Monthly Archives: March 2024

The Arts, Whats on

Don’t miss! Soundspace Sessions: Das Koolies and 4Pi Productions present DK.01mmersive TONIGHT AT CULTVR LAB!!

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Okay kids. We don’t often do last minute TONIGHT style announcements, but here you go. TONIGHT (22/3/2024) at CultVR Lab, don’t miss this unique live performance.

Das Koolies, returned to their rave roots last year with their expansive debut album DK.01 taking an extended road trip through the former Super Furry Animals’ techno, pop, krautrock and psych influences before hitting the road for real on a sold out UK tour.

Now, Huw Bunford, Cian Ciarán, Daf Ieuan and Guto Pryce are back in Cardiff for a unique live performance, in collaboration with immersive studio 4Pi Productions and Dah Dit Dit, the creative minds behind their groundbreaking music videos.

Supported by Welsh Government, Cardiff Council and Cardiff Music Board, the Soundspace Session on Friday 22nd March will see the bands’ sonic adventures and poignant beats bound songwriting enhanced by immersive visuals, under the dome at experimental digital arts centre, CULTVR.

Das Koolies:

“Home sweet home, yet unfamiliar territory to all of us, as we turn the Das Koolies’ sounds into something altogether otherworldly at only our second Cardiff live outing. Our album, DK.01, recorded in the secrecy of our HQ in Cardiff Bay, is made of our shared imaginations and experiences but, beyond our own imaginations lie possibilities unexplored. Something unexpected. For perhaps one night only, DK.01 becomes an immersive experience at CULTVR and together we’ll find out what that world looks, sounds and feels like.”

Matt Wright, Artistic Director of 4Pi Productions:

“Over the past decade, 4Pi has been at the forefront of innovation in immersive creativity and live performance. Through this live XR experience, we aspire to offer audiences a deeper insight into the band’s artistic vision.”

Limited tickets available here

Doors open at 7pm.
8.00 – 9.00pm Das Koolies (DJ Set)
9.00 – 10.00pm Das Koolies (Live Set)

DON’T MISS IIIIIITTTT

The Arts

Punk Rock Factory return to Clwb Ifor Bach during their small Welsh tour!

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Punk cover band from South Wales valleys rock out to timeless classics such as Spongebob Squarepants…

Words and photography: Chloe Jackson-Nott

Welsh band Punk Rock Factory, recently completed a round of intimate shows across the Welsh valleys and made a stop off in Cardiff’s own Clwb Ifor Bach.

Each night of their tour, the band would showcase a different support act depending on what venue they were in. For their sold out show in Clwb Ifor Bach, the audience were thrilled to welcome Edit The Tide to the stage. High energy and charismatic, this alternative rock band from South Wales were a great way to get the crowd hyped up and sweaty. They have recently released a new single called ‘Ambience’ and have a new debut EP coming out in April called ‘Reflections in Sound’ so keep an eye out for these boys – they have big things on the horizon!

Starting with an absolute banger for all the nerds in the crowd, the boys from Punk Rock Factory came thundering onto stage with a punk rendition of the Pokemon theme song. They then continued into The Little Mermaid’s Under The Sea for all the Disney kids in the crowd. There was even a section where they showed up a lot of us older generations by rocking out to Power Rangers, Gladiators and Thundercats all one after the other.

Moving back into the generation of 2000/2010’s kids, the boys covered the Phineas and Ferb theme song. A couple of weeks prior, they joined Bowling For Soup on stage at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena in front of 7,500 people and performed the theme song there too. Frontman Peej said that they originally asked the boys in Bowling For Soup for AAA passes to enjoy the show, and instead the band were invited on stage to perform and it was an incredible experience for them all.

There was a small point in the show at Clwb Ifor Bach where bassist Benj needed a quick break to sort out his bass. This point of the show came just as the band were about to play the Spongebob Squarepants theme song, and boy… did one audience member know. One woman in the audience was very excited to hear this theme song that the boys continued to wind her up by starting the song but not actually play it.

“Whoooooooo…… thinks this person really wants to hear this song?”

“Whooooooooooooooo….. seriously thinks this person reeeeally wants to hear this song?”

The boys in Punk Rock Factory never fail to disappoint and will be returning to Cardiff on November 2nd to The Great Hall. Find tickets here.

The Arts

The Blackout “Wasn’t it. Was it?” reunite in Cardiff for a home show

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Words and photography: Chloe Jackson-Nott

The Blackout, a Welsh rock-band from Merthyr Tydfil, said their farewells back in 2015 leaving many young emo hearts broken. But in the year 2024, they have reunited once more and gone on the road to mend those broken hearts.

Joining the boys on the road were Dead Pony and for their Cardiff show, they welcomed De’Lour to the stage to open the set. Each night a local band open the show and for Cardiff the five-piece band were selected. They thrashed out banger after banger with the songs, Suncrusher, Cold Decisions and Crown. We recommend giving these guys a listen! Dead Pony were second on. They are a Scottish rock-band from Glasgow. Sean Smith said on stage that he is in awe of their chosen band name as it sounds incredibly punk rock. These are another band to keep an eye on – their new single RAINBOWS is out now!

Uproar and nostalgia filled The Great Hall in Cardiff, the moment The Blackout jumped onto stage. Opening the set with This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things, the boys had the audience eating from the palm of their hands immediately. Frontman Gavin Butler, injured his achilies during the Manchester stop on the tour so performed the show in a boot, but props on his for continuing the tour despite the circumstances!

Cardiff successfully made Sean Smith cry three times in total and had poor Bob (James Davies) sat on the floor as he patiently waited for the crowd to stop chanting We Are The Dynamite. During I’m A Riot, You’re a F**cking Riot, there were actual riots in the crowd. The mosh pits got heavy and security intervened at one point but everyone kept each other safe and made sure they were all having the best night. They ended their set as they always do with Save Our Selves (The Warning). It’s usually at this point where Sean Smith would ask the audience to get down but the crowd knew exactly what was expected of them.

We’re so glad to see The Blackout’s return and feel like society has been restored in South Wales. We look forward to see where the boys continue and how they perform at Slam Dunk this year!

The City, Whats on

Cardiff – join Spring Clean Cymru 2024!

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Is your Cardiff street like my Cardiff street? Littered with an assortment of kebab wrappers, empty baggies, and recycling bags stuffed full of actual waste that your neighbours keep leