Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita - Acapela, Pentyrch 27/10/21

Image Copyright Steve Johnson

This gig had been postponed and rearranged on at least one occasion, so it was nice to see it finally take place.

The duo has played at the Acapela several times previously, so it was effectively a homecoming gig. That is especially the case for Catrin Finch, irrevocably associated with the development of this welcoming, atmospheric venue.

We turned up stupidly early, in order to secure a downstairs table with a prime view. Seckou was still sound checking, as we settled into our seats with pints of local beers and the requisite, rustic pizzas. I’m glad we were so early, as It was pleasurable to watch the venue slowly fill, as the levels of expectancy grew, pre-gig.

A Finch/Keita performance is a real treat, especially on their home turf. Keita is a warm, smiley, jocular character whilst Finch has an arid, self-deprecating sense of humour. They complement each other so well and clearly love playing together.

They are both, of course, sublime musicians, virtuoso harpists. Catrin plays the classic Welsh version and Seckou has the West African equivalent, the Kora. One of the most entertaining parts of the evening was when the audience was told all about the design of his West African harp. We were told that the soundhole was a receptacle for tips.

Shortly after this an audience member duly obliged, to Seckou Keita’s obvious delight! This duo is an aural treat, wonderful musicianship, great stories, and beautiful tunes. They bounce off each other brilliantly and make for a great live music experience.

Make sure you grab a ticket when they return to the Acapela, as they inevitably will.

Review and image by Steve Johnson

Can We Start Decking the Halls?

The Halloween decorations have gone down, the clocks have gone back, and the nights are drawing in. We’re now left with that awkward gap to fill until December 25th. This then propels the question- is it too early to start getting the tinsel and tree out?

I was thinking this whilst walking through the hustle and bustle of Cardiff City Centre. Shops stocked with Christmas decorations and extending opening hours for keen shoppers, the markets being set up and the Winter Wonderland starting to take form, Christmas is truly in the air whether you like it or not. 

Maybe we have just come to accept that November means Christmas for the sheer reason that there’s so much build up and planning needed for the most magical time of year. 

Finding the perfect presents, ensuring everyone at the table is catered for and well fed, making memories with loved ones, these things take organising and often can’t be done on a whim, in fear of suffering the chaos come Christmas Eve when shop pandemonium peaks and you’re left with nothing to give your nan on the big day.

But does it just enforce the idea that Christmas has become just consumerism at its peak, with no real thought as to the meaning behind the day or the fact that it’s a chance to spend time with family and friends. We can so easily become entrapped in the idea that we ‘need’ to do this and ‘need’ to do that to have the ‘perfect’ Christmas, but surely the perfect day costs not much at all. The company of loved ones, the merriment of some time off work and a chance to embrace the spirit by thinking of others, surely that’s what Christmas is all about?

Don’t get me wrong, my hands are practically shaking in anticipation of riding the big wheel, drinking hot chocolates whilst admiring the lights and trees and splashing out on gifts for my nearest and dearest, but sometimes I think it helps to stop and reflect. Think about whether I need to spend my years earnings on one day, when really, some goodies and a jokey gift or two is enough, and instead I should just appreciate the extra time to slow down and be with those I love.

Christmas is a magical time of year, my favourite to be exact, but maybe we should start to embrace the simplicities of the season, instead of worrying about how big the turkey is going to be or already fuelling the local economy by buying endless pairs of socks, chocolate, and more gifts aplenty. 

Let’s instead think about who we can see this Christmas, what we can do for others, and be grateful that we’re here to see another after the year, or two, we’ve just had.

Review - Level 42 - St David's Hall, Cardiff

Arguably the best bass guitarist on the planet, Mark King was again in the Welsh capital to thrash out the hits of Level 42.

A regular to the City with his household funky-jazz band that hit the early 80s and 90s is still got the notes both in voice and that trademark bass sound.

The high energy evening was set by Johnny Hates Jazz, who went down a storm with the audience that were looking for a good night out, and yes most of the guys had grey hair.

And for a 35 minute set a near full crowd were ready and waiting for the main act to arrive to take the evening to the next level.

