Quench - Issue 127

Quench

S n Festival · G yl S n Features · Fashion & Beauty · Travel · LGBT+ Culture · Music · Film · Food & Drink

Issue 127 · October 29th 2012

The SMIRNOFF word and associated words and logos are trade marks. Š Diageo 2012.

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27/09/2012 14:34

Contents.

issue 127 · 29th October 2012

24 17 6

31 ON THE COVER S n: The Review 5 · We provide the ultimate guide to S n Festival 2012, with music reviews, interviews, Fringe coverage and more

Columnist

18 · ARE YOU NOT

ENTERTAINED? This week, Rachel takes the ‘unreality’ series as a starting point for her television-based rant.

Fashion & Beauty

19 · BAROQUE IS THE NEW

Features

15 · AN AMERICAN MUMMY Victoria Goodhew compares her memories of Halloween as a child in the States to her experience of the holiday as a student in Cardiff.

16 · CAN BARE BREASTS BE LAID TO REST? Vivian Yeung asks whether we should say goodbye to Page Three.

17 · RUN CARDIFF RUN Half marathon participant Ali Corless gives his account of his impressive physical and mental journey.

BLACK Jacqueline Kilikita shows you how to work this autumn trend.

20 · THE STILETTO: DO YOU BETRAY THE SISTERHOOD? Interrogating exactly why girls are so infatuated by high heels despite the sore feet, crippled toes and painful blisters.

21 · REVIEWS Fashion & Beauty take a look back at this fortnight in style, reviewing the matte mouth trend, Mac’s launch of their Marilyn Monroe collection of lipsticks and the St David’s centre student lock-in. Plus two budgetfriendly Best Buys.

26

19 Film

Travel

22 · PACK MORE INTO YOUR TRAVEL Tips for what to take and what to leave at home.

23 · QUENCH PASSPORT Becca Eustis takes a trip to Tuscany 23 · PLANNING TRAVEL AS A STUDENT: EUROPE

LGBT+

24 · HERE COME THE GROOMS As EastEnders partnership, Erin Ekins explores Christian and Syed’s groundbreaking love story.

24. WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING? LGBT+ in the media.

26 · “I’M DRIVEN BY MY INSECURITIES” Film talks to Welsh project Magpie and being publically complimented by Martin Scorsese.

27 · THE HISTORY OF HORROR Following the development of the genre throughout the decades.

28 · REVIEWS On the Road, Ruby Sparks & Paranormal Activity 4.

28 · LISTINGS 29 · TRAILER TRASH: Carrie

Food & Drink

30 · THINGS YOU SHOULD HAVE

Music

25 · ALBUM REVIEWS

KNOWN BEFORE YOU STARTED COOKING A guide to culinary disasters and how to avoid them.

quench@gairrhydd.com · @quenchmag

Q three

Editorial

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

a word from

Jo

It’s Tuesday morning as I write this, which means a few things.

It means that this evening is deadline night: inevitably a long, takeaway-fuelled slog, involving lots of frazzled Quench editors staring frantically at computer screens. It also means that I’ve been 21 years old for three days now, and, although there were concerns

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

Roisin Alldis, Chris Beynon, James Cohen, George Fielding But oh, what a weekend it was.

With Womanby Street at its core, a feel-good atmosphere seemed to radiate throughout the streets of Cardiff; everywhere you looked

Tom Parry-Jones

squeezed into every nook and cranny of even the smallest pub and club. This issue of Quench is slightly different to usual, with an We had reviewers and photographers running around all over the city in order to bring you the students’ view of all the cracking music that had Cardiff buzzing for those four crazy days.

Sunday was an amazing day for student media.

Land, with a fantastic array of bands popping in over the course of the afternoon, including Clwb Ifor Bach headliners Clock Opera. Turn to page 11 to read Rosey’s interview with the band.

We got some amazing footage, which will all be appearing on cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/cutv over the next week or so.

Huge, huge congratulations to Phil Kenny, Kayleigh Chan, and the whole CUTV team who got stuck in and made that afternoon a massive success. You’ll get to hear everything we recorded on Xpress Radio over the next few weeks; mad love to our new recruit, Josh Edwards, for teching those sessions like a boss.

It’s great when hard work pays off.

And speaking of hard work, there’s a lot of it to be done tonight up I’ll have hopped on a train home in order to spend the rest of my I’m a bad, bad editor, I know. But I’m not worried. I’m lucky that I work with a team of such talented, dedicated people, and I know they’ll do a brilliant job. Best of luck guys, and I look forward to

Love.

Frankie and the Heartstrings

by James Cohen Womanby St

by Roisin Alldis

This week we learnt: Getting into gigs is easier if the doorman believes you’re from NME Soundtrack:

four Q quench@gairrhydd.com · @QuenchEditor

-

Quench

DJANGO DJANGO THURSDAY | SOLUS

Quench caught up with Vinnie and Tom, one of half of Django Django, just before they took to the stage.

What’s your response been to your recent success?

Vinnie: It’s been a pretty strange year; we released the album back in January and before that we were playing to audiences of about 50 or 60, and then, in the summer, we were playing to...

Tom: And now we’re playing to audiences of 70 – 80...!

V: Yeah, it’s been a rapid increase! Yeah, it’s been a really good summer, with festivals in Japan and Australia; we just got back from the States, and we’re just about to embark on a UK tour, and then a European tour after that. So it’s been pretty fast moving.

I saw you when you were playing Benicàssim – quite a sunny, holiday festival; where has been the best place

you’ve played?

T: I would say Sicily.

V: Ah, Sicily was pretty good. We played in a medieval village, with Alt-J and Primal Scream.

T: A dream line-up; Primal Scream were one of my favourite bands growing up so to share a stage with them, and with Alt-J, who we’ve been seeing around the circuit quite a lot and we think they’re great, so it was really nice festival. A really nice, small size.

V: We turned up and I saw the kick-drum from Primal Scream, with the Screamadelica logo, and was like, there must be a cover band playing tonight! And then we told that it was Primal Scream, and that we were on just before them.

Speaking of Alt-J, who were also nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, how does it feel to receive a nomination for your album, Django Django?

V: It kind of felt like we had gate-crashed

Supporting exciting up-and-coming bands Django Django and Egyptian Hip Hop on Thursday night were the equally exciting Wild Swim, an Oxford-based band, whose lush, layered songs made a splash in the Union on Thursday.

understanding of where we want things to go.

We’re a lot less rocky now.

After such an impressive debut, have you got any plans for a second album, or are you just focusing on the tour right now?

V: it’s only after that we’re going to start. We’ve started writing some ideas and we’ve got some clues where we want to take it, but it’s only at the end we’re going to get the chance to start

Would you say things are on the up at the moment?

We were in The Guardian yesterday… that’s the biggest thing that’s ever happened to us!

But other things are coming up too… we’re playing the O2 Academy in Oxford, and going to Leeds and London next week.

Quite the tour!

Yeah, but not in a very organised way. We’re travelling in a Toyota Yaris, and that is the bandwagon, with all our equipment. If you don’t get the train… it’s very cosy.

Grizzly Bear, Radiohead obviously are a masWild Beasts a lot.

six Q music@gairrhydd.com · @quenchmusic

Rosey Brown

to work through the ideas and begin to map it out.

T: I think it will be a lot more stripped-back.

I think this album was kind of like a car crash of all of the ideas we’ve been building up; the next one will be a lot more planned.

V: You say that now!

T: I’m not saying it will be minimal, but it will be a lot more focused. the Cardiff Arts Institute. Is it nice to be invited back to a larger venue like Solus?

V: We’ve had two gigs in Cardiff before and they were both totally amazing; it’s great to be back. The band who are supporting us tonight, and on the rest of our tour (Gulp) are from Cardiff, and our drummer is related to their singer, so it’s like one big, happy family.

