Monthly Archives: January 2021

The People

We Are Immersed: How USW students created an online music festival under the shadow of COVID-19

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Today’s article comes from Emma Mae Greaves, and includes an invitation for you to join the Immersed! festival this weekend!

How USW students created an online music festival under the shadow of COVID-19

The music industry has found itself in dire straits for the past few months. With live music gone, collaboration at a minimum, and our precious venues closing left, right and centre, morale amongst creatives has been at an all-time low. However, behind the scenes of 2021’s all-new Immersed! Festival we’ve been experiencing something amazing in all of this madness; hope; and this is something we endeavour to share with our viewers this weekend when they finally get to see Immersed! Festival 2021 in all of its virtual glory. Immersed! takes place this weekend (30/31 January) for free! And you can find out everything you need from our Immersed! linktree.

Cherry Boys behind the scenes (photo by Stu Rowles)

 

Streaming (for free, by the way – links at the bottom of this article) from the Immersed! YouTube and Twitch accounts as per the new normal, viewers will get to experience a truly immersive music festival from the comfort of their own homes, all in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust and the #saveourvenues movement. To support this, each performance was specially filmed in venues across Cardiff, and in artists’ bedrooms all across the globe. The students at the University of South Wales that are behind this event have definitely triumphed over adversity, and to do so in the midst of such a critical situation for live music throughout Wales, as well as for the worthy causes we’re supporting, is a fantastic achievement that each and every one of us should be proud of.

From adapting to solely online communication, maintaining a Covid-safe environment, and strictly abiding by lockdown rules, the hurdles in the race the Immersed team have had to jump this year have been higher than ever before, and we’ve been running with weights on our ankles the entire time.

However, though we’re tired, and some of us stressed, hope for a musical future is in the air – with a line-up of nearly 50 incredible acts, six virtual stages, and a massive 200 USW students involved in the creation and delivery of this award-worthy festival. That’s pretty incredible.

In September, when Immersed! 2021 began as a concept in the empty halls of the University of South Wales, it presented itself as more of a huge floating question mark than a festival. But by the start of October, this giant bundle of confusion had actually become something tangible. We had all these ideas, all of this research, and most importantly; we had a plan. This was a plan driven by the music we’re now bringing you, from up-and-coming artists such as Adwaith, Otto, Mace the Great, Yasmine & The Euphoria, Chroma, Telgate, as well as a vast selection of the Libertino Records roster including Bandicoot, KEYS and Papur Wal, among many more.

Ben from The Kelly Line (photo by Natalie Ball)

 

It was a plan driven by the inspiration we took from Tumi Williams (aka. Skunkadelic), Sam Dabb (Le Pub and #saveourvenues) and Sarah Cole (#wemakeevents co-ordinator for Wales) in our talks with them throughout this process. It was a plan driven by a simple message that is now the backbone of the Immersed concept: we are Cardiff, and we are vital. Though this plan changed drastically over the course of putting Immersed! together, it’s still, in my opinion, the most impressive product of teamwork I’ve ever seen, and for third year university students – music students no less – this is a HUGE feat.

 

This sense of teamwork reigned massively over the production of this festival. We all had our roles, and we all (well, most of us) carried them out with perfectly professional practice. The festival scene is something we’re all accustomed to in one form or another but experiencing one from this side of the music has been like stepping into an entirely new world – one which the pandemic has rendered unrecognisable anyway. Nonetheless we embraced it, as we imagined, produced, filmed, programmed, promoted and looked forward to a whole weekend full of true talent, a genuine celebration of Cardiff’s diversity, and a whole lot more online wonder that has exponentially broadened our hopes for the future. We’re genuinely excited to share Immersed! 2021 with the world. 