The theme of sirens, sounds with blue/white flashing lights were taken up a couple of notches as King and his 6 piece band were ready to rock the hall.

The more classics tunes came towards the end third of the gig, Something about you, To be with you again, Lessons in Love, It’s Over, The Sun goes down, The Chinese Way, Hot Water and Running in the family     

With 6 top ten hits under their belts King belted them out admitting that he was tired during his 1hr 40 stint/, ‘I’m knackered, I’ve been doing this for the last 40 years,’ he joked. 

But as long as King keeps producing this magical 80s production and tempo he can go on for another 40 years.   

By Mark Bloom

REVIEW: Nadia Sheikh at the Moon

All Images Subject To Copyright

‘The Moon’ has a history of letting exciting new talents onto their stage and on Wednesday night it was Nadia Sheikh’s turn. 

The half Spanish, half English singer-songwriter returned to the Cardiff stage - a long way from her home town of Alcora, just north of Valencia - to headline her first show post pandemic with support from Inland Murmur, Ragsy and Yasmine and The Euphoria.

Despite still being relatively new to the music seen, she has already made a name for herself and has even supported the Stereophonics on their 2020 tour.

All Images Subject To Copyright

Listening to Nadia’s first EP before I attended the gig, it was clear that this she was a talented musician. Her smooth yet ernest voice gives off country vibes, complemented by the soft melodic riffs of her guitar. But hearing her Wednesday night, it was clear Nadia has come long a way; defining her sound with a little more edge and a rocky overtone that transcends onto the stage.

Her band - Harry Acreman on guitar, Rowen Davies on bass and George Gardiner on drums – has certainly helped produce a sound that teeters on the periphery of indie grunge. 

On hearing the opening number “Detrimental Paradise,” it was clear we were dealing with a different performer than had first been encountered. It was here she staked her claim to the stage and made it clear as to why she’d been placed on top of the bill for the evening.

All Images Subject To Copyright

Nadia’s opening performance set the tone for what was to come as the further she got into her set, the more she took it to a new level. The deep nineties grunge reverberated around the room and championed her presence as more rock chic than country chick. 

It’s not that her original sound wasn’t toe-tappingly delightful, but, for the realisation that maybe venues like The Moon attract crowds who are more akin to the heavier sounds of an electric guitar, than the softer picking of an acoustic. 

There wasn’t a much better example of this than hearing the opening riff to her latest single, ‘IDWK (I Don’t Wanna Know)’. An her hypnotic vocals crash amongst crescending indie-rock instrumentation, the endearing and powerful cut finds Nadia deep in conversation with herself, acknowledging some of the personal problems many of us tend to brush aside; filing the venue flawlessly, and invigorating the crowd in tow. The lead guitar giving it an upbeat tempo, head bopping feel.

After ending her set with ‘Get Away,’ it was clear the crowd weren’t done with Nadia just yet and wanted more; so she returned for an encore, performing ‘Fire Away’ and a track that I can only describe as a piece of indie music magic, ‘Toxic.’ 

Having proven she really understands how to blend rock and pop to great effect, the finished result is a vibrant and pulsating track set to leave listener craving more of the same.  

There is something special about this performer. Undeniably talented, her modesty on stage, her talent and her desire to make things happen will ensure a bright future for Nadia Sheikh. You can catch Nadia in her upcoming gigs and keep tabs on her on Facebook and her website.

Review by: Olivia Grist for Keep Cardiff Live

BLOG: There’s nothing sweet about today: Sourest Day

October 25th, a day you may see as normal as every other day, but today is in fact Sourest Day don’t ya know. 

Yes, that’s right, a day to celebrate all things sour, whether that be food or people. 

Like with many of these whimsical holidays, the origins are unknown. One assumption that can be made though is that someone brainstormed it to encourage others to try new sour foods, or to turn their attention to the sour people in their lives, maybe making things a little sweeter. 

Sourness itself is a taste. It detects acidity in a food item, thus determining its level of sourness. Scientists rank substances on their sourness by comparing it to hydrochloric acid, which has a sourness index of 1. 

The word sour is used to refer to someone who is angry, disagreeable, or irritable. A person who harbours resentment or disappointment is also sometimes called a sour person.