Kit Denison

There’s nothing particularly experimental, tropical or bluesy about the Experimental Tropic Blues Band. They are, however, a good, oldfashioned rock band comprising long hair, tight jeans, sexual innuendos and infectiously catchy riffs and rhythms who will keep you entertained from

So, excited for S N? Is the Cardiff Students’ Union quite a big venue for you?

Yeah, might even be the biggest venue we’ve played! We played a vast club in Oxford called The Regal; it was pretty much a warehouse… but it was empty… and we were only 14.

How would you say your sound has developed?

I think as time’s gone on we’ve picked up

it and those were nominated, it’s hard to get your head around it, something we watched when we were teenagers. It’s really nice to be considered for it.

THE EXPERIMENTAL TROPIC BLUES BAND

WILD SWIM

You’ve been going quite a few years then?

We were a school band for years and years, making terrible music.

the party and we were going to get found out! It was kind of surreal because we did that album in our drummer’s bedroom. We had no label and it was all done on our really limited equipment, so it’s very surreal to see it next to Richard Hawley and The Maccabees.

We grew up with the Mercury Prize, from the

Unlike many bands of this type, there was no pretension to the show at all, and as I found out after their gig, they all turned out to be lovely guys when I got a quick interview with lead singer/ guitarist Dirty Coq (real name AJ).

So, you’ve travelled from Belgium to get here, how do Belgian audiences differ from UK audiences?

Oh, I don’t know, I don’t think audiences from other countries differ greatly, they’re all more or less the same. Maybe in the cities like London there is some difference.

How long are you in the UK for? And where else have you played?

We’re just touring here for four days. We played London, but I can’t remember the

in Bristol, and tomorrow we are going back to London, but I don’t know where! [He turns to drummer Devil D’Inferno and starts speaking You seem to have a lot of different main ones were?

It is hard to say because we all listen to very different stuff; of course, The Spencer Blues Explosion, The Cramps, all that kind of thing.

We also very much like Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Electronic Music, a lot of bands from Japan.

Are you seeing any other bands while you’re here? How have you found Cardiff?

I think so, but I don’t know which bands.

I’d love to see Liars, but they’re not playing in the morning. I heard Pulled Apart By Horses sound check earlier, so I might stick around for them. I love it here, the streets smell of rock’n’roll!

I bumped into him again later coming out of Propaganda, and I think it’s safe to say they took full advantage of what Cardiff’s nightlife has to offer.

Stephen Springate

CHARLOTTE CHURCH DEMPSEY’S | THURSDAY

FOXES BUFFALO | THURSDAY

JAKE MATTISON DEMPSEY’S | THURSDAY

I’m sure we all have our preconceptions when it comes to this lady. At 26 years old, she’s already had enough media coverage to last a lifetime, and certainly enough for us all to have formed some not-so-complimentary opinions of her. But, armed with some new material and a completely different sound, she’s working hard to shake the image of the old Charlotte Church who we all know and, um, don’t love. She had the midnight slot in the upstairs of Dempsey’s, an Irish bar and the most unlikely of settings.

Seeing the child-opera-star-turned-off-the-rails-teen-popstar perform such an intimate gig and take on the role of the front woman of a rock band was very surreal. Combining genres and avant-garde experimental sounds seem to be all the rage in the music world at the moment, which could be good news for Charlotte and her unusual brand of operatic rock. It was strange, but somehow it just seemed to work. I don’t know whether I would say that I particularly enjoyed her music, but it was intriguing. Hats off to Charlotte for trying something different.

The crowd had gathered at Buffalo for what it is safe to say was

On Thursday night, in the quiet venue upstairs in Dempsey’s, you could have been forgiven for thinking Jake Mattison was some kind of urban artist – his baseball cap and the tags around his neck certainly gave off that impression. His sound, however, was anything but urban. With his beat-up guitar, powerful voice, and a girl on keyboard who sometimes helps out with a harmony, Mattison stunned the room into near-silence. His style is very much old-school Americana infused with modern folk – the kind of music that’s likely to please fans of Mumford & Sons or Ben Howard. There’s also a beautiful touch of David Gray in

of electronic beats in this trio’s Delilah-esque style created an intense, slightly dramatic feel to the atmosphere; and the whole thing felt a lot more like a performance than your average gig. The emotive tone to the lead singer’s voice and the use of electronic drones made for a much more dense, more atmospheric musical style; and a surprise end to the set, which involved the lead singer entertained until the very last note.

The musicianship and sound quality were excellent, and the end, and I would thoroughly recommend you give these guys a listen.

music has you travelling down dusty roads in the Nevada desert, or dodging tumbleweeds in the Wild West; it was easy to forget that we were sat in a little Irish bar in the heart of Wales. One song had him singing “they call me sorrow” – I can’t see why they would, there was nothing sorrowful about the foot-tapping, chilled-out trance that he had us all held in.

Alice Crabtree

GALLOWS THE GLOBE | THURSDAY It was obvious that the Gallows were approaching the stage. The anticipation and size of the crowd stepped up as fresh towels and water were being set out for the headline act.

Their entrance got the biggest roar from the crowd so far.

They then surprised us all by ignoring the stage and moving microphones, guitars and basses into the crowd.

As soon as they started playing, the energy in the room stepped The lead singer then directly asked the crowd if Gallows were only a few hours old in all venues, and this crowd only seen a couple of bands before, they must have been in the running.

Their music mixed big, heavy guitar and bass riffs, a screaming solo guitar and choruses with great vocal hooks, which even the new listeners could sing along to. The breakdowns, common of the genre, gave a great contrast to the high-tempo music. Gallows proved less challenging on the untrained ear to this genre.

As the concert climbed to its peak, Gallows showed themselves to be real entertainers. As they played their new song Vapid Adolescent Blues, they pushed their way further into the crowd, spreading themselves out to give more of the crowd even more chance to be directly involved. The lead singer ran up to the balcony and towered over his adoring audience. What a fantastic showman.

As a climax for this eccentric group of musicians, they made a beer slip n’ slide. There were guitarists and singers playing and These were extraordinary scenes – incredibly energetic albeit slightly destructive. It made for a very entertaining set, even if you were not a fan of hardcore punk.

Stephen Hickling

A Girl Called Ruth Photo | James Cohen

PULLED APART BY HORSES CLWB IFOR BACH | THURSDAY

A GIRL CALLED RUTH BUFFALO | THURSDAY

Something is amiss with Pulled Apart By Horses. The Leeds rockers have just cancelled what would have been their biggest tour next month, and when I ran into guitarist James he apologetically said they wouldn’t be doing any interviews because of ‘stuff that’s gone down’. Whatever has happened, it didn’t stop them playing the wild and raucous live show they’re well known for, with a setlist full of crowd pleasers that have even more venom injected into them played live. The audience were perhaps not quite as vicious as PABH’s average one, but a couple of moshing skinheads the size of bull elephants ensured that standing in the audience still had a certain degree of peril.

Let’s hope that whatever problems they have can be solved, as they played one of the most fun gigs I saw all weekend, and the short set time just left me wanting more.

Stephen Springate

With a gentle voice comparable to the likes of Ellie Goulding and Nerina Pallot, A Girl Called Ruth wowed the audience at Buffalo with nothing but her voice and a guitar. Her style is acoustic/ singer-songwriter style, not too dissimilar to Laura Marling in ways, and her songs are simple yet relatable, tackling issues 24 Hours. She really connected well with her audience thanks to her bright and cheerful disposition, and managed to make the stage her own by inserting her own personality into the performance as she engaged with the audience in songs like I Need a Man, which summed up her own ‘car-crash’ experiences with men. A Girl Called Ruth was a joy to watch and listen to, and I’d recommend her song Lullaby, as it was one of my favourites.

Alice Crabtree

Charlotte Church Photo | James Cohen

music@gairrhydd.com · @quenchmusic

Q seven

Photo | Rosin Alldis

BO NINGEN

selves on their band page. They all come from Japan, but formed in London in 2006. Since then, their sound They’ve toured with Toy and The Horrors, but that scribed by NME as a “krautrock-y throb and groove”, while The Guardian suggests “funk with a mathematicult to pin down.

