495 355800. (Until Sat 13) Rob Beckett Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. 8pm, £14/£12 under-16s. Info 01600 772467.

Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 5pm, £15/£11.

Info 01633 868239. Panto, presented by Rainbow Valley and starring Owen Money.

(Until Sun 21) Sweeney Todd Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £10/£6. Info 01792 602060.

Presented by Swansea University Performing Arts.

On tomorrow also.

That Was Fun Gwyn Hall, Neath. 7.30pm, £5. Info 0300 3656677. Bristol-based circus ensemble.

The Anniversary Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12.50/£8.50. Info 01633 263670. (Until Sat 13) The Glass Menagerie The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £6.50-£12.50. Info 01633 656757. (Until Sat 13) BUZZ 76

The Rocky Horror Show New Theatre, Cardiff. 5.30 + 8.30pm, £16-£39. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sat 13) Tipping Point Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £12-£14.

Info 01970 623232.

SATURDAY 13

Andy Robinson + Mickey Sharma + Steve Shanyaski + John Moloney Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £16.95/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400.

Bird Small World Theatre, Cardigan. 8pm, £10. Info 01239 615952. One-woman theatre show by Sita Pieraccini, created in collaboration with musician and sound artist David Pollock.

Brecknock Federation Of Young Farmers Drama & One-Plus Festival Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon. 7pm, £12. Info 01874 611622.

(Finishes today) Grav Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 7.30pm, £8-£13. Info 01646 695267. (Finishes today) Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 20) Mary Bijou’s Bad Romance Social NoFit State, Cardiff Central Sports And Community Centre, Ocean Way, Cardiff. 7pm1am, £6 adv. Info 029 2022 1330. Cabaret ball with DJs and suchlike too.

Peter Pan Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale. 7pm, £8/£6. Info 01495 355800. (Finishes today) Pongo’s Party Savoy Theatre, Monmouth.

11.30am, £9/£8. Info 01600 772467. Kids’ show. Pongo is a pig and today is his birthday, one which he shares with Robbie Williams, Katie Hopkins and Jerry Springer.

Sally-Anne Hayward + Kate Lucas + Kane Brown Jongleurs, Cardiff. 7pm, from £16. Info 08700 111960.

Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 1pm, £15/£11. Info 01633 868239. (Until Sun 21) Sweeney Todd Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £10/£6. Info 01792 602060.

The Anniversary Dolman Theatre, Newport. 2.30 + 7.15pm, £12.50/£8.50. Info 01633 263670. (Finishes today) The Barber Of Seville Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £5-£41.

Info 029 2063 6464. Rossini’s opera, presented by WNO. Also on Wed 17, Fri 19, Tue 23 and Thurs 25.

The Death Hilarious + Steven Skilling + Dave Parton + Jeff Japers + Alex Mahoney + Chris Chopping Clwb Y Bont, Pontypridd. 7pm, £5. Info 01443 491424. A Clwb Comedy night.

The Glass Menagerie The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £6.50-£12.50. Info 01633 656757. (Finishes today) The Rocky Horror Show New Theatre, Cardiff. 5.30 + 8.30pm, £16-£39. Info 029 2087 8889. (Finishes today)

SUNDAY 14

Live Cabaret Market Street Club, Barry. 8.30pm. Info 01446 733863.

Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 2 + 7.30pm, £15/£11. Info 01633 868239.

(Until Sun 21)

MONDAY 15

Actors’ Showcase Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £10/£8. Info 029 2039 1391.

Actors, 32 of them, have two-minute slots to showcase their skills to industry professionals. My tips: compliment them on their choice of wine and don’t always give the bill to the bloke, it’s sexist. On tomorrow also.

Confirmation Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £10/£9.

Info 01970 623232. Opening event of the Safle 2 series of plays, the rest of which are happening in March.

Curious Creatures Pontardawe Arts Centre.

3pm, £4.50 adv. Info 01792 863722. Show for kids aged five and under.

Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 20) Sinbad Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7pm, £5.50/£5.

Info 01873 850805. Presented by the Abergavenny Pantomime Company. (Until Sat 20) Teddy’s Zoo Adventures Beaufort Theatre, Ebbw Vale. 10.30am, £4. Info 01495 355800. Kids’ show.

