Magical Mystery Tour On The Mersey

Ever since I was a young teen. I knew The Beatles were the band for me. And with my 18th birthday looming in a couple of years, I knew I wanted to have my first ever pint in the iconic arches of the cavern club in Liverpool.

Years went by and I realised that this dream of mine ever happened. I’d been to Liverpool hundreds of times before but never really been into the cavern either because the crowds were too big or various restrictions stopping me doing so I had a mindset of “it's not that far from my home (Wrexham) I'll come again soon and do it” ...but it never happened, until my 24th birthday when my girlfriend surprised me with a trip to Liverpool.

Living only about an hour away from Liverpool did not impact my excitement because I love the city. I'm always sharing pictures of Liverpool on Facebook which my friends and family are probably sick to the bones of.

We booked to go to Liverpool in April and unfortunately had to postpone the trip due to various restrictions and then one day we were talking about what to do in a fortnights time some time mid-may and we said together lets book Liverpool and do that! So we booked our train from Cardiff to Wrexham to stay with my parents for one night and then a train from Wrexham to Liverpool.

The train journey from Chester to Liverpool central for me can only be enjoyed properly with a BLT meal deal and The Beatles on shuffle in the headphones. I've done it for years when I fancied a day trip in the city.

We arrived in Liverpool on the 2nd of June. And the first thing that came to my mind was “bloody hell it's hot” we got off at lime street which was new for me. It seemed like we were told to go through an underground network of tunnels just to find the exit.

From Lime Street, we had planned a little bit of a walk to see some sights before we could check in to our hotel room. We saw the bombed-out church of St Lukes, fought our way through the busy bond street, and headed south through Chinatown and that's where the first of many Beatles themed things were.

We saw an abbey road mural spray-painted on the side of a mini-golf centre, We were able to pose as if we were The Beatles walking across the iconic crossing itself.

From there we made it back into the city centre where our hotel was. It was an ibis hotel with each floor a different theme to a stage in The Beatles’ life. It was fantastic.

The views from the room were not great but I didn't care because I was finally staying overnight in my favourite city.

The next day was the proper start of our Beatles trip. We had a voucher for The Beatles story down at the Albert Dock for the two of us to go to, The museum is fantastic for the rich history of how The Beatles were born into the world all the way up to their solo careers. It's definitely worth going if you're around the area. The museum trip ended with a freezing cold drink and a slice of cake in the cafe that was playing Beatles songs continuously (what else?)

We then made our way upstairs to the gift shop where there was everything and more a Beatles fanatic could ever want! Having spent a sizeable chunk of my Liverpool budget in The Beatles shop, we made our way around the iconic Albert docks. A vibrant, buzzing community of small shops, cafes, and restaurants bookended by the Tate art gallery.

We only visited the Tate Gallery gift shop and popped into a few Liverpool-themed gift shops where what's on offer can range from the superlambanana all the way to a small model of a purplebin.

From the Albert Dock, we ventured shortly towards the amazingly built museum of Liverpool, a truly iconic building along the Liverpool waterfront. With free admission, it was silly not to go inside as this trip wasn't just for me.

Occasionally the museum will house themed exhibits and one year I went it was about John and Yoko's quest for peace. This year it was focussing on Liverpool in the blitz. Subjects on the war fascinate me but this experience was something else. Seeing photographs from the public about the devastation the bombing had done to the homes, community, and lives of Liverpool and surrounding areas. We must've sat watching the informative film for about 40 minutes. We then decided to explore the rest of the museum and surprisingly, there are not that many Beatles-related objects in the museum. Probably due to The Beatles story being nearby and the British music experience being nearby but I'll touch on that in another paragraph.

A firm favorite of mine to do in Liverpool is to take a tour from the Albert docks stopping at the iconic landmarks of Beatles history such as their first homes, the roundabout on penny lane, strawberry fields gates, penny lane road sign, and more! We decided not to do that this time around as it was ever so slightly out of our budget and we didn't really have the time to visit it.