Perhaps it’s this elusiveness that drew the crowds to the winner for the most packed-out, in-demand gig, the queue was down the street to get into the hot, sweaty room upstairs at Dempseys. Inside the tightly packed crowd was buzzing with anticipation. The four Japanese rockers, all with Rapunzel-long, black, sleek hair, took the stage dressed in beautiful robes, and played an intense and at times confusing mixture of sprawling prog rock, and up-tempo punk.

ting onstage to lashings of rapturous applause. The number of gig-goers in the Great Hall was impressive, and this was despite

Photo | James Cohen

Pieces would extend, seemingly endlessly at times, with lashings of feedback and blurry, echoed guitar riffs. Front man Taigen pulled shapes with remarkable seriousness, and the vocal line alternated between a staccato, screeched shout, and lower, more melodious sections. The band kept up their intense energy for a full hour-long set, highly impressive in the boiling room. At times, the endless repetition and excessive use of feedback did get a little tiresome, but at best the music was both hypnotic and aggressive, enough so to start a mosh pit in the tiny venue.

The crowd got so excited that they started tearing the bunting down, and perhaps the most insane moment was when a member of the crowd facially groped guitarist Kohhei. In response, he slung his guitar down, and kicked them. Then security took the guy away. Some people were still in shock after the gig. One member of the audience couldn’t stop saying “crazy”, while another asked me incredulously: “Did you know that they’re all men? I really fancied one of them as well.”

The atmosphere in the audience was amazing, with people screaming, singing along, and of course the infamous mosh pit, catapulting beer into the air.

“Long time no see, Cardiff”, Ryan languidly drawled into the mic. The band hadn’t played Cardiff, it seems, since four years ago, when they did the 2008 NME Awards Tour. Opening with “Come On, Be a No-One”, the set included a good balance of newer songs and old favourites, but it was a mixed performance from the Jarmans. When they got going, the playing was tight and energetic; spectators chanted along to “Hey Scenesters” with relish. Ryan’s emaciated frame jerked around the stage, bowl cut sticking to his sweaty forehead for “Another Number” – another crowd-pleaser.

Vocals from Ryan sounded strained, which he explained halfway through: “I’ve just been diagnosed with quite severe asthma… I’m doing this gig against doctor’s orders.” He took a few puffs, to a cheer and wolf-whistle. Fair play, struggling through his illness like that to play for the fans is pretty awesome. But a few features jarred with the rock-and-roll ideals The Cribs supposedly still uphold. A massive, extremely cushty-looking tour bus was one of them; another was their ludicrous promise of their “longest set ever”… they played for about an hour. Most annoying, though, was the half-hearted interaction with the crowd (much shoegazing), and Ryan’s insistence on repeatedly knocking over his mic-stand. It might have been cooler, had it not meant his roadie had to scuttle onstage and immediately put it back up for him. Not so rock.

Indie-rockers Frankie & the Heartstrings graced the stage in the Great Hall on Friday night, performing just before The Cribs.

Best known for songs such as “Hunger” and “Everybody Looks Better (In The Right Light)”, the boys from Sunderland seem to tune into the realms of pop. They’re the kind of songs that feature call-and-response cries with which the audience are encouraged to join in – it seems the band are determined for some of their singles to be viewed as anthems. Who knows, maybe one day they will be; there have certainly been worse songs that have earned that status. It would also be a crime not to mention the hilariously bizarre dance moves of lead singer Frankie Francis, who was constantly gyrating and wiggling his way across the stage.

Francis had an intense, slightly terrifying, yet captivating gaze throughout the whole concert, but the upbeat nature of the songs made up for this and it just added to the band’s quirky nature.

Stealing Sheep Photo | Luke Slade

I went into this gig pretty much blind, I didn’t even expect to be presented with a stage of female artists producing notes of electronic post-rock wonder.

The room was, as to be expected from Chapter, fairly mellow when I say that the ensemble of synth, electric guitar & drums (with the odd hint of Lyre) lead us all into a state of melodic euphoria. I often found myself simply smiling.

When their vocals weaved and coalesced with the instruments it created something delightfully detailed and intricate; it became hard to imagine them singing apart.

Their album came home with me and they were a standout

interview

Photo | Roisin Alldis

of weeks ago, we got asked to be on the bill. We were a bit nervous about meeting them, but they were really sound guys, really friendly.

forget about it six months later, but we’re not too conscientious about what we do we tend to run with our instincts… Can I just say hello to all the readers of Quench? I love that magazine!

We’re currently recording the second album, which will be released in the new year. It’s quite – bands we’ve been listening to as we’re writing and recording the new album.

ever make any money, we’ll know how to invest it!

We’d written a batch of songs that we knew were different to what we were known for and we were unsure what to do with them. We wanted to surprise people. We love the songs on the later

music@gairrhydd.com · @quenchmusic

Q

CLOCK OPERA CLOCK OPERA CLWB IFOR BACH | SUNDAY

Rosey Brown

INTERVIEW Rosey Brown interviews front man Guy Connelly and keyboardist Dan Armstrong

of festivals over the summer.

festival.

I hear you’ve been touring crazily this year. Been the writing.

The Prisoner

I look forward to your set.

Your debut album, Ways to Forget, came out in

The Culture Review

FRINGE

Richard James Presents: In Chapters

Dr Freud’s Cabaret

Thom Hollick

Carl Chapple Interview

Live and Unplugged with Artes Mundi

twelve Q

Firstly, Carl, could you tell me about the main inspirations behind your work?

came about?

events this year?

Jess Rayner

Sophie Thirlwell

Sophie Thirlwell

Thom Hollick

Thom Hollick

ISLET

Thom Hollick

路

Q thirteen

interview Stephen Springate

Every time we go to Cardiff something fucks up. We had issues with our microphone and being able to loop the vocals, and that’s integral to the majority of our songs so it was pretty hard playthat was alright.

We are interrupted by a man selling roses who is very insistent on Rick buying a glittery hat off of him, despite politely insisting that he doesn’t have his wallet on him. This scene goes on for a few minutes...

Me and the drummer have been in various bands since we were kids, but Tall Ships have been that’s a good or a bad thing! We feel like we can take old songs in a different direction, towards how they were meant to be.

annual Welsh Music Prize concert, a night celebrating the Stephens and festival promoter John Rostron, the Welsh Music

WELSH MUSIC PRIZE

cheering and singing along.

GWOBR GERDDORIAETH GYMREIG

The evening kicked off with Cardiff-based Kutosis, who were nominated for their debut album Fanatical Love. Their intense but clever blend of shouty punk and progressive rock sounded

T

M, a sharp contrast that instantly demonstrated the wide range of music on offer. With gentle

Kutosis Photo | Roisin Alldis

S

louder competition.

Sadly a few of the nominated bands couldn’t make the evening Campesions! and Future Of The Left videos were also shown throughout the night), with their music video for Matters At All projected for the crowd. After

Future of the Left - The Plot Against Common Sense Jodie Marie - Mountain Echo

with rollicking yet intelligent instrumental rock, reminiscent

Kutosis - Fanatical Love

shift in styles followed with Jodie Marie taking things down a step or two. Accompanied with just an acoustic guitar, her sweet voice went some way to

T

compensate for her less than overwhelming song writing.

W

lifting it certainly was, but it unfortunately didn’t add anything to an already saturated genre. featuring duelling bass guitars, the band stood out from the other nominees sonically but it was clear that their music was still essentially pop music at the heart.

Welsh but it was certainly enjoyable.

fourteen Q

music@gairrhydd.com ·

F T

PLOT A

LEFT C

S

upgraded from a three-piece to a four piece for their third album, Future of the Left wowed critics with their textured yet catchy music.