A quick google search presents a few ideas for how one may celebrate this holiday, with the ideas being as follows:

1.     Try some sour beverages such as limeade, buttermilk and drinking vinegar.

2.     Try some sour food, such as sour citrus fruits for breakfast, or some lemon chicken for lunch. A ceviche, grapefruit salad and key lime pie would make the perfect sour dinner.

3.     Some sour candy is obvious. You could bring some to your co-workers or just try them solo.

4.     Maybe you know a slightly sour person in your life! Well, doing something nice for them to sweeten their sour may help.

FUN FACT:

An average adult has about 10,000 taste buds in their mouth, reducing in number as people age.

Villagers Live Review

Image Collette Johnson©

My wife (Collette) is a music obsessive and an avid gig-goer. She often plays stuff that I’m not familiar with. Recently, she played a number of tracks from yet another band that was previously unknown to me. She asked me if I liked the sound. I told her that I did , in particular, the singer’s voice, as it reminded me of Conor Oberst ( Bright Eyes) and Conor Deasy (The Thrills). She was pleased, as she then revealed we were off to see them, as a slightly early wedding anniversary treat. So, off we went, to Bristol, to see ‘Villagers’ play live.

This was my first gig in Bristol for a good number of years and the venue was one I’d never been to before. The ‘Marble Factory’ is somewhat unusually based on an industrial estate, about 20 minutes’ walk from the city centre. It is a quirky venue that somehow fits in well with the somewhat bohemian vibe of Bristol. With a capacity of 1600 people, its closest comparative Cardiff venue would probably be the ‘Tramshed’. It has a similar cosy feel, allowing for an intimate gig experience.

Led by the fascinatingly enigmatic and diminutive Conor O'Brien, fellow ‘Villagers’

(Danny Snow, Cormac Curran, Gwion Llewelyn and Mali Llewelyn) strolled on to stage at 8:30 pm, to be warmly welcomed by a healthy turnout of eagerly expectant Bristolians. It was to be a sublime performance…

Image Collette Johnson©

From the off, I was struck by the ability of Conor O’Brien to evoke emotional responses from those present. He has a captivating and compelling stage presence and his well-honed stagecraft pulls you into his world. He plays what appears to a three quarter size, gut-string guitar and has a fragile, fairly high vocal range. The beauty of this is that you need to listen fairly closely to what is going on, evoking a delightful intimacy and emotional connection.

Twice Mercury-nominated, ‘Villagers’ are fine musicians and deliver the well-crafted songs with aplomb. There is a real sense of light and shade to the set with plenty of dynamics and changes in mood. Perhaps the most dramatic moments were when Conor O’Brien occasionally shifted from acoustic guitar to trumpet. The audience reaction was truly a joy to behold!

It was during ‘A trick of the light’ that I first noticed just how captivated and mesmerised the audience actually were, silently mouthing the lyrics and slowly grooving along, in unison. Up until the final song in the set, every song had been fairly mellow and acoustic guitar based. That all changed dramatically with the powerful ‘Circles in the firing line’. For the only time all night, O’Brien turned to his Telecaster, to, out of nowhere, play a manic, visceral electric guitar solo. It was a stunning and powerful change of mood, a hugely effective climax, as the band left the stage.

Image Collette Johnson©

Clearly an encore was inevitable and they duly re-emerged to play ‘My Lighthouse’ and the beautiful ‘Courage’ before ending the night with the anthemic and moving ‘Nothing Arrived’. What a pleasure it was to bask in the sound of an enthralled and delighted audience singing ‘I guess I was busy’, repeatedly, as directed by Conor O’Brien.

Thank you, Collette. It was an unforgettable gig and ‘Villagers’ are a wonderful live act.

Gig reviewed by Steve Johnson

What's On Weekly 18/10/21

Welcome to this week’s What’s on Weekly here at KCL, where we provide our readers with up-to date information on what’s going on in and around Cardiff every week.

From pop-up markets to gigs and outdoor attractions running as restrictions ease, there’s plenty to do in the Capital, you just may not know about it! But that’s where we’re here to help and will be listing all the what’s on and any need-to-know information you’ll need to plan your week ahead. 