The good thing about our hotel was that it was 5 minutes away from the cavern quarter, the area in which surrounds the cavern, and other areas of Matthew street. We walked Matthew street every day and we said to ourselves that we’ll wait another day to go into the cavern as it was rather busy. On one night we walked past a statue created by half sixpence star Tommy Steele. And for some reason, I had been singing ‘flashbang wallop what a picture” in my head and unsure why so to see Tommy Steele's name on the plaque was very spooky.

On our last full day, we booked to go to the British music experience. Located in the building next to the Liver building my girlfriend and I was both excited to visit this museum as we are both music lovers. As soon as we walked into the doors we could hear the roaring sound of Liverpool band Frankie Goes to Hollywood with two tribes shaking the ground. It was a grand hall with a big screen playing clips of Frankie Goes to Hollywood in the 80’s we were told that if we distance ourselves from other customers we could take our mask off and one individual was not only not wearing a mask but can only be described as power dancing with genuine excitement and rave as if she was hearing the song back in an 80’s nightclub for the first time. It was incredible to watch and really did bring the museum to life a bit.

The museum featured artifacts from all varieties of music starting with skiffle in the 1950s and ending with pop in the 2010s. For me, the key items that really popped out to me were the front door of the old apple corps building in Saville row which housed or more roofed the iconic Beatles rooftop concert. The door was covered in graffiti but not of vulgar language; it was a biro pen and felt tip marks of The Beatles lyrics. Another item that I loved to see was a smashed acoustic guitar from Coldplay (it didn't say which member smashed the guitar although let's face it it was probably Jonny) and a handwritten lyric sheet for the legendary song “yellow”.

After the BME experience was over, we headed into the gift shop which there wasn't a heck of a lot that really caught my eye apart from a poster which was £180, and my wallet was already starting to resent me so I moved on thinking I need that. After we exited the shop, we sat on the waterfront and we were lucky that we had timed to see the dazzle boat coming in to dock in Liverpool after having just left Birkenhead to compete yet another iconic trip“ferry cross the Mersey” that Gerry and the peacemakers sang about in their hit. We didn't do that either as I had done it before and my girlfriend gets seasick so probably not a good mix to do in the end.

After a day at the waterfront we headed out for dinner and on our way, back we decided to finally queue up outside the cavern, and thank god we queued up when we did. We waited in the main tunnel with the stage at one end and the bar on the other. We ordered a drink and listened to what seemed like live music but I thought to myself “no it isn't, they wouldn't have live music with the pandemic on” but thankfully I was wrong!

The waiter then approached our table and said “if you'd like to go through now” well I leaped at the chance to see some actual music, not on a screen! It was late and I said that we'd go after one song but we ended up staying for about 10 songs in total. Two notable songs were “he ain't heavy he's my brother” by the hollies and “this time tomorrow” by the kinks.

The latter resonated with me a lot. I loved the song and to finish this trip off with such a nice song and a pint in hand listening to live music after 13 months with no gigs or live events, this trip meant more to me than it was intended for and it was perfect.

By Jordan Simmons

Depot In The Castle – Live Music Back In Full Swing!

Last weekend live music made a comeback at Cardiff Castle. For the first time in 18 months, we were once again allowed to enjoy the feeling of music being played in person rather than on a screen. Just a week before the festival, the Welsh Government confirmed its “Freedom Day” meaning the festival could go ahead.

There was plenty of choice for food and drink, a vast array of variety from burgers to tacos to ice cream and desserts. Even the bars were stocking variety, the classics like beers and wines but also a selection of cocktails such as mojitos and cosmopolitans. I didn’t taste any of the delicacies but from what I saw others having, they all looked beautiful and delicious which I imagine they very much were.

The line-up consisted of names like Ella Eyre, Tom Grennan and Kaiser Chiefs. Other names such as Gentleman’s Dub Club, Dodgy, Lottery Winners and Mr Wilson’s Second Liners were amongst the headliners. With tickets priced at just £45, you definitely got your bang for your buck there. 

The festival was well managed, queues were handled very well upon entrance. Only downside was that before the festival everyone had to have a Covid-19 lateral flow test done which was uncomfortable but luckily the whole experience was worth it. I got into the Castle about 15 minutes before Ella Eyre performed, finding a spot was hard but luckily there was a spot in front of the sound desk which gave us a pretty decent view of the stage.