An American Mummy and other ghost stories Words & Photo: Victoria Goodhew

I

t was on the London Underground a few years ago that

who was reading The Telegraph

features@gairrhydd.com 路 @qfeatures

Q

Can bare breasts be laid to rest?

Illustration: Nathaniel Quinn

The Sun

Glamour

The Sun edi

The Sun

The Times market.

news owner of The Sun the Daily Star The Sun as the Daily Mirror and the Daily Star suit.

The Sun The Sun The Sun Daily Mirror The Sun

The Sun

The Independent

The Sun

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features@gairrhydd.com 路 @qfeatures

RUN CARDIFF RUN I is an understatement.

ing and dying. Naturally, the obvious way to show the guy respect was to replicate this event for years to come, with the slightly more realistic distance of 26.2 miles (hopefully without the dramatic ending). Unlike Ancient Greek tradition, you won’t get an olive wreath if you win, and would probably get arrested if you ran naked like the Greeks did, but you can raise a lot of money for charity while proving your determination and dedication. the race. After a monotonous week consisting of nothing

Marathons have become a worldwide phenomenon, with more than 500 held worldwide annually. With no sign of slowing down any time soon, events include the North Pole Marathon, in which participants run on ice; getting cheered on by Mickey Mouse in the Walt Disney World Marathon; and The Big Five Marathon in South Africa, in which you run straight through a wildlife reserve – what could be better motivation than a tiger or two at your heels? While the London 2012 marathon is the UK’s most famous event, the half marathon is (excuse the pun) catching up, with over 18,000 runners for the 10th anniversary of the Cardiff Half Marathon.

minutes.

thons for many years to come.

The marathon was allegedly created to commemorate a Greek messenger who ran 150 miles non-stop over 2,500 years ago to deliver a message, before promptly collaps-

features@gairrhydd.com · @qfeatures

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Columnist

Are you not entertained?

by Rachel Moloney

T

oday, I woke up with one of the worst hangovers of my life. But I manned up, struggled out of bed and made it to the Careers Fair – so at least today wasn’t a total failure.

However, less than three hours away, in the over-privileged and perfect world of Chelsea, the gang returned from a luxury holiday to St Tropez and excitably started to prepare themselves for the boys’ house party. Now I can’t be said to know much about everyone’s daily lives, as that would be creepy, but I would imagine that few people honestly live like the Made in Chelsea cast. Am I right? Or is my life just in need of a serious overhaul?

But that’s the way so-called reality shows work. In fact, they’re more like unreality shows, as larger-than-life characters with ridiculous names (I mean, who’s ever heard of a Lateysha, Arg or Binky?) are instructed to follow one rule alone: act like a total moron.

This is particularly evident in MTV’s latest offering, The Valleys, which has courted much controversy over the past month. Proud Welshie Charlotte Church ranted a little on Twitter to say that you should “feel sorry for those young adults who are set up to look like fools and will suffer long after because of it”. Fine words from a woman who’s not exactly known for having a squeaky-clean past of her own.

However, she does have a point. If excitable blonde Carley ever wants to be a teacher or lawyer, for instance (unlikely, I know), she’ll have to hang her head in shame as employers everybody in the room. And – surprise, surprise – she won’t get the job.

The Valleys with a slight sense of obligation to the city I study in and got very excited when I saw them sticking up posters down my road. Yet something did bug me. They all said that Cardiff was a place of dreams, where they had a chance and a future. So why did they then proceed to go out and get absolutely wasted? Instead of waking up fresh-faced and raring to go, they woke up with the mother of all hangovers. Not the best start to their lifechanging opportunity.

The show itself is a response to the equally terrible (but dare I say it, fascinating) Geordie Shore, which in turn is inspired by the original Jersey Shore. I’ve never seen the American

eighteen Q

equivalent, yet I painfully watched Pauly D on Ellen, and he didn’t even know who was running against Barack Obama in the upcoming Presidential Election. It’s Mitt Romney for the record. Vacuous, orange and lairy individuals clearly live on the Jersey Shore, yet they also seemingly exist in every other reality show on TV. So what’s the point of drawing attention to all these regional variations, if you just show the same types of people going out on the town and downing shots? All it does is all. Well, apart from the accent.

And as the reality show invasion continues, few areas in the UK will be able to escape the intense gaze of the cameras.

Blackpool Lights is rumoured to be appearing on our screens in the near future and Made in Manchester has already been speculated and then denied by production company Monkey

If Joey Essex went to Tesco and bought a bag of crisps, that would be just as boring as watching a cat sleep

to appear on the show). And let’s not forget Desperate Scousewives. OK, maybe we will, as it was awful and has been axed, but Being Liverpool (currently on Channel 5) switches the focus to yet another group of ‘unreal’ people; namely the city’s football stars as they work and relax at home.

Now, this may come as a shock, but I do not live in a mansion Made in Chelsea. I also don’t get paid to go out every night and have my picture taken every time I leave the house. It’s a sad state of affairs, but that’s the truth. And I feel like it’s the same for the majority of people. So what are reality shows really trying to achieve?

Ultimately, of course, they’re simply trying to entertain the nation. We just can’t get enough of downright irritating individuals to bitch about, laugh at and shock us, and it is vital that these willing show-offs act in ways that are totally outrageous and unreal. If Joey Essex went to Tesco and bought a bag of crisps, that would be just as boring as watching a cat sleep. If MIC’s Millie caught the bus to get to her cleaning job on time, that would not only be surprising (she’d ruin her nails), but also incredibly tedious.

So we all need a dash of unreality to make our own mundane and normal lives just that little bit more fun. As the rain falls outside and you’re stuck at home doing work, look forward to turning on the TV and watching TOWIE or Geordie Shore. But just be glad it’s not your own life; it looks far too hectic.

Fashion&Beauty

BAROQUE IS THE NEW BLACK Think excess and opulence with intricate patterns and jewels that are likely to bedazzle even the most discerning of people. If it doesn’t wow it isn’t worth it, and if

Words: Jacqueline Kilikita

Lace peplum: £16.00, New Look

Lace Jacket: £19.99, New Look.

It seems the peplum has undergone a radical

As seen on the backs of the uber stylish Pippa Middleton and Mischa Barton, lace print owes its comeback to the boom of Baroque. The intricate lace makes this jacket beautifully dainty while the harsh black bordering

transformation this season with many high street shops littered with the long lasting and most coveted garment. This gorgeous peplum from New Look oozes sheer sophistication from the baroque style patterning.

Drawing on both sheer and velvet textures, it’s hard to resist such a steal.

An absolute bargain at just £19.99.

Panelled Dress: £39.99, River Island.

Perfect for any club night out, this dress is only slightly Let the print do the talking by pairing the dress with a pair of black patent heels and a matching clutch to add shine and to complement the gold and silver ornamentation of the panelling.

Bracelet: £10, Topshop reminiscent of royal jewellery boxes and likely to impress even the drabbest dressers. The chain effect offsets the

Earrings: £12.50, Dorothy Perkins Inject an air of lavishness into your look by investing in some statement ear candy. Load your lobes with jewels to make sure you exude an air of importance wherever you go this autumn. It’s a case of ‘The bigger the better’, with designers like Valentino jumping on the Baroque bandwagon and adorning his models with every jewel imaginable.

But don’t keep other accessories to a minimum as the

Leggings: £6, New Look.

Team baroque print leggings with a sheer black blouse for a gothic meets Parisian look. Don’t forget Clutch: £35, Dorothy Perkins. accompanying it with a striking baroque clutch. This gorgeous structured bag will provide you with all the glitz you need for a night out. What’s more, the box style is oh so practical and will certainly keep your lippie safe.

high platforms to add to the allure and highlight the glamour. After all, Baroque style is all about extravagance.