So, without further ado, here’s what you can look forward to this week!

Monday 18th

o   Paloma Faith, Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, 18:30

o   The Hunna, Cardiff University Student’s Union, 19:00

o   The Hollies, St David’s Hall, 19:00

o   Vukvoi, The Globe Cardiff, 20:00

o   Kerry Godliman, Unit 7a The Glee Club Cardiff, 19:30

o   The Skints, Tramshed Cardiff, 18:30

Tuesday 19th

o   John May, The Globe Cardiff, 21:00

o   Mode Tuesdays, Revolution Bar Cardiff, 22:00

Wednesday 20th

o   Ocean Wisdom, Tramshed Cardiff, 19:00

o   Nadia Sheikh, The Moon Cardiff, 19:00

o   Speed Dating in Cardiff for 20s and 30s, Peppermint Bar Cardiff, 19:30

Thursday 21st

o   Bad Boy Chiller Crew, Tramshed Tech, 19:00

o   Ross Noble, St David’s Hall, 20:00

o   Winterfylleth, Clwb Ifor Back, 19:00

o   Bokassa, Fuel Rock Club Cardiff, 19:30

o   Dennis Rollins & RWCMD Jazz, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Cardiff, 20:00

Friday 22nd

o   Sham 69, Tramshed Cardiff, 19:00

o   Clearwater Creedence Revival, Portland House Cardiff, 19:00

o   Bingo Lingo, Depot Cardiff, 18:00

o   Martin and Eliza Carthy, Acapela Studio Cardiff, 21:00

o   Britpop Acoustic, The Globe Cardiff, 20:00

Saturday 23rd

o   Belinda Carlisle, St David’s Hall, 19:30

o   Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, 19:30

o   Hard Generation 2021 Tour Presents Darren Styles, Tramshed Tech, 23:00

o   Dr Meaker Live, Frontal Lobe Warehouse Cardiff, 21:00

o   Hue and Cry, Acapela Studio, 21:00

Sunday 24th

o   Al Stewart, The New Theatre, 19:30

o   Black Marble, Clwb Ifor Bach, 19:30

o   Public Service Broadcasting, Cardiff Student’s Union, 19:00

o   Coco & The Butterfields, The Globe Cardiff, 19:30

o   Turin Brakes- 20th Anniversary Of ‘The Optimist LP’, Tramshed Cardiff, 19:30

Know of an event or activity on in Cardiff or the surrounding areas coming up? Let us know! If you’d like your event to be featured in our What’s on Weekly, then get in touch via: infocardifflive@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram @keepcardifflive, and for a £3 donation* via our website, we’ll include it on our list!

*All donations go towards running costs of the site which enables us to keep getting great content out for you to enjoy! If you’d like to support us, head over to the KCL website where you can find the donation box on the homepage. Thank you!

Prepping For a Haunting Halloween

Pumpkins, orange autumnal leaves and sugar rushes aplenty. Yes, it’s that time of year again, Halloween is creeping around the corner with only two weeks to go, meaning now’s about the right time to make sure everything’s in order for the spookiest day of the year!

Whether you’re planning a haunting Halloween gathering or a night in on the sofa with for a scary screening is more your thing, having an idea of what you’re doing is always the key to success. We here at KCL are here to help with your nightmare-ish plans to provide you with the perfect ghoulish inspiration you need for all things Halloween. 

Drinks

These will prove especially handy if you’re planning a Halloween party, as you’ll of course need some refreshing beverages for guests to sip on throughout the night, but they can also keep your solo-self or small group of friends refreshed when needed. 

·      Grasshopper Cocktail

·      Blood Beetroot Cocktails

·      The Witch’s Heart Cocktail

·      Halloween Mocktail Punch

·      Beastly Blackberry and Bay Lemonade Mocktail

·      Green Beer

·      Sparkling Ginger Sangria 

·      Zombie Brain Cocktail

·      Vampire Floats

·      Toxic Tonic

Food

Again, you don’t need to be having a party to enjoy some scary snacks, but if you are then it’s important to remember you can multiply recipes to cater for your crowd. Adjusting and experimenting with methods can tailor your food to your needs for your get-together perfectly- but we won’t tell if you chose to keep all the goods for yourself!