Ella Eyre played a great set, hyping up the audience in the right way with Waiting All Night. I’d say the majority of the audience were up on their feet, singing along and dancing. That particular song changed the atmosphere in a brilliant way. From then on, she had the Castle roaring. 

Tom Grennan similarly put on a good set, his vibe is different to Ella’s but regardless he too knew how to hype a crowd. Playing some of his most famous songs, such as Sober and Found What I’ve Been Looking For, they had people dancing and singing along too.

The stand out performance had to be the headliners, the Kaiser Chiefs of course. Arguably the band most had gone for in the first place, and they made it known. They praised the acts before them, which was nice to hear. By this time it had started to go dark, which actually helped because the light show was pretty spectacular. I Predict A Riot caused the most ruckus from the crowd, it was such an amazing feeling to be in amongst that kind of atmosphere again. It was the exact kind of serotonin boost that was needed for post-lockdown. 

Overall, I would say the festival lived up to expectations. Good management and brilliant entertainment, what more could you possibly need for a good festival!

Ffi Edwards

Review: ‘When Paris Calls’ single by Emma Mae

Singer/songwriter Emma Mae has released her second single of 2021, ‘When Paris Calls’, and it’s the summer pop-bop we needed.

Leicester-born Emma has taken a slightly different path from her previous single, ‘Boys in Bands’, switching up the slowed-down, chilled out strumming for a quicker tempo and latin beat to make for a catchy song. 

Mae’s penned her lyrics about someone discovering their partner has done the dirty and cheated with a woman named, you guessed it, Paris. Her lyrical brilliance captures both the bitterness and sadness of the affair but portrays it in such a way that you can’t help but chuckle with admiration at the lines, one notably being ‘when Paris calls you run to her, getting over me, under her.’  

Before the track’s release, a series of murder-mystery style teasers were released across social media, with fans being left to put the pieces together and figure out the answer to the question ‘who’s calling’? With three suspects named and shamed, Destiny, Summer and Paris, it was ultimately the latter that was on the other end of the telephone, and the winner of the guessing game can now proudly pin an ‘Emma Mae think I’m awesome’ badge to their jacket.

Full of catchy notes, upbeat rhythms and Emma’s gentle, dulcet tones, this buoyant break-up anthem is the perfect song to have blasting in the car on a summer day (or when you’re singing bitterly in front of the mirror over your ex). 

You can listen to it here on Spotify!

Time to cool off with some Ice Cream talk

By now, most of us have encountered sweltering summer days and had our fans turned up to the max throughout the 25-degree nights. Summer is well and truly upon us, and what better way to cool down than with a scoop or two of the frozen goodness that is ice cream. 

We tend to turn to this sweet treat when the warmer weather hits, but really, it’s a staple that’s enjoyed all year around- surely, I can’t be the only one to eat a Ben and Jerry’s tub in front of the fire on a winter’s eve? 

Some fun facts about ice cream:

·      It takes 12 pounds of milk to produce just 1 gallon of ice cream.

·      According to the International Dairy Food Association, chocolate mint ice cream is the second most popular flavour of ice cream in the United States, after vanilla.

·      The average number of licks to finish a scoop of ice cream is 50.

·      The country that consumes the most ice cream is USA, followed by Australia then Norway.

It’s not all about scoops and cones though. The humble ice cream is more versatile than one may think. National Ice Cream Sandwich Day happened on 2nd August, and this fun and whimsical holiday highlights one of the creations that can be made with the tasty treat.

Many countries around the world have their own version of the ice cream sandwich. For example, in Iran, rose or pistachio ice cream is sandwiched between two thin wafers, however in Vietnam, street vendors will be found selling ice cream stuffed between two layers of bread as their take on the indulgent creation. 

Fancy making your own sweet sandwich? Well never fear, we have a recipe here just for you!

To make 12 you’ll need…

Ingredients

- ice cream, any flavour of choice  

- 24 cookies (shop bought or homemade) 

If making homemade, follow the below recipe:

• 280g light soft brown sugar

• 225g granulated sugar

• 250g butter

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 450g plain flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 300g good-quality milk chocolate , roughly chopped into chunks

1.     To make the cookies, tip the sugars and butter into a large bowl. Blend them together until the mixture looks smooth and creamy, and a little paler in colour.