Designer nail wraps: £7.50, River Island with River Island plying the most fashion conscious with these amazing 3D nail wraps. Treat your talons to every bit of dazzle they deserve by simply cutting the wrap to the shape of your nail. Sparkle and simplicity, you say? We are impressed!

fashion@gairrhydd.com · @quenchfashion

Q nineteen

Fashion&Beauty

The Stiletto:

Do you betray the sisterhooD?

Words: Stephanie Goward | Photo: Dimitris Kyriakopoulos

C

lomping through the moonlit streets of Cardiff in my ever-comfortable, yet perhaps a little unsightly Doc Martens, I feel empathy for the girls tottering by in their vertiginous structures. I feel empathy because I, too, have been there. I have wobbled my way home on many an occasion and have prised the suckers off my feet come the end of the night; it isn’t pretty, no matter how expensive the shoe. Although it hurts, playing dress-up is super fun, so I continue this torturous past time.

Many women claim that bearing the pain of heels ‘betrays’ the sisterhood. Sheila Jeffreys, author of ‘Beauty and Misogyny: Harmful Cultural Practices in the West’ and Professor in Political Science at the University of Melbourne expresses her disdain: “Men have traditionally demanded that women walk and dance in pain and gained great sexual satisfaction from this. The fashion industry that creates the rules is dominated by men.” Jeffreys sees our fashion fetishism as a form of selfharm and on par with wearing tightly-laced corsets and even foot-binding.

“20,000 women a year are hospitalised due to frivolous footwear” Of course, this is just one point of view and one that not many girls on St. Mary’s Street on a Saturday night would agree with.

twenty Q

She does, however, make a great point. Thousands of British women are rendered immobile by high heels and corrective surgery is costing up to £29 million a year through treatments for bunion or corn removal, toe straightening and joint replacement. Shockingly, up to 20,000 women a year are hospitalised due to accidents caused by their frivolous footwear.

But it isn’t just the aftermath of wearing heels that is worrying; ‘foot-jobs’ are also on the rise. Treatments range from padbetter cushioning for those towering tootsies, to Botox injecfurther with prolonged use of the footwear leading to stress fractures, back and hip problems, incontinence and even issues with fertility. As an out-and-out feminist, my reaction to these crippling constructions should be one of disgust. Why is it then, that I am so enamored, and feel no desire to surrender my stilettos?

Shoes that are easy on the eye never fail to improve your image, regardless of how one feels about said image, anyway.

Whether you feel fat or thin, or even just a little glum, a good pair of shoes can lift your spirits and make you feel that litpaws too. The dulcet tones of Paolo Nutini declare that he “put some new shoes on and suddenly everything was right”. Both men and women share the ritual of ‘dressing for occasions’, but the important distinction is how.

If we think about the way a pair of heels alters your stance, they sexualise the frame by accentuating your boobs and arch-

fashion@gairrhydd.com · @quenchfashion

ing your back, instantly granting them the lofty status of aphrodisiacs. We stalk around like elevated peacocks with the angle of our buttocks altered by 20 or 30 degrees, creating a more – it’s a tale as old as time. Perhaps the self-harm aspect to it can up the mating stakes.

“Flats aren’t just for the elderly or Germaine Greer” the domain of the elderly or Germaine Greer. The beauty of the perfectly formed pump or classic loafer mustn’t be undertummy like a cracking set of stilettos are said to achieve. Heels allow us a little homo-vestite indulgence. Indeed, the stiletto takes its name from a weapon – a knife with a long, slender blade and needle-like point. So, who says women can’t use it as such? It is a weapon of strong femininity, of standing tall and looking a man straight in the eyes. Heels are objects we can now transform into something to exploit and enjoy. We can hack away at that glass ceiling with the killer edge of those killer heels. A few blisters (or a broken ankle) will never get in the way of that.

Fashion&Beauty

R E V I EW S

B Mac Marilyn Monroe The Matte Mouth E Preview Evening, Cardiff, 1st October A U T Y F A S Best Buys H I O N E V On your marks, get set, shop!

E N T S Creamy matte lips are the big makeup trend this season, why not add some texture, colour and dimension to your pout! Try a vibrant shade of red for a sophisticated, evening look and a pretty pink lip for daytime. Matte lips can be a texture lipstick will make colour last longer without drying

Color in 12 different shades, available for £14. For those not wanting to break the bank, but explore The Matte Mouth, a particular favourite of mine is Revlonsmatte lipstick Matte lipstick can look striking against a

feels too bold, add colours to contrast your matte lips with a rosy blusher for dewy cheeks, and soft eye shadow shades in browns or smokey pinks for shimmery eyes.

Beauty tip dryness, prepare your lips well by applying plenty of lip balm, then leave for a few

Vicky Gadsden

Marilyn Monroe is arguably one of the world’s most famous beauty icons. Mac has taken inspiration from the 1950’s beauty bringing you a brand new, exclusive collection. So, along with other avid Mac fans I went

on one of the most covetable make-up collections this A/W. One of the chief Mac make-up artists fresh from London Fashion Week, provided an expert master class to demonstrate the detail involved in achieving Marilyn Monroe’s effortless (yeah, right) sex appeal and Hollywood glamour.

From classic red lipsticks to highlighters and shimmering eye shadows, each product in the range portrays Marilyn’s iconic beauty and features sleek black and white packaging bearing an image of the star. Must- have product? Lipstick in Charmed I’m Sure, £15.50 for the infamous Marilyn pout.

Available now.

Olivia Reidy

“If you're gonna be two-faced at least make one of them

This online exclusive from New

Taking inspiration from Lavin and Topshop Unique this A/W, these Zara TRF shoe boots are the perfect way to take you from day to night. Wear with a midi length skirt and pile on the layers for a casual day look, or team with leather trousers for a more dressed up feel. Store in your wardrobe for rainy, cold days and whip out for casual evening drinks. They are hot on

Priced at only £29.99 they are the ideal bargain for dwindling student loans and perfect for spontaneous events this winter.

Sally Wilson

The blazer is perfect to throw on over jeans and a tee for a daytime look or to add to a party dress in the cold winter months. The glitzy shoulder pads are in keeping with this seasons trend of studded leather. The brand ‘Diffuse’ do ‘bold, edgy statement pieces for the fashion conscious girl’ including this amazing jacket.

New in this week so go online and order before they all run out.

Sophie Chamberlain

I am a sucker for a bargain so it would have been mad of me not to take advantage of the biggest shopping event to hit Cardiff. And what’s best, it’s exclusive to us students. ‘St David’s Student Lock In’ was back for its third year and it seemed to be bigger and better than ever, attracting over 20,000 students. With the majority of stores offering up to 25% off, it was a great way to breathe new life into the student wardrobe without dipping into the dreaded overdraft.

If you had your eye on that irresistible pair of shoes or this season’s must-have studded boots then it was the time to spend, spend, spend! Students poured in left, right and centre, so, next time make sure you plan your purchases well in advance.

It is certainly an annual bookmark for your fashion calendar that allows you to give into your inner fashionista and indulge in some discounted retail therapy.

Menna Jones

fashion@gairrhydd.com · @quenchfashion

B E A U T Y F A S H I O N E V E N T S

Q twenty-one

Travel

PACK MORE Making sure you have the right things in your backpack or suitcase is an important step to take before travelling.

Thankfully, Rachel Victoria Lewis is here with plenty of tips and advice to make sure you go away with everything you need.

into your travel

These travel packing tips will help you pack more into your holiday and avoid any mistakes that could spoil your trip. You may be carrying your life on your back for weeks or maybe even months and your backpack will function as your little snail home. In this nomadic lifestyle, you’ll need to learn to travel light and embrace your inner hobo, saying goodbye to any fantasies of diva-like entrances into airport terminals. If you’re worried about what to pack then check out this easy, four-stage guide and you’ll be prepared no matter what adventure you face.