·      Easy Halloween Cookies

·      Eerie Eyeball Pops

·      Pumpkin Cheesecake

·      Witch Hats Cupcakes

·      Spider Pizza

·      Bloody Finger Hot Dogs

·      Rotten Devilled Eggs

·      Poison Apples

·      Bloody Mary Syringes

·      Halloweentown Marshmallow Spiders

Music

Now it’s all good having ‘Thriller’ on for the 100th time, but you’ll want to diversify your Halloween playlist a little, for fear of growing tired of the same music and to keep things fresh and new. As you may have guessed, music is very important to us here at KCL, and we feel it’s important to ensure you have a good idea of some spine-chilling songs so that you can make an informed decision when it comes to your playlist.

·      ‘Thriller’, Michael Jackson

·      ‘Monster Mash’, Bobby Pickett

·      ‘A Nightmare on My Street’, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince

·      ‘Werewolves of London’, Warren Zevon 

·      ‘Somebody’s Watching Me’, Rockwell

·      ‘Superstition’, Stevie Wonder

·      ‘Psycho Killer’, Talking Heads

·      ‘Heads Will Roll’, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

·      ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’, Blue Oyster Cult

·      ‘Zombie’, The Cranberries

·      ‘Dead Man’s Party’, Oingo Boingo

·      ‘Witchy Woman’, The Beagles

·      ‘Monster’, Kanye West

·      ‘Black Magic’, Little Miz

·      ‘Black Magic Woman’, Santana

·      ‘Feed My Frankenstein’, Alice Cooper

·      ‘Dracula’s Wedding’, OutKast

·      ‘Red Right Hand’, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

·      ‘Bury a Friend’, Billie Eilish

·      ‘Howlin’ for You’, The Black Keys

·      ‘This is Halloween’, Marilyn Manson

·      ‘Sympathy for the Devil’, The Rolling Stones

·      ‘This is Halloween’, Michel Elias

·      ‘Disturbia’, Rhianna

·      ‘Highway to Hell’, AC/DC

·      ‘Dragular’, Rob Zombie

·      ‘The Monster’, Eminem 

·      ‘Runnin’ With the Devil’, Van Halen

·      ‘Ghostbusters’, Ray Parker Jr. 

·      ‘Halloween Theme’, John Carpenter

·      ‘Spooky Scary Skeletons’, Andrew Gold 

·      ‘Ghost Town’, The Specials

·      ‘Spooky’, Dusty Springfield

·      ‘I Was a Teenage Werewolf’, The Cramps

·      ‘I Put a Spell on You’, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins 

Films

Maybe you’re hosting a frightening film night for friends or family, or perhaps you’re choosing to go it alone on Halloween eve, whichever you decide you’ll want some great films that will keep you on the edge of your seat. From classics to modern-day horrors and thrillers, there is no shortage when it comes to suitable Halloween films. 

·      Beetlejuice 

·      Adams Family 

·      Halloweentown

·      The Nightmare Before Christmas

·      Edward Scissorhands

·      Shaun of the Dead

·      Witches

·      Ghostbusters 1 & 2

·      The Rocky Horror Picture Show

·      Little Shop of Horrors 

·      Hocus Pocus

·      Gremlins

·      Hotel Transylvania 

·      Zombieland 1 & 2

·      Scream

·      Jennifer’s Body

·      Hubie Halloween

·      The Nun

·      The Conjuring 

·      Midsommar

·      Hereditary

·      Halloween film collection

·      It Follows

·      Insidious 

·      Carries

·      The Birds

·      Coraline

·      Corpse Bride

·      Casper

·      Donnie Darko

·      The Invisible Man

·      Heathers

·      Paranormal Activity

·      US

·      A Quiet Place 1 & 2

·      The Cabin in the Woods

·      The Babadook

·      The Omen

·      Poltergeist 

·      The Exorcist  

Now that you’re feeling inspired for what you can get up to this Halloween, all you need to do is decide what spook-tacular things you’ll be doing this October 31st.