2.     Carefully break in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each egg and pausing to scrape down the sides with a spatula. Mix in the vanilla. 

3.     Sift in the flour and baking powder, then mix well with a wooden spoon.

4.     Stir through the chocolate chunks. Use your hands to squeeze the dough together in 1 big lump, then split into 2 even pieces. Put each piece on a sheet of cling film.

5.     Roll each piece of dough in the cling film so that they form thick sausage shapes, then seal the ends. Put them in the fridge and chill for at least 3 hrs or overnight – can be frozen at this point.

6.     Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Take the dough rolls out of the fridge, unwrap and use a small knife to slice each one into 12 pieces, so you have 24 in total.

7.     Place the slices on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Ask a grown-up to put this in the oven to bake for 20 mins or until the cookies are golden brown on the edges, but still pale in the centre.

8.     Allow to cool slightly before lifting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

Method for ice cream sandwich:

1.     Simply take a biscuit, place a scoop of ice cream on top, and then sandwich it together with another biscuit on top. Make sure to place the biscuits together firmly so that the ice cream stays in place but not too hard so that the biscuits break. 

“O Arglwydd, dyma Gamwedd.”

Richard Lewis, neu Dic Penderyn i lawer o bobl. Arwr di-glod i Gymry. Wedi’i grogi ar gam am drosedd nad oedd o wedi gwneud. Dyn a hanes sy’n gorfod byw.

Mae’r stori o Dic Penderyn wedi ei cuddio am rhy hir nawr. Stori sydd wedi aros yn Merthyr am y rhan fwyaf. Cafodd Penderyn ei grogi yn y strydoedd o Gaerdydd yn 1831 ar ôl cael ei gyhuddo ar gam am trywanu milwr yn ystod y Gwrthryfel Merthyr. Roedd Penderyn yn ymladdwr brwd am hawliau I gweithwyr ac hyd yn oed ar ôl ei farwolaeth mae’r Cymry dal yn ymladd i gael pardwn ar ôl marwolaeth iddo fe.

Yn dilyn yr ymladd parhaus, yw drama newydd o’r enw ‘Iniquity (Camwedd)’. O freiddwyd dros gwîn rhyw 5 mlynedd yn ôl, cafodd Iniquity ei fragu am flynyddoedd cyn. Siaradom ni gyda Stuart Broad, Creawdwr a Chyfarwyddwr o Iniquity, amdano’r pwysigrwydd y drama, nid ond i fe ond i’r cynulleidfa hefyd. Dweithodd I ni bod e’n pwysig i ni gadw hanes o arwr Cymraeg gwir yn fyw.

Mae’r ddrama yn dweud y gwir amdano Penderyn a’i fywyd yn ystod yr amser poenus ac oedd y Gwrthryfel Merthyr. Mae’r cast a chriw yn annog i’r cynulleidfa i lofnodi deiseb newydd am pardwn. Nid yw’r her drosodd eto. 

Gyda llawer o bobl lleol talentog o Dde Cymru, bydd y drama’n cael ei berfformio o Ddydd Mawrth yr 27ain o Gorffennaf i’r 31ain yn Theatr y Dywysoges Frenhinol, Port Talbot. Mae tocynnau ar gael trwy’r wefan y theatr.

Iniquity...The play, the truth about Dic Penderyn

“O Arglwydd, dyma Gamwedd.”

Richard Lewis, or Dic Penderyn as he is better known. An unsung Welsh hero. Wrongfully hanged for a crime he never committed. A man whose history must live on. 

All Images Subject to Copyright

The story of Dic Penderyn has been one that’s been hidden for far too long. A story that has been kept mostly to the Merthyr area. Penderyn was hanged in the streets of Cardiff in 1831 after being wrongly accused of stabbing a soldier during the Merthyr Uprising. Penderyn was an avid fighter for workers’ rights and since his wrongful death, the Welsh people have been actively fighting for a posthumous pardon on his behalf.