1. IMPORTANT

DOCUMENTS AND

STEALABLES

When you’re excited about all of the places you’re going to explore, the last things you want to think about are ‘worst case scenarios’. I can’t promise to equip you Liam Neeson-style, but I can help you make yourself theft-proof. Firstly, your appearance (no offence) is going to help your case because you’re going to look somewhere along the scale of traveller to street urchin (depending on how native you've gone) so no-one will ever think you’re packing an SLR, smartphone or iPad in your backpack. Secondly, shove everything important down your pants. The best invention I've found is attaching a money belt clipped to a screw carabiner on your belt loop. Inside this wallet you’ll want to keep your currency, passport, bank card, E111 card, and a piece of paper with all the in a stand-off ‘Gimme your milk money!’ situation, make yourself a dummy wallet. coinage in there, and a wad of monopoly money. The only thing you’ll have to worry about then is putting on your best Oscar-winning performance in front of the thief of how damn upset you are.

2. HEALTH our awful British weather. It can be tempting to try every local delicacy, but your budget likely won’t stretch that far, so I’d advise taking a Tupperware box and packing lunches.

If you want to be a little more adventurous, try cooking meals at your hostel/host’s house the night before and take them on your travels the next day. It will be equally important can build up quite an expense. I’d recommend investing in a 2-litre water bottle carrier, buying bottled water daily and taking advantage of water fountains where you can. You probably won’t be getting a great supply of vitamins either, so try taking some basic herbal supplements like Moringa, which is basically like multivitamins except your body absorbs it much better than pills. A good stock of pharma products can help painkillers, travel sickness tablets and Valium (if you ask your doc nicely). bandage, eye wash, and a good pair of scissors. Also prepare for lotion for burned skin, sun tan lotion and hay fever tablets.

3. CLOTHING, HAIR BEAUTY

AND

Packing clothes can be a tedious and ruthless process because, unfortunately, you need to pack practically. Lightcoloured clothes will get dirty quickly and you’ll have to leave behind anything that creases easily, because it’s going to look even worse after it’s been stuffed at the bottom of your rucksack for weeks. You’ll have to do a lot of dressing up to get this formula right, but make sure you can mix and match every top/bottom item you have so everything can be worn as much as possible. Another unavoidable reality is your feet will blister and sweat if you don’t get a good pair

twenty-two Q travel@gairrhydd.com · @quench_travel

of walking sandals. These chunky bad boys cost £20–30 (try Brasher or Karrimor), but you can always keep a pretty pair for chilled days and evenings out. You will have to cut down your typical beauty product regime too, so here’s a few products that save on space and messy bottles bursting in your bag. Lush sell shampoo and conditioner bars in tins that last over 100 washes, and natural scented perfume sticks that I swear last a year or two. Pack an exfoliating soap in a container instead of shower gel, and moisturisers in a pot rather than bottle. For girls, your skin is going to clear up and get darker, so buy a darker concealer than usual, and keep make-up minimal because sticky, thick make-up doesn’t feel great in 30 degree heat.

4. Gadgets and Entertainment life a hell of a lot easier. I invested in a relatively cheap tablet PC (£100 on Amazon) and it was a lifesaver in situations where I had no idea where I was and had no idea where their services. I wouldn’t recommend taking smartphones because of horror stories of customers who have returned home to £3,000 bills because they’ve been connected to 3G throughout their entire trip. If you want to contact people, just use Facebook, Skype and payphones. It also removes another easily stealable item.

Finally, if you have an interest in photography and producing a great picture, try eBay for an SLR camera. Most sellers are experts who have upgraded to a newer model, so the beautiful places you visit in the closest way to how you see them.

Travel

PLANNING TRAVEL AS A STUDENT: Travelling on a student budget may seem very unrealistic. Saving money while paying to live and study in a vibrant city is a daunting prospect. In addition to this, summer travelling is often associated with the thought of an expensive round-the-world ticket to Australia, America, Thailand, India, Singapore, and other equally exotic and faraway places. What many people may not realise is that there is a lot to see closer to home in Europe.

There are many ways to travel around Europe. Buying a train pass with Rail Europe or InterRail is one option, or travelling with coach tour operators such as Eurolines and Busabout is another.

The advantage of travelling in a continent with many landlocked countries becomes apparent as it means you can avoid

Europe

any day within any country.

Unfortunately, money still seems to be the biggest restraint when wanting to go abroad. For students who have an emptier timetable part time work is an option for saving extra than other cities, student loans seem to stretch that little bit further and money earned from part-time work may be that little bit easier to save.

Furthermore, there are many students who choose to book a week in the sun at the end of the academic year, travelling during the summer months to top holiday and party destiplaces can end up costing around £1,000 when taking into

Safety often plays a large part when planning a trip. Travelling in Europe and immersing yourself in a similarly Western the world but having very little knowledge of where you’re staying can make you extremely vulnerable. Using websites such as Trip Advisor can be really handy when deciding where to stay, where to avoid, and how far away local amenities are from your accommodation and places of interest.

Where to go? That seems to be the most important issue when planning a trip. It purely depends on what you want to gain from the experience. Prioritise your reasons for travelling and base your trip around those reasons. If you’re interested in history, pinpoint the historic places of importance you’d like to visit. If you want to improve your language skills, perhaps consider less-developed resorts where there are fewer tourists and more native speakers. If you want to gain some work experience abroad, then search for vacancies before leaving so that you can increase your chances of employment once on your travels. But for those who just want list of ‘mustsee’ destinations, and there is no way you’ll cover all 3,837,000 square miles of Europe. So simply go wherever you fancy and your trip will be what you make of it!

Did you know that the supermarket Natasha Smith ASDA not only sells groceries but also

of course, drinking! This money could stretch a lot further if a change of scenery, the chance to meet new people and a bit of sun is all you want.

Quench PASSPORT Name: becca eustis

region: tuscany

Country: italy

Pssssssst!

what they have on offer at www.asda-travel.

W

ith its lush, rolling hills, sapphire skies and golden farmhouses, the Tuscan countryside is rightly famous for its beauty. However, if the rural idyll is not for you, a city break in one of the great towns is equally enthralling. But which one? Pisa, Siena, Florence – all are celebrated for different reasons and choosing can be impossible, but with a bit of careful planning, you can soak up the charms of each one in a long weekend.

The committed culture vulture will already have a long list of things to do in the home of the Renaissance, but even the culturally clueless will know that a great place to start is everybody’s favourite architectural cock-up, the Leaning Tower of Pisa. After the ubiquitous posing pictures, the city can be best appreciated by a walk along the river Arno at twilight, the time for a passeggiata, when the locals all come out to stroll, see and be seen.

This is a fabulous thing to do in Florence as well, though the best views of the city come from a trip to the amusingly-named Boboli Gardens south of the river. After a long day exploring the cultural treasures of the city that was home to Dante, Da Vinci and Michelangelo, a picnic in the shade of the gardens is the ideal way to unwind.

The city of Siena is perhaps the least famous of the trio, but not to be overlooked. The historical centre of the city is a warren of twisting streets surPalio, takes place twice a year. Spend a few hours getting lost in the winding side streets before heading to the stunning gothic cathedral or the church of San Domenico for great views across town to the elegant bell tower.

things to look out for in the region are the meat dishes (especially steak or would almost be rude not to enjoy a glass or two!

If a long weekend is all you can spare, the cities of Tuscany are a relaxing, eye-wateringly beautiful place to spend your holiday, but don’t be surprised if you are seduced into returning again and again to discover more!

Want your own Quench Passport? Email us your story to travel@gairrhydd.com

travel@gairrhydd.com · @quench_travel

Q twenty-three

LGBT+

Here come the...

As EastEnders UK TV history was made on October 16th, when EastEnders screened its the show

EastEnders

three-year storyline that has seen taboos

Grooms

Imaan today.

That John Partridge and Marc Elliott letters

E

In 1987, EastEnders screened the

writer

with this assessment, the

EastEnders, it cannot be denied

While certain tabloid media blew hot air on

power and social reach than any Stonewall campaign or pride march What EastEnders

complaints shows great progress, shows that there

relationship between two men, as epitomised in the all, as John Partridge, who

What are you watching?