TUESDAY 16

Actors’ Showcase Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1.15pm, £10/£8. Info 029 2039 1391.

An Elephant In The Garden Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 2pm, £8/£7. Info 01970 623232. Simon Reade adapts Michael Morpurgo’s novel for the stage.

Beauty & The Beast – The Pantomime Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 7pm, £7-£10. Info 0800 0147111.

Presented by Colstars. (Until Sat 20) Cinderella Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7pm, £11/£9. Info 01633 263670. Presented by Newport Pantomime Society.

(Until Sat 20) Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.30pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 20) Imaginary Menagerie Queens Hall, Narberth. 2pm, £6. Info 01834 869323. Kids’ show. In Neath tomorrow.

Piste Off Comedy Club Face 11, Cathays, Cardiff.

8pm, free. Info 029 2022 8221. On the third Tuesday of every month.

Sand The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. “When one woman collaborates in the development of a nuclear bomb, she becomes all things – every victim, every person in every possible time, even the explosion itself...” No shows on Sunday. (Until Thurs 25) Sinbad Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7pm, £5.50/£5.

Info 01873 850805. (Until Sat 20) Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 2pm, £15/£11. Info 01633 868239. (Until Sun 21) The Glass Menagerie Torch

Theatre, Milford Haven.

7.30pm, £8-£14.50. Info 01646 695267.

Whistle Down The Wind Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen.

7.30pm, £15/£13. Info 0845 2263510. Musical presented by amateur local company CYO. (Until Sat 20)

WEDNESDAY 17

Beauty & The Beast – The Pantomime Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 2.30 + 7pm, £7-£10. Info 0800 0147111. (Until Sat 20) Cinderella Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7pm, £11/£9. Info 01633 263670. (Until Sat 20) Count Duckula St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 2pm, £11.50/£9.50 kids. Info 029 2087 8444. A live, onstage treasure hunt starring the still-popular 80s kids cartoon character.

Imaginary Menagerie Gwyn Hall, Neath. 2pm, £8/£7. Info 0300 3656677.

Sand The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Thurs 25) Sinbad Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7pm, £5.50/£5.

Info 01873 850805. (Until Sat 20) Smash It Up Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £7. Info 029 2030 4400. See Stage for more on the latest Mr & Mrs Clark production. (Until Sat 27) Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 2pm, £15/£11. Info 01633 868239. (Until Sun 21) Swansea’s Three Night Blitz Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £5.

Info 01792 475715. New play about the bombing of Swansea 75 years ago. (Until Sat 20) The Barber Of Seville Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £5-£41.

Info 029 2063 6464.

The Fridge Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 7pm, £8/£6. Info 0845 2263510. Companhia Cia Huma with a surreal show combining physical theatre and circus. On tomorrow also.

Whistle Down The Wind Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen.

7.30pm, £15/£13. Info 0845 2263510. (Until Sat 20)

THURSDAY 18

Anton & Erin St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £16.50£46. Info 029 2087 8444.

The nation’s favourite, or at least most televised, ballroom dancing couple with a new show.

Beauty & The Beast – The Pantomime Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 7pm, £7-£10. Info 0800 0147111.

(Until Sat 20) Bob Wildlife + Rob Hughes + Jethro Bradley + Jamie Mcgowan + Alex Mahoney + Tanya Spence Kelly Chapel 1877, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £5 adv. Info 029 2022 2020. Standup night presented by Masa Comedia.

Buggerall Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 8pm, £10. Info 0845 2263510. Llanelli-born writer Jon Tregenna with a play, first performed in 2003, that updates Under Milk Wood.

(Until Sun 21) Cinderella Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7pm, £11/£9. Info

01633 263670. (Until Sat 20) Cinderella Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 7pm, £8/£6.

Info 01685 384111. Panto presented by the CAST Theatre Company. (Until Sat 20) Comedy Carousel Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £10/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. Hosted by Clint Edwards and featuring comedians TBC. Ed Aczel Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.45pm, £10. Info 01970 623232. Infamously bumbling UK comedian, presented here by Little Wander.

Eric The Gate, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2048 3344. Another Terry Pratchett novel brought to the stage by Monstrous Productions, who are raising money for Alzheimer’s Research UK in the process.