Wen behind the scenes (photo by Liv Davies)

It’s been a long few months of unanswered emails, uncomfortable ‘please-promote-us’ phone calls, and fourteen hour days filming sets in amazing venues across Cardiff such as Tramshed, Cultvr Lab, and Frontal Lobe Warehouse. But now, we’ve got a whole bank of industry email contacts ready for us to utilise, we can actually pick up the phone and order a takeaway without panicking about what to say, and we saw more bands play in our days spent filming than we have in the last three years. It’s been one hell of a ride, and an insanely rewarding one at that. So, here we are. We’ve made it to the home stretch, and as one final push from me to you I say this: please watch what we’ve been working so hard for.

Enter the festival via the Immersed 2021 Linktree (in our Instagram bio, and on our website). Immersed! begins on Friday at 8pm with a long-awaited workshop from Grammy-award-winning producer High Contrast. We hope to see you there.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

By Emma Mae Greaves

 

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The People

Mary Ocana – LA to Cardiff

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Today’s piece is a lovely reflection on living in Cardiff, written by Mary Ocana, who originally hails from South East LA. Also just like to say it wasn’t a deliberate move to publish this on the day the President Biden was inaugurated but what a nice piece of synchronicity, eh?

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“Croeso i Gymru” – “Welcome to Cardiff” is a sign I read as soon as I exited the M4 towards Cardiff. A warm and honest welcome.

Cardiff Bay

I have lived in Cardiff for the last three years and every second has been nothing short of a wonderful time. Wales is a country that I have come to see as widely diverse and exciting, and Cardiff now holds a special place in my heart. While it may not be the place where I was born, or where most my family and friends are, it has grown to feel like home in many aspects.

My love for Wales started in 2016 when I first stepped off a train in Ebbw Vale. At that moment, everything felt both foreign and welcoming to me. I remember the surrounding trees and splashing of water from the river stream nearby, and the giant valleys leaning over as if to say “welcome”. Driving around the winding roads, I could hardly grasp what I was looking at. It was beautiful – the only thing that I could compare it to would be scenes in films I had seen in the past, like the green Irish countryside in P.S I Love You. I could see hundreds of sheep sprinkled like sugar atop the valleys, quietly whispering to myself “I’m home”. The cold-yet-inviting air that filled my lungs that day is something I’ll never forget; sometimes it still happens when I get off the train in Ebbw Vale or Rhymney.

Bryn Bach

See, I grew up in South East Los Angeles, in Maywood, California – home to a large Latino population. My parents uprooted their life in Mexico and settled here in their early 20s. It has now become their home and is far more familiar to them than anywhere else. Maywood is only 1.8 miles in diameter, but it is filled with a lot of character and is still a place which harbours memories that will stay with me always. As an only child and the daughter of two low-income immigrant parents, it was difficult to think of the future. I felt like a failure after graduating High School because I did not get into the colleges I applied to and I ended up attending community college.

At the time, it felt like I would never get to have a study abroad experience – which is something I had always wanted to do. I appreciated LA and the OC, but I just simply wanted to see what else there was outside of my comfort zone. Even if it was just upstate, somewhere like UC Davis or somewhere in Rhode Island, far away. I wanted to experience growth in this way.

A few months away from my Cypress College graduation, I found myself staring at an opportunity I had only dreamed of all these years. It was difficult to imagine that I, a 21-year-old from Maywood would ever get the chance to study abroad, but yet here it was – a study abroad experience in Wales. It was a frightening thought, as it meant moving 3,000 miles across the Atlantic ocean and creating a life far away from everything I had ever known. It is a decision I am truly grateful I had the opportunity to make. I am glad I went for it.

Tredegar

Two months after arriving in Wales I found an apartment in Canton. It was a small one-bedroom apartment nestled by Thompson’s Park, and only a 30-minute walk from Cardiff Metropolitan University. It wasn’t long before I eased into my new life in Cardiff. This was something completely new and exciting because I had never lived on my own. I started to develop my own routines and found solace in walking to places like the Canton Fruit Market – partly because of the 50p banana bowls, but mainly because everyone I ran into was so pleasant. Breakfast at Crumbs, coffee from Lufkin and sandwiches from Bee & Honey quickly became my new favourite treats.