Espenson and Brad Bell, is the sitcom

.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

(Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, Geek & Sundry , Castle Caprica Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dollhouse, The Avengers

twenty-four Q lgbt@gairrhydd.com

who are willing to listen.

REVIEWS Albums

Music

COMING UP 2.11 The Complete Stone Roses Clwb Ifor Bach Couldn’t afford to see the real article’s reunion gig this summer? Settle for the next best thing when this faithful tribute band take their act to Cardiff next week.

5.11 The Killers w/ Tegan & Sera Cardiff Motorpoint Arena The American rockers are back with a new album and whistle-stop stadium tour to the UK, which sees them play Cardiff on Monday 5th. Supported by the mighty Tegan & Sara, this is going to be one of the biggest shows to hit Cardiff this year.

MELODY’S ECHO CHAMBER MELODY’S ECHO CHAMBER (FAT POSSUM) 15.11.12

CLINIC FREE REIGN (DOMINO) 12.11.12

Melody Prochet is a classically trained musician who has enlisted Kevin Parker of Tame Impala to produce her dreampop album. Music snobs will be drooling after her relentlessly, but so should you; she’s made a wonderful, scuzzy sojourn into Sixties psychedelica with a wonderful voice at its helm.

Lead single “I Follow You” contains the album’s greatest riff, a modest, nostalgic affair with a home-made country feel to it, and the bassline of “Mount Hopeless” is funky enough to remedy the gloomy synth tones.

The record will be challenging for some; having compressed

Back with their seventh album, you’d think that Liverpoolbased band Clinic would have brought something new to the table. Sadly, Free Reign provides not much more than a party soundtrack, i.e. one to be drowned out by shouting, cheering and drinking. Despite the slightly catchy intro of “Cosmic

language tracks, instrumentals, and a song about the Andes plane crash cannibalism. What’s remarkable is how easy a listen this all is. Like all the best dream-pop, it washes over you while still leaving an impression.

Prochet said her mission in recruiting Parker was to achieve “the right balance between something pretty and something wild”. Mission accomplished.

Jimmy Dunne

8

10

7.11

not an album to be distracted by.

With the majority of the songs lasting for four minutes or over, much of the album fails to grab your attention within the You” seem to leave little lasting impression. Given the synthy nature of the album, to an ear not tuned in to the latest techno music it becomes increasingly hard to differentiate between songs as the album progresses, and although the overall sound of the album is competent, it is also arguably “samey”. If you’re a fan of Clinic’s previous work, however, do not be disheartened – Free Reign is just as generic and will probably retain as much of a cult, indie-kid following as many of their earlier releases.

Charlie Mock

4

10

Patrick Wolf The Gate Arts and Community Centre Electronic alt-folk singer Patrick Wolf graces The Gate for a stripped-back acoustic set of his extensive back catalogue.

11.11 The Civil Wars Solus The Grammy-nominated alt-folk country duo are set to play at the union in a couple of weeks. Expect them to bring a slice of sunny Americana to rainy South Wales.

SINGLES ANDY BURROWS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I CAN (PLAY IT AGAIN SAM) 08.10.12 Because I Know That I Can is certainly more Razorlight than We Are Scientists, though it’s a far cry from any of either’s big hits. The recently released single (taken from the album Company, released 22.10.12) from the drummer who has had his part in both bands’ success stories is, however, exactly what we need as the temperatures are dropping outside; the warm, jangly guitar riffs and soothingly melodic vocals provide an excellent walking song with a distinctly 70s folk-rock feel. “Because I Know your taste, but particularly for fans of Mumford & Sons and Frank Turner.

Charlie Mock

7 10

FEATURED BAND 14.11 Oh No Yoko! w/ Samoans and Shankland

Brilliantly named Canadian math-poppers take their charmingly eccentric and energetic show to Europe, Wednesday 14th. Local support from indie-punk bands Samoans and Shankland also guarantee a good night.

music@gairrhydd.com · @quenchmusic

Q

Words: Amy Pay

1930s-1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

21st Century

twenty-six Q

路

Film

“I’M DRIVEN BY MY INSECURITIES” Magpie Colin wowed audiences across the world, especially in Asia; did you ever believe that it would create such a big impact?

zombies?

Colin

industry?

Magpie

The Vampire Diaries

Is it a conscious decision to continue with the fragmented families theme, or do you just think that it is something that an audience can relate to?

Colin Magpie

Colin] Vampire Diaries

Martin Scorsese said it “had an energy that took the zombie idea to another level”; what was

Oh dear! Because you had all this positive feedback, has it made you more relaxed about making another feature?

director to say that about your

“I didn’t expect anyone apart from my friends to see Colin”

Colin provided a sort of template just pick up their camcorders

Colin Where is it that you get your Magpie

Colin

That’s really sad. I feel a bit cruel continuing to ask questions after that.

Magpie.

Magpie Colin Magpie Colin’.

Colin Magpie

Magpie.

Colin

That is a bonus to your trade.

Do you have any tips or advice for students at Cardiff who are

·

@Marc_V_Price

Q twenty-seven

Film COMING SOON...

REVIEWS On the Road

TO A CINEMA NEAR YOU THIS FORTNIGHT

DIRECTOR: STARRING:

W FUN SIZE Release Date | October 29th

Twilight On the Road

On the Road

CHASING MAVERICKS Release Date | November 2nd

6

RATING:

Ruby Sparks DIRECTORS: STARRING:

FOR A GOOD TIME, CALL Release Date | November 2nd

W Ruby Sparks

RUST AND BONE Release Date | November 2nd

Ruby Sparks

6.5

RATING:

Paranormal Activity 4

THE MASTER Release Date | November 2nd

DIRECTORS: STARRING:

W ARGO Release Date | November 7th Paranormal Activity 4

Paranormal Activity 4 Sinister

RATING:

twenty-eight Q

路

HERE COMES THE BOOM Release Date | November 9th

Silent Hill 2

5.5

Trailer Trash

SCREEN TEST Here’s something

CARRIE

Release date: April 2013 Carrie

A

Carrie

Boys Don’t Cry

..

Stop Loss

B

.

Becky Johnson

C

FIVE FILMS FOR...

KEEPING YOU ON TENTERHOOKS

.

E

4. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

5. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011)

.

E. D. B. A.

2. The Shining (1980)

D

C.

1. Psycho (1960)

.

·

Q twenty-nine

Food&Drink

Things you should have known before you started cooking A BRIEF GUIDE TO CULINARY DISASTERS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM all fails, it is 2-for-1 on a Tuesday!). It should also stretch further than a cheese and crisp sandwich or heating up last night’s Chinese.

Moving into halls is a new experience for everyone! Seeing how people do things differently homemade lasagnes, and shocking, like the one who couldn’t boil an egg! With copious amounts of alcohol and abnormal sleeping patterns, the least we can do is fuel our bodies appropriately. So, if you are a wannabe Ramsay or wish you were the guy off Man v. Food, I have devised, from my own experiences, some food for thought.

1.

I did from my own pocket was a big shocker, especially with meat and veg.

So before you start cooking it, you need to learn where to get the best deals. I

T

oday’s budding freshers have no excuse to not be competent in the kitchen. Even if Come Dine with Me is our only resource, we should all know the basic do’s and don’ts before we leave home to attempt world domination, or at best, independence. Competence in the kitchen does not include the careful placing of a Dominos from its box to a plate and the squeezing of ketchup (although if

longer. However, if you are feeling fresh… go to Lidl, it never fails.

2. Microwaves. Knowing what you can and can’t put in the microwave would have saved us a few explosions and sparks. Plastic, metallic objects and foil is a no; china and Tupperware is a yes.