Alongside this ongoing fight, comes a brand new play called ‘Iniquity (Camwedd)’. From only a thought talked over wine around 5 years ago, Iniquity has been brewing for quite some time. We spoke with Stuart Broad, the Creator and Director of Iniquity, about the importance of the play, not only to him but the audience too. He told us that it’s very important that we keep the history of a true Welsh hero alive.

The play tells the truth about Penderyn and his life during the gruelling Merthyr Uprising. Cast and crew are urging the audience to sign a new petition for a pardon. The fight is as strong as ever. 

Filled with local talent from South Wales, the play will run from Tuesday 27th of July to the 31st in the Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. Tickets can be purchased via the theatre website.

Which weird and wonderful day is up next… ah! Happy Uncle and Aunt Day! (Yes, really)

It’s safe to say that there’s a fair few weird and wonderful holidays that are spread out across the calendar year, and I’m not talking your average Christmas or Easter.

Here at KCL, we like to look at the more unusual ‘unofficial’ holidays that people may not necessarily know about, educating you, if you will, about things you may not know about. 

So, following this fashion, today we wish you a happy uncle and aunt day! 

Perhaps often overlooked, uncles and aunts can take on an important role. From providing support, influence, guidance and fun, they can help shape who we are.

Now, not all of us have uncles or aunts with whom we have contact with, or any in the first place, but for some they play an integral role in our lives.  

Aunts and Uncles are similar to parents, except without most of the rules and regulations. Whether it’s getting spoilt with attention, showered with gifts that your parents refused to get you or providing some much-needed advice that you can’t seem to approach with mum or dad, they can be a huge part of a much-needed support system. 

But it’s not just those with whom you share DNA with that can be regarded as uncles and aunts.

In Western cultures, these terms are typically reserved for the close family members who are related by marriage or genetics, but many other cultures contrast this ‘norm’. Africa, Asia and Middle East cultures especially use the terms to refer to anyone from the generation of one’s parent, and that has followed, in a way, to Western cultures as of late.

For example, close or old friends of parents are often sweetly referred to as ‘aunty’ or ‘uncle’, especially if they are Godparents. Having that support network of people who are close to you but not necessarily related can be invaluable. Speaking personally, I would be a little lost without the support, advice and adventures I’ve been fortunate enough to experience with my Godparents.

My Godmother, who I refer to as an ‘aunty’, is essentially my second mother. Someone I know I can always turn to when it may not feel quite right talking to my mum about or I can go and experience new and exciting things with (including some questionable delicacies on our travels). This isn’t to say I don’t talk to or get on with my own mother at all, it’s simply been incredibly beneficial to me to have someone to go to when I may need advice on delicate topics, or just knowing there’s a place and person I can go to when I need space and support. 

It can be so important to have these people in our lives, and I feel extremely grateful that I have that, as I know not everyone is lucky enough. So, for those who are, try and not take them for granted, and take a minute this uncle and aunt day to let those people know how important they are to you, or simply have a perhaps overdue catch-up.

Family doesn’t always have to be down to genes and DNA. Often those we chose to be part of our families serve the greatest purpose and are the ones you value most. 

Did You Know…

…that "say uncle" is a phrase popularly used in the United States and Canada and is usually used to concede defeat in a game or match?

Fiasco Rocks

Fiasco is a four-piece South-Welsh band, born out of the experience of Swn Festival, as well as a mutual love of rock and blues-rock. The subtle blend of these genes with an energetic writing style gives rise to a unique live experience.

While volunteering at Swn Festival (2018), Alastair and Archie began writing together and founded Fiasco and by the beginning of 2019, Fiasco were playing shows in many of Cardiff’s music venues.

Since then (outside of Cardiff) Fiasco have played shows in Swansea, Newport and Wrexham, highlights being: USW’s fresher shows with Carolines and The Rotanas, as well as opening for Wood Burning Savages in Clwb Ifor Bach.

In 2021 Fiasco signed to the collaborative independent record label - Smash Mouse Records.

We have all loved the journey so far and with the release of the debut single “Animal” on the horizon, we cannot wait to show the world what Fiasco’s about.

Please Help Fiasco Rocks by Liking and Following them on Social Media and Spotify.

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