(Until Sat 20) Folk Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15-£22. Info 029 2064 6900. New piece

by National Dance Company Wales’s Artistic Director, Caroline Finn. On tomorrow also.

Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 20) Jethro Blake Theatre, Monmouth. 7.30pm, £20. Info 01600 719401.

Sand The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Thurs 25) Simon Sparkles + The Magnificent Johno The Met, Abertillery. 2pm, £6. Info 01495 355800. Magic show.

Sinbad Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7pm, £5.50/£5.

Info 01873 850805. (Until Sat 20) Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 2pm, £15/£11. Info 01633 868239. (Until Sun 21) Swansea’s Three Night Blitz Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £5. Info 01792 475715. (Until Sat 20) The Fridge Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 1.30pm, £8/£6. Info 0845 2263510.

The Glass Menagerie Pontardawe Arts Centre.

7.30pm, £10 adv. Info 01792 863722.

The Marriage Of Figaro Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £5-£41.

Info 029 2063 6464. More operatic delight from WNO, tackling Mozart this time.

Also on Sat 20, Wed 24 and Fri 26.

The Tap Dancing Mermaid Miners’ Institute, Blackwood.

11am + 2pm, £4.50/£3.50.

Info 01495 227206. Kids’ show with puppetry, live music and tap dancing.

West Side Story Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 7.30pm, £8-£12. Info 01656 815995.

Presented by Bridgend Youth Theatre. On tomorrow also.

Whistle Down The Wind Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen.

7.30pm, £15/£13. Info 0845 2263510. (Until Sat 20) Windsongs Of The Blessed Bay Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £12/£10.

Info 01792 602060. Theatr Cadair and Taliesin Arts Centre present the tale of a Welsh woman, blind since birth, who sets out from Pembrokeshire’s St Brides Bay in her grandfather’s

fishing boat. On tomorrow also; in Milford Haven on Thurs 25; Cardigan on Sat 27; Aberystwyth Sun 28 and Mon 29.

FRIDAY 19

Arrive Dance Platform The Muni, Pontypridd. 7pm, £4-£22. Info 01443 490390.

Emerging dance artists share their new work and fresh ideas in choreography.

Beauty & The Beast – The Pantomime Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 7pm, £7-£10. Info 0800 0147111.

(Until Sat 20) Buggerall Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 8pm, £10. Info 0845 2263510. (Until Sun 21) Cinderella Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7pm, £11/£9. Info 01633 263670. (Until Sat 20) Cinderella Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 7pm, £8/£6.

Info 01685 384111. (Until Sat 20) Drones Comedy Club Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.

8.30pm, £3.50. Info 029 2030 4400.

Eric The Gate, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2048 3344. (Until Sat 20) Folk Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15-£22. Info 029 2064 6900.

Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Until Sat 20) La Boheme Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £10-£18.

Info 01970 623232. Presented

by Opera Up Close.

Lewis Schaffer Miners’ Institute, Blackwood. 8pm, free. Info 01495 227206.

US-born, UK-based comedian does his ‘Free Until Famous’ set, where audience members are asked to donate whatever they think the set was worth at the end. HOT TAKE: impoverished towns such as Blackwood may well give bigger donations than people in more prosperous areas, due to the innate generosity of the working class. Hope this notion doesn’t blow your mind too much!

Max Boyce Workmens Hall, Blaenavon. 7.30pm. Info 01633 868239.

Paddy McGuinness St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £17.50-£35. Info 029 2087 8444.

Rob Rouse + Zoe Lyons + Fredrik Andersson + Craig Hill Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £15/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. On tomorrow also.

Sand The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Thurs 25) Sinbad Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 1.30 + 7pm, £5.50/£5. Info 01873 850805.

(Until Sat 20) Smash It Up Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £8-£12.

Info 029 2030 4400. (Until Sat 27) Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 2 + 7pm, £15/£11.

Info 01633 868239. (Until Sun 21) Swansea’s Three Night Blitz Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £5. Info 01792 475715. (Until Sat 20) The Barber Of Seville Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £5-£41.

stage Info 029 2063 6464.

The Cat In The Hat New Theatre, Cardiff. 2 + 4.30pm, £8.50-£12.50. Info 029 2087 8889. The good Dr (Seuss, that is) is brought to the Cardiff stage with the intent of entertaining kids agd 3+.