On the days that I had to go into university, I walked through Llandaff Fields, I used to cut through the field because I liked the way wet grass felt on my boots. Walking to school was a huge breath of fresh air – back in LA I was used to driving in one-hour traffic just to get to my 8AM lecture, but here I was, walking, witnessing dogs off their leads and the trees welcoming the autumn season. I could not be happier.

Taffs Well

I discovered that, for the most part, Wales is a rainy and cloudy place. This wasn’t a bad thing, however. Coming from a place where it hardly rains, experiencing the rain, whether it was manic or calm, was a lovely contrast.

The first few months I lived in Cardiff, I visited all the “tourist-y” bits. I took a train to Penarth, walked through Alexandria Park (a favourite of mine) and Penarth Pier. Beaches were not foreign to me, but this was the first time that I had ever seen a pebble beach – pebbles as far as I could see and seagulls waiting for the opportunity to swoop in and steal my chips. I took a train to Cardiff Bay, to see the Wales Millennium Centre and the Pierhead Building, it was interesting to read about the history and see what Cardiff Bay used to look like. Barry is one of my favourite places, too, and I feel as though the beaches around Cardiff are hugely underrated.

Ogmore

But, by far, my favourite place I visited and still escape to often is St. Fagans. Turog – the bakery there – is the perfect place to grab a snack to hold on to whilst walking around. When you are at St. Fagans it truly does feel like you are experiencing a piece of history, it is a wonderful feeling. The best thing about visiting all of these places is that they are not far. They are only a short train or bus stop away.

In LA, driving is an absolute necessity. Public transport is decent, but I have to admit it is not the safest or most reliable. In Cardiff, however, I have the pleasure of walking everywhere. If I needed to go into town I could just hop on the 61 bus and be there in ten minutes. On my first day of school, I remember walking down the River Taff trail through Pontcanna Fields and through Bute Park, and it was the first time I witnessed Cardiff Castle – I had never seen a castle in my entire life! I’ll admit I was a bit giddy. Sometimes I still feel that way as I walk past and the clock chimes its tune.

Mary at Lidl in Tredegar

I find myself in the city centre quite a bit, whether it is looking for beetroot wraps in M&S or just wandering around to take in all the Victorian and Edwardian architecture beauty. I enjoy walking through the arcades; the feeling that I get when having a stroll through them is something I can’t quite put into words!

In close proximity to the arcades is the Cardiff Market which, believe it or not, used to be a prison, and now it is home to a wide variety of food stalls and vendors. Cardiff Bakestones is a favourite of mine here because of their vegan Welsh cakes, which are always baked to perfection. I spent a lot of time there, whether it was to drink a flat white from Hard Lines or pizza from Ffwrnes. It is a lovely place to spend an afternoon.

It was also at this time that I experienced snow for the first time! It snowed in January of 2017 and it was super exciting for me. I witnessed a snowy Bryn Bach and Thompson’s Park; they were completely different when they were covered in snow, it was magical, albeit cold but still a wholesome new experience.

I thought I knew what celebrating Christmas was all about in California, but Christmas is truly something special in Wales. It is in the air. During the Christmas season, the city centre becomes a luscious Christmas paradise. There are vendors and stalls and the excitement of Christmas right around the corner. It was the place where I tried mulled wine for the first time and it is the place which I keep coming back to each year for churros, from the lovely Emilio of Churros and Chocolate. Winter Wonderland feels genuinely festive, and we don’t have anything quite like it in California, mostly because of the weather. Celebrating Christmas in the UK has made me appreciate the season more.

Bryn Bach

I lived in Canton for two years and in those two years, I remember how thankful I was that I only had to walk 15 minutes to get to work. I worked in Bloc, at the edge of Victoria Park, and if I got there early, I could hang around the park, watch all the dogs and have a coffee. Getting to work in a coffee shop, and getting to know the regulars and people that lived in Canton was such a lovely experience – everyone was always very friendly and forgiving. Working there was refreshing and it did not compare to any places I had worked in before – I will always be grateful to Bloc.