3. The difference between the oven and the grill setting on the cooker. I strongly suggest that one of shared kitchen is learn how to navigate the oven settings. In my case, this would have avoided walk-

was touching the top of the oven would speed up the process! Inevitably, her pie caught alight, and when gry... but not as angry as the guy who had to replace our scorched oven.

4. The correct quantity of rice/pasta. The amount of rice and pasta I have wasted over my three years at uni is shameful; especially when cooking for just myself, I always manage to make enough to feed an a small mug, test how full it needs to be for your perfect portion and stick with it, it will save you money!

5. The wok. If you don’t already own one, go and buy one. You can cook pretty much anything in a wok, and fairly quickly as well. Instead of taking with you one big pan, one small pan, a frying pan and a casserole dish, just take one large pan and a wok (just make sure you take care of the non-stick bottom).

6. Condiments. If you are, like me, a condiment fan, then you won’t need telling, but if you aren’t I suggest that the next time you have a spare couple of quid you buy a new condiment. Condiments either make your dinner even tastier or hide any culinary mistakes.

I hope these tips can prevent you from making the same mistakes that I and others have, and also save you some pennies! If you can conquer the kitchen, it leaves more time to concentrate on what is really important when embarking on your academic career: socialising!

was cooking a pie on what she thought was the oven setting, and also thought that making sure the pie

T

here is a golden rule about beginnings: they are

low your disappointment and the burnt frittata, the sun should start shining on your plate.

I have started my university experience knowing barely anything about cooking real food. Except for a few cake recipes, inherited from my mother, I felt like a complete disappointment to the family’s pride as the host of numerous decadent dinners. The only person to blame would be me and my former lack of interest in the preparation of anything that didn’t involve sugar and cream.

Here I was: myself and the pan, trying to tame the chopped onion. Second shot: early morning international phone conference on how to boil an egg. Everything for the sake of an appropriate alimentation, but the battle was only commencing.

The Western semi-processed promises seemed way too unappealing and nutrient-lacking, so I simply refused to add any in my supermarket trolley. Instead, way onto the top bar of my internet browser. Some might call it pretentious, others might call it ignorant, but my attempt to cook my own meals from scratch was nothing but the result of a repressed wish to understand the kitchen’s mysterious processes.

When looking back, now as an already intermediate learner, there are a few tips I wish I had known about

thirty Q food@gairrhydd.com · @quenchfood

Emma-Louise Pritchard

before and maybe my life as a gastronomy apprentice would have followed straighter paths.

Experiment. This works wonders, especially for salads. Don’t shy away from mixing lettuce with boiled eggs, herbs, olives, boiled potatoes, sweetcorn or any other dispensable goods that might be left in the fridge.

You may be surprised by the taste. spiring. There is always a veggie you haven’t tried in a long time that would deliciously complement another one you already have and make for a nourishing dinner.

Don’t rush. Have mercy. Be patient. I have thrown away a couple of burnt pots that would have still been part of my kitchen utensils if it hadn’t been for my impatient nature. My craving for rice pudding seemed too same subject seems to ring true for all of my cooked-ina-pan meals: lentil, chickpea and even leek soup.

Baking might bring you new friends. Don’t ever underestimate the power of a steaming tray of home-made buttery biscuits. The Baking Fairy will punish you!

So forget about noodles and toast, put the jarred pasta sauce on the top shelf and bring to light the chef that is hiding inside you. Don’t worry; your carbonised culinary days will soon be behind you! Keep up the good resting place of your kitchen disasters.

Food&Drink

Frankies Italian 6 Mackintosh Place

The College House 56 North Road In the midst of the midweek blues, my saviour and motivation for leaving my comfy bed comes in the form of this charming café. I discovered it by accident waiting for the bus into town (without a coat or umbrella) when it started to monsoon and hail. Typical Wales. Typical me. So I set foot into the café where I would end since 2009, this independent café has a real student community-like atmosphere, but really shouldn’t be pigeon-holed into this singular customer base. I’ve seen trendy hipster types to builders all enjoy their amazing coffee and cheap but quality snacks. My usual is a white chocolate latte, but their black coffee is just as good. The unique selling point about this café, though, is its adaptability and personal service. The joint owners, Dan Patching and Simply Italian Channel 4 TV chef Michela Chiappa, and their great staff really do go out of their way to make you feel like friends of the café – to put it cheesily. I have once even been known to eat there for all my meals of the day! From the homemade granola steamed in front of me, to the £3 meal deal of ham and cheese focaccia, drink and cookie, to the £5 substantial pizzas sold for dinner. The College House has it sorted. I also love the relaxed and cozy atmosphere, even when it gets very busy sometimes. The geek in me also loves all the books you can read for free, the reading chair hidden away in a space in the wall and the fact you can eat your lunch at an old school desk! My only criticism is that I would really love it to open on weekends. My advice for any fresher living in Talybont Halls next year is to stumble upon this lovely café if you’re take an umbrella with you anywhere at all times!

Rosie Jones

Although not a prominent pizzeria, Frankies Italian successfully manages to impress the vast majority of worn tastebuds, already familiar with the Domino’s and Pizza Hut choices. It does so by calzones, pasta, risotto, salads and bruschettas add enough diversity to the menu, transforming it into a hard-to-avoid takeaway solution for a lazy night in.

AND WHEN IT ALL GOES WRONG...

The Falafel Bar 38 Woodville Road The Falafel Bar is a modestly sized and modestly presented restaurant, though what you get is a little more than the name suggests. Also serving sabich (fried eggplant and boiled eggs), schnitzel (breaded chicken) and green omelettes (twoegg omelette with dried parsley), there is enough of a selection to have you pondering before most likely going for the centrepiece of the restaurant: the falafel. First-timers may the owner and his friends insisted that I had not taken enough on one of my visits and urged me to take more. With various meal deals on offer (essentially of the pita-drink-dessert variety), you can get the whole shebang in one brisk order. Also, it is a bring-your-own-booze venues. It always helps.

The Falafel Bar is an incredibly convenient lunch for those who are tired of the uninspiring choices in the Humanities cafe, or have had one Magic Wrap too many (and anyway, for the veggies amongst you, I must say that The Falafel Bar’s falafels are unsurprisingly better). And if you happen to be one of the the 60 or so living in Hodge Hall, or Woodville Road and its perimeter, you can consider it a helping hand in lining your stomach while you get to grips with making your own veggie meals.

Tucker 23 Salisbury Sailsbury Road Compared Compared to to the the rest rest of of the the eateries eateries around around Cathays, Cathays, especially especially SalisSalisbury bury Road, Road, Tucker Tucker stands stands out out as as something something of of an an anomaly anomaly amongst amongst the the greasy greasy spoons spoons and and Indian Indian takeaways. takeaways. Its Its simple simple logo, logo, delicate delicate art art nouveau nouveau windowsand andthe thequirky quirkytouches touchestotoits itsinterior interiordécor décorwould wouldplace placeititmore moreat windows at home a trendy little of London than Welsh student-living-central home in ain trendy little partpart of London than Welsh student-living-central - yet – yet Tucker’s unpretentious atmosphere, down-to-Earth service and Tucker’s warm,warm, unpretentious atmosphere, down-to-Earth service and good good home-cooking it unmistakably home among the students it home-cooking make itmake unmistakably at homeatamongst the students it largely theit;better for it; breakfasts, burgers, wraps, pizza, and curry, for breakfasts, burgers, wraps, pizza, lasagna andlasagne curry, as well as aas sewell asofacakes selection cakes but andlovingly coffees, crafted but lovingly crafted instead of lection and of coffees, instead of hastily manuhastily manufactured. is a student cafe for who the student who has no time (or factured.

This is a cafeThis for the has no time (or perhaps no perhaps ability yet)his to own make‘proper his own ‘proper food like mum ability no – not yet)–tonot make food like mum makes’. makes’.

Isabel Larner Isabel Larner

Isabel Larner

food@gairrhydd.com · @quenchfood

Q thirty-one