(Until Sun 21) The Chris & Pui Show Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

11am + 2pm, £12/£10. Info 01874 611622. Kids’ show starring Cbeebies double act of note.

Tipping Point Gwyn Hall, Neath. 7.30pm, £10/£5. Info 0300 3656677. Physical theatre presented by Ockham’s Razor.

West Side Story Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl. 2.30 + 7.30pm, £8-£12. Info 01656 815995.

Whistle Down The Wind Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen.

7.30pm, £15/£13. Info 0845 2263510. (Until Sat 20) Windsongs Of The Blssed Bay Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £12/£10.

Info 01792 602060.

SATURDAY 20

Anthony J Brown + Rhodri Rhys + Matt Rhys Jongleurs, Cardiff. 7pm, from £16. Info 08700 111960.

Beauty & The Beast – The Pantomime Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. 2.30 + 7pm, £7-£10. Info 0800 0147111. (Finishes today) Bluestocking Lounge Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea. 8pm, £15.50. Info 01792 475715. Burlesque.

Buggerall Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 8pm, £10. Info 0845 2263510. (Until Sun 21) Cinderella Dolman Theatre, Newport. 2.15 + 7pm, £11/£9. Info 01633 263670.

(Finishes today) Cinderella Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 7pm, £8/£6.

Info 01685 384111. (Finishes today) Eric The Gate, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £7/£5. Info 029 2048 3344. (Finishes today) Grav Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 01970 623232.

Henry V Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 2pm, £12. Info 029 2063 6464.

(Finsihes today) It’s The Drink Talking Theatr Gwaun, Fishguard.

7.30pm, £2. Info 01348 873237. Concerning our relationship with alcohol.

Jenny Eclair Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 8pm, £18/£17.

Info 01646 695267.

Rob Rouse + Zoe Lyons + Fredrik Andersson + Craig Hill Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £16.95/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400.

Sand The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Thurs 25) Sinbad Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 1.30 + 6pm, £5.50/£5. Info 01873 850805.

(Finishes today) Smash It Up Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £8-£12.

Info 029 2030 4400. Next show is on Wed 24. (Until Sat 27) Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 2 + 5.30pm, £15/£11. Info 01633 868239.

(Until Sun 21) Swansea’s Three Night

Blitz Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £10/£5 kids. Info 01792 475715.

(Finishes today) The Cat In The Hat New Theatre, Cardiff. 11am + 2pm, £8.50-£12.50. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sun 21) The Marriage Of Figaro Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £5-£41.

Info 029 2063 6464.

Whistle Down The Wind Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen.

2.30 + 7.30pm, £15/£13.

Info 0845 2263510. (Finishes today)

SUNDAY 21

Buggerall Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 8pm, £10. Info 0845 2263510. (Finishes today) Figaro Gets A Divorce Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £5-£41.

Info 029 2063 6464. Welsh National Opera with a new production. Also on Sat 27.

Live Cabaret Market Street Club, Barry. 8.30pm. Info 01446 733863.

Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 2pm, £15/£11.

Info 01633 868239. (Finishes today) The Cat In The Hat New Theatre, Cardiff. 11am + 2pm, £8.50-£12.50. Info 029 2087 8889. (Finishes today)

MONDAY 22

David O’Doherty Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £16/£14 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. Comedy circuit fave whose trademark prop is a very small keyboard. In Aberystwyth tomorrow.

Sand The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Thurs 25)

TUESDAY 23

9 To 5 Gwyn Hall, Neath.

7.30pm, £14. Info 0300 3656677. Musical loosely based on the Dolly Parton song of the same name.

(Until Sat 27) Circus Of Horrors The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £14-£22. Info 01633 656757.

It’s 21 years old this year you know.

David O’Doherty Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

8pm, £16/£14. Info 01970 623232.

Grav Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £13/£11.

Info 01239 621200.

Pixelated Squid And The Universe Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 7pm, £11/£7.

Info 01646 695267.

Sand The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Thurs 25) Shiny Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 11am + 4pm, £7.

Info 01792 602060. Multisensory show for babies. In Blackwood tomorrow.

The Barber Of Seville Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £5-£41.

Info 029 2063 6464.