After living in Canton, I moved to Roath. Roath differs from Canton significantly but it has still been a wonderful place to live in. Because my 50p banana bowls were long far I had to find something else, and rightfully found Sammy from Fruit and Veg Barrow and slowly the routines were settling in. Now I only live twenty minutes away from Roath Lake and the Roath Rose Garden and these places have comforted me throughout these difficult times. Walking around these places and checking out nice spots like Roath Mill Gardens helped me throughout lockdown, and reminded me of how many lil’ gems Cardiff has.

Roath

As a Mexican-American, it has been an absolute joy being surrounded by Welsh people and immersing myself in their culture. Maybe it’s because Welsh people remind me of who I am as a Mexican-American, as there are parallels between each culture and their hard-working attitude.

There is just something genuinely honest and special about Welsh people: they are kind, hardworking, and always up for a good time. Getting to know my partner’s Welsh family was a joy – they were all welcoming, and I quickly began to see them as my own. I didn’t grow up with a lot of family, but Wales and my partner’s family – from their caring attitude to treating me to Sunday dinner – made me feel like I was in one straight away. My eyes begin to water when I think about how proud people are to be Welsh and I am overwhelmed with happiness that I get to experience it.

Wales has taught me more than I could have ever imagined, not only about how fantastic other places in the world can be, but how to love myself. I feel a lot more independent, and I feel like if I can move across the country on my own then I can do absolutely anything. Cardiff and the Welsh Valleys will forever be with me. I cannot thank both my parents and friends enough for believing in me and always encouraging me to follow my heart.

Mary in Penarth

Mary is an Interior Design graduate from Cardiff Met. Thanks Mary for this wonderful account of your past few years living in and around Cardiff!

If you’re interested in writing for We Are Cardiff, please contact us.

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The Arts

Cardiff, Treat yourself – to some great local independent food and drink!

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HAPPY NEW YEAR, LET’S NECK SOME BEER AND CHEER AND EAT ALL OF THE THINGS.

Did everyone else’s dry January last approximately 1.5 days? Asking for a friend. Anyway, I realise it’s a bit late for the old Blwyddyn Newydd Dda but coronavirus rules means you can wish anyone anything anytime you like (so happy Halloween and Yalda greetings, friends!). So happy new year from us here at We Are Cardiff.

This isn’t really a post about new year though, it’s a post about drinking beer. Or wine. Or anything you like. With or without alcohol. And also eating, because eating is great. Basically this is a post reminding all of you that even though we’re locked down, many MANY amazing Welsh indies are still making and baking and roasting and basting and selling, so if you’re shopping online (let’s face it, what else is there to do these days?) then why not fill your food basket with stuff that supports some local businesses?

Hungry / thirsty yet? LET’S GO.

FINE DINING – EAT AT HOME!

Let’s stop d*cking around. You want Michelin guide level fine dining but obviously there’s go getting you to the restaurant at the moment. So sweep the cat hair off the dining table and put on a bra, ‘cos we’ve got some options for you. And they’re fancy as f*ck. (Sorry if you’re here for the full swears, we have a NYRes to try and control our potty mouth).

HEANEY’S

HEANEY’S have put together a Dine at Home box which brings top quality small plates into your home and feeds two people. But be quick – the boxes are limited and so far have been selling out early in the week! They’re still doing their Sunday dinners as well, btw, as well as the sourdough and Marmite butter …. (Dine at Home £85 feeds two people).

Order from Heaney’s website / check out Heaney’s on Twitter.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ6Jdyvg45R/

PURPLE POPPADOM

PURPLE POPPADOM are also doing takeaway set menus – they’ve got a winter set menu (vegetarian and meat options available) that feeds two people – and who wouldn’t want chef Anand George curating that special curry night for them?? They’ve also got an extended a la carte takeaway menu as well. (Winter set menu £27.95 for two people).

Order from Purple Poppdadom website / check out Purple Poppadom on Twitter.