The Devil Inside Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

7.30pm, £15/£14. Info 01970 623232. A new opera by Stuart MacRae and Louise Welsh.

Tosca Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.15pm, £15-£33.

Info 01792 475715. An Ellen Kent opera production.

WEDNESDAY 24

9 To 5 Gwyn Hall, Neath.

7.30pm, £14. Info 0300 3656677. (Until Sat 27) Carmen Grand Theatre, Swansea. 7.15pm, £15-£33.

Info 01792 475715. Another Ellen Kent opera production.

Citizenship Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2064 6900.

Sherman Youth Theatre play about a teen coming to terms with his sexuality. (Until Sat 27) Gangsta Granny New Theatre, Cardiff. 7pm, £15/£11. Info 029 2087 8889.

Production that is apparently based on a David Walliams novel for kids. (Until Sun 28) Grav The Met, Abertillery.

7.30pm, £10/£8. Info 01495 355800.

The Marriage Of Figaro Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £5-£41.

Info 029 2063 6464.

Sand The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Until Thurs 25) Shiny Miners’ Institute, Blackwood. 11am + 1.30pm, £4.50/£3.50. Info 01495 227206.

Smash It Up Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £8-£12.

Info 029 2030 4400. (Until Sat 27) Tom Wrigglesworth + Felicity Ward + Joel Dommett Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea. 8pm, £11. Info 01792 475715.

Comedy Club night.

THURSDAY 25

9 To 5 Gwyn Hall, Neath.

7.30pm, £14. Info 0300 3656677. (Until Sat 27) Beyond The Barricade Grand Theatre, Swansea.

7.30pm, £20.50. Info 01792 475715. Musical theatre troupe.

Citizenship Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2064 6900.

(Until Sat 27) Comedy Carousel Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £10/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. Hosted by Clint Edwards and featuring comedians TBC. Dillie Keane Blake Theatre, Monmouth. 7.30pm, £20. Info 01600 719401. Jaunty light entertainment on the piano from one of the Fascinating Aïda women.

Gangsta Granny New Theatre, Cardiff. 1.30 + 7pm, £11.50-£21. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sun 28) Grease The Muni, Pontypridd. 7.30pm, £8.50£10.50. Info 01443 490390.

Presented by the Mark Jermin Stage School. (Until Sat 27) Nobody Likes A Pixelated Squid + The Wonders of the Universe The Riverfront, Newport. 7.45pm, £7.50. Info 01633 656757. Double bill of dance. In Swansea on Sat 27; Pontypridd on Mon 29.

Sand The Other Room at Porter’s, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10 adv. Info 029 2128 0189. (Finishes today) Smash It Up Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £8-£12.

Info 029 2030 4400. (Until Sat 27) Summer Holiday Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm,

£12. Info 01633 263670.

Musical version of the Clifftastic film, presented here by Phoenix Productions.

(Until Sat 27) The Barber Of Seville Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £5-£41.

Info 029 2063 6464.

The Glass Menagerie Theatr Hafren, Newtown.

7.45pm, £11/£9. Info 01686 614555.

To Kill A Mockingbird The Gate, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 029 2048 3344.

Cardiff Little Theatre perform their dramatisation of the novel. (Until Sat 27) Tom Wrigglesworth + Felicity Ward + Joel Dommett Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £10. Info 01970 623232. Comedy Club night.

Walking Between Worlds The Gate, Cardiff. 7pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2048 3344.

Solo storytelling performance

by Gower-based storyteller Sian Cornelius.

Wilde About The Boy Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

7.30pm, £11.50/£10.50. Info 01874 611622. Dramatisation of O. Wilde’s epic prison letter De Profundis.

Windsongs Of The Blessed Bay Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 7.30pm, £5-£12. Info 01646 695267.

FRIDAY 26

9 To 5 Gwyn Hall, Neath.

7.30pm, £14. Info 0300 3656677. (Until Sat 27) Citizenship Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2064 6900.

(Until Sat 27) Comedy Shed The Riverfront, Newport. 7.45pm, £12.50. Info 01633 656757.

Monthly standup night.

Gangsta Granny New Theatre, Cardiff. 10.30am + 7pm, £11.50-£21. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sun 28) Grav Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 6pm, £12/£10. Info 01792 602060. This is starting early cos of the rugby.

Grease The Muni, Pontypridd. 7.30pm, £8.50£10.50. Info 01443 490390.

(Until Sat 27) Jo Fong: An Invitation Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 7.45pm, £11/£7. Info 01646 695267. New piece of solo contemporary dance. On tomorrow also.

Meet Fred Miners Theatre, Ammanford. 7.30pm, £10/£8.

Info 0845 2263510. Hijinx present a theatre production for ages 12+, in which the protagonist, Fred, is a puppet. In Merthyr tomorrow.

Robert White + Angels Barnes + Paul B Edwards Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 8pm, £10.

Info 0845 2263510. Comedy Club night.

Smash It Up Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £8-£12.

Info 029 2030 4400. (Until Sat 27) Steve Gribbin + Andre Vincent + Charlie Baker + Suzi Ruffell Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £15/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400. On tomorrow also.

Summer Holiday Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12. Info 01633 263670.

(Until Sat 27) The Marriage Of Figaro Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £5-£41.

Info 029 2063 6464.

The Tailor Of Inverness Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

7.30pm, £10-£13. Info 01970 623232. Matthew Zajac’s acclaimed one-man show.

Tiff Stevenson + Harriet Kemsley + Dan Thomas Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl.

7.30pm, £8 adv. Info 01656 815995. Comedy Club night.

To Kill A Mockingbird The Gate, Cardiff. 7.30pm,

(Finishes today) The Glass Menagerie Borough Theatre, Abergavenny. 7.30pm, £13/£11. Info 01873 850805.

The QI Elves The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £14. Info 01633 656757. The show of the podcast of the TV show.

The Strange Friendly Stranger Friend Grand Theatre Arts Wing, Swansea.

12.30pm, £6/£4.50. Info

Windsongs Of The Blessed Bay, a drama based on a quest undertaken by an elderly Pembrokeshire woman, is in Swansea (Thurs 18); Milford Haven (Thurs 25); Cardigan (Sat 27) and Aberystwyth on Sun 28 and Mon 29. £12/£10. Info 029 2048 3344.

(Until Sat 27)

SATURDAY 27

9 To 5 Gwyn Hall, Neath. 2 + 7.30pm, £14. Info 0300 3656677. (Finishes today) Acting Alone Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli. 8pm, £10/£8. Info 0845 2263510. Ava Hunt’s one-woman show.

Citizenship Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £8/£6. Info 029 2064 6900.

(Finishes today) Comedy Club 4 Kids The Riverfront, Newport. 2pm, £7.50. Info 01633 656757.

Figaro Gets A Divorce Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm, £5-£41.

Info 029 2063 6464.

Gangsta Granny New Theatre, Cardiff. 2 + 7pm, £12-£23.50. Info 029 2087 8889. (Until Sun 28) Grav Miners’ Institute, Blackwood. 7.30pm, £14/£12.

Info 01495 227206.

Grease The Muni, Pontypridd. 7.30pm, £8.50£10.50. Info 01443 490390.

(Finishes today) James Redmond + Barry Dodds Jongleurs, Cardiff.

7pm, from £16. Info 08700 111960.

Jo Fong: An Invitation Torch Theatre, Milford Haven. 7.45pm, £11/£7. Info 01646 695267.

Meet Fred Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 2pm, £10/£8.

Info 01685 384111.

Nobody Likes A Pixelated Squid + The Wonders Of The Universe Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £11/£9. Info 01792 602060.

Peter Kay’s Dance For Life Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff.

6.30pm, £25. Info 029 2022 4488.

Smash It Up Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8pm, £8-£12.

Info 029 2030 4400. (Finishes today) Steve Gribbin + Andre Vincent + Charlie Baker + Suzi Ruffell Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £16.50/£5 NUS. Info 0871 4720400.

Summer Holiday Dolman Theatre, Newport. 7.15pm, £12. Info 01633 263670.

01792 475715. Fluellen present lunchtime theatre.

To Kill A Mockingbird The Gate, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 029 2048 3344.

(Finishes today) Windsongs Of The Blessed Bay Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £7-£12.

Info 01239 621200.

SUNDAY 28

60th Lord Mayor’s Matinee St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 2pm, £7-£12. Info 029 2087 8444. Featuring Bill Thomas YMCA, Martynell Dancers, Jean England School Of Dance and the Nicola Peros Ballet School.