PASTURE

PASTURE are offering Pasture Experience Boxes for the meat lovers (veggies and vegans avert your eyes). And it’s meat tastic. I mean, it’s literally a box full of delicious meat. More meat than I’ve ever seen in a single box. The boxes arrive in time for you to carry out a ‘Pasture cookalong’ with chef and owner Sam Elliott, who will be showing you how to cook your slabs of beef (and all the rest) through a live Instagram event. There are plans for Sunday Roast Cook-alongs and a Porterhouse Box. (Porterhouse Box £95 for two people).

Order from the Pasture website / follow Pasture via Ruby and White on Instagram.

ROCK AND SCALLOP VIA THE CRISPY COD

THE CRISPY COD – while you might not have considered a seafood extravaganza as a viable option during lockdown, the Crispy Cod are here to serve you Rock & Scallop platters which look the absolute business. Also HELLO Kinder Bueno dessert from The Cheesecake Guy, get in my mouth please. (Welsh seafood platter £80 for two to three people).

To order the Rock & Scallop platter text them on 07870600481 / to order the takeaway fish & chips menu go to the The Crispy Cod website / follow The Crispy Cod on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/Thecrispycod/status/1349485845636669448

THE HUMBLE ONION

THE HUMBLE ONION – this indie bistro in Dinas Powys is also offering Sunday lunches and three course Humble at Home boxes. (Three course boxes are £30 pp).

To order visit The Humble Onion website / follow The Humble Onion on Twitter.

CASUAL MUNCHIES

KERALAN KARAVAN

KERALAN KARAVAN have literally fuelled us throughout the pandemic. Big thanks to Krish in the kitchen for those magic cooking hands. AND they’ve just started their Heat 2 Eat curry club, where you get fresh curries AND BEER brought to your doorstep! I honestly don’t think I could have made it through without that tasty swag in my belly. My favs from KK are their vegan burger and sexy fries. DAMN. The Keralan Karavan Heat 2 Eat curry club needs to be preordered so get yours in now / follow Keralan Karavan on Twitter.

FRANKS

FRANKS – everyone’s favourite hot dawg – have put together home kits as a special treat. There are veggies options alongside their meaty deals, plus cheese and bacon add-ons and some sweet merch. Order from the Franks website / follow Franks on Instagram.

MILKWOOD

MILKWOOD – somewhere in between super fancy dining and delicious lunch and dinner options is where Milkwood have placed themselves, and it’s pitch perfect. We’re big fans of the takeaway pizza menu (hello gorgonzola get yourself in my mouth), plus they do beers, wines and ciders and lovely sandwiches as well. Order and book a collection slot on the Milkwood website / follow Milkwood on Twitter.

BOOZE AND OTHER ESSENTIALS

POP’N’HOPS

POP’N’HOPS have their online shop’n’hops (sorry) open for business, with free delivery for orders over £50, or you can pop’n’lock (seriously stop it now) in there for collection during specific times in the week. Pop’n’Hops specialise in those unusual beers you just can’t get from other places – we are big fans of their massive selection of milk stouts (they’ve even got an alcohol free one!) and all the lovely pale ales. Plus cider. Mmm. Order from the Pop’n’Hops website.

LITTLE MAN

Though you’ll know them for coffee, LITTLE MAN have expanded their delivery catalogue to include all sorts of things for doorstep delivery, three times a week! Our orders from them usually include Oatly Barista oat milk, Who Gives a Crap! toilet paper, blue roll (we make a right mess here in this house) and Freddos. YES FREDDOS YOU HEARD. They also sell WINE which is not a drink I know much about, but check out their selection via Chilled and Tanin. On the way in or on the way out – whichever orifice needs attention, Little Man have got you covered. Choose your own adventure from the Little Man linktree / follow Little Man on Instagram.

VINVANCAERDYDD

VINVANCAERDYDD – an independent, bilingual, online wine delivery service based in Cardiff! Get your booze from them by ordering from the VinVan website / following VinVanCaerdydd on Twitter.

PETTIGREW BAKERIES

PETTIGREW BAKERIES are still STILL nearly a year own baking their way through the pandemic. They’ve been open throughout providing tasty baked goods and kitchen essentials. You can book a slot for collection OR they will deliver some of their patisserie items, if you have some friends who need cheering up with gluten (seriously their brownies should be offered as mood improvers). Have a look at the options on offer from the Pettigrew Linktree / follow Pettigrew Bakeries on Twitter.

HARD LINES

HARD LINES – Hard Lines Coffee are trying to twist my melon by offering so much variety of good things I don’t know what category to stick them in. Their Canton store is open for pick up (although check opening times and days – at the moment they’re closed on Mondays and Tuesdays). In store you can buy coffees, pastries (and burritos on the weekends!) and peruse a massive selection of organic wines and ciders, plus a whole bunch of different kitchen essentials. Their website also offers coffee club subscriptions (great gift ideas) plus ALL THE COFFEE for mail order. If this floats your boat then please enjoy the below image of Mary Berry holding a packet of Hard Lines Coffee. Order from Hard Lines website.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKEAX_wgPv3/

PENYLAN PANTRY

PENYLAN PANTRY have recently reopened for takeaway! They’ve also got kitchen larder essentials (oils, salts, pasta, rice, pulses, tinned tomatoes, eggs, butter, coffee etc), as well as freshly baked bread, homemade soup bottles, homemade cakes, organic veg stand, salad boxes and organic Welsh milk. Big up Mel and the crew. Penylan Pantry website / Penylan Pantry Instagram.

WILD THING

WILD THING are open for pre-ordered takeaways from Thursday to Sunday (go visit their hatch in Cathays Community Centre!). Excitingly, they are also running a Community Fridge! If you’re struggling and in need of food, the community fridge is open EVERY DAY between 9AM-4PM, 36 Cathays Terrace (the fridge is also looking for volunteers, so if you’ve got some time to spare please contact Wild Thing!). They are one of our best social businesses – please do what you can to support them. Pre-order takeaways from the Wild Thing website / follow Wild Thing on Twitter.

OASIS

OASIS SUPPER CLUB – Yes, Oasis are the refugee centre in Splott, but did you know they also run a pre-order supper club? The supper club is relaunching in February 2021 so keep an eye on the Oasis Facebook for info on that – in the meantime, you can order Eritrean Coffee or Iranian Tea from the online Oasis shop. Follow Oasis on Facebook.

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ORDERING A TAKEAWAY? USE A CARDIFF-BASED DELIVERY SERVICE! Yes it exists, and it’s called Indie Eats! It’s a co-op affair which means your local eateries get a better deal from it. Also if you use it, you’ll probably discover some great new places to eat! Visit the Indie Eats website or Indie Eats on Twitter and support that little guy.

CARDIFF MARKETS

YES, you can still find Cardiff Markets still open! You’ll find all manner of producers at these markets, including Ty Caws, The ParsnipShip, Handlebar Barista, Paul’s Organic Veg, Riverside Sourdough, and more! Details below:

PONTCANNA MARKET: Every weekend, Sat 10am – 1:30pm / Sun 10am – 3pm, Kings Road Yard.

RHIWBINA FARMERS’ MARKET: Every Friday 10am – 1pm, Butcher’s  Arms, Heol y Felin

ROATH FARMERS’ MARKET: Every Saturday 9.30am – 1pm, Mackintosh Sports Club, Keppoch Street, CF24 3JW

RIVERSIDE FARMERS’ MARKET: Riverside Farmers’ Market Every Sunday 10am – 1:30pm, Fitzhamon Embankment, opposite. Principality Stadium, City Centre.

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Okay, well I’m now too hungry to carry on. Hopefully some of these have inspired you to add some indie treats into your weekly shop. Because YOU’RE WORTH IT.

If you see anyone we’ve missed out, please add them in the comments!

Peas

WAC x