Elis James & John Robins Glee Club, Cardiff Bay. 6.45pm, £12. Info 0871 4720400.

Gangsta Granny New Theatre, Cardiff. 11am + 2.30pm, £12-£23.50. Info 029 2087 8889. (Finishes today) Live Cabaret Market Street Club, Barry. 8.30pm. Info 01446 733863.

Windsongs Of The Blessed Bay Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 2pm, £8/£7. Info 01970 623232. On tomorrow also.

MONDAY 29

Footloose New Theatre, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £12-£22. Info 029 2087 8889. With Gareth Gates in what I assume to be the starring role. (Until Sat 5 Mar) Iphegenia In Splott Sherman Cymru, Cardiff.

7.30pm, £8-£16. Info 029 2064 6900. Third showing for widely acclaimed play of Cardiff-based gritty realism.

On tomorrow also.

Nobody Likes A Pixelated Squid + The Wonders Of The Universe The Muni, Pontypridd. 7pm, from £3.

Info 01443 490390.

The Glass Menagerie Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen.

7.30pm, £12/£10. Info 0845 2263510.

Windsongs Of The Blessed Bay Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 10am, £8/£7. Info 01970 623232.

BUZZ 77

FAMILY TICKET TO CHRIS & PUI

TWO TICKETS TO X-FACTOR LIVE TOUR It’s okay. You’re allowed to admit you like the X-Factor. We won’t judge.

That’s the panel’s job (boom boom). The X-Factor Live Tour is on its way to Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena on Tue 1 and Wed 2 Mar. For your chance to win two tickets, all you have to do is answer the following question: Q. Who won the X-Factor in 2007?

TWO TICKETS TO JOE LYCETT

Having appeared on Live At The Apollo, Never Mind The Buzzcocks and 8 Out Of 10 Cats, the brilliant comic Joe Lycett is bringing his show That’s The Way, A-Ha, A-Ha, Joe Lycett to Cardiff Bay’s Glee Club on Wed 24 Feb. For your chance to win two tickets, all you have to do is answer the following question: Q. Where did Joe Lycett go to university?

TWO TICKETS TO WHAT HANNAH WANTS

Brummie DJ and producer Hannah Wants is making her way to Cardiff University on Fri 12 Feb to kickstart her UK tour. It’s long sold out, but for your chance to win two tickets, all you have to do is answer the following question: Q. On which track did Hannah Wants collaborate with Chris Lorenz?

Brecon’s Theatr Brycheiniog are offering you the chance to win a family ticket of four to see The Chris & Pui Show this February half-term, on Wed 17 Feb. The prize is for either the 11am or 2pm performance and all you have to do to win is answer the following question: Q. On which popular children’s television channel do Chris & Pui appear?

TWO TICKETS TO THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW

The cult musical comedy horror is making its way to Cardiff’s New Theatre on Wed 10 Feb. For your chance to win two tickets to an experience that you won’t soon forget, all you have to do is answer the following question: Q. Who wrote The Rocky Horror Show?

TWO TICKETS TO LEONA LEWIS

Leona Lewis is the best-selling act to have emerged from the X Factor franchise, having sold 20 million records. For your chance to win two tickets to see her perform live at St David’s Hall in Cardiff on Wed 2 Mar, all you have to do is answer the following question: Q. In which year did Leona Lewis win the X Factor?

TWO TICKETS TO SIR HENRY AT RAWLINSON END

Vivian Stanshall’s critically acclaimed Sir Henry At Rawlinson End, a manic, classic, surreal, but fond piece of comedy, described as the missing link between Monty Python and Withnail & I, is on its way to the Richard Burton Theatre in Cardiff on Fri 4 Mar. For your chance to win two tickets, all you have to do is answer the following question: Q. Which band is Vivian Stanshall best known for playing with?

Please email your answers, name, address, Twitter username (if you have one) and contact number to competitions@buzzmag.co.uk by Tue 1 Mar unless otherwise stated.

T&Cs: WE DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR THESE COMPETITIONS TO BE REPLICATED OR SHARED ANYWHERE ONLINE. BUZZ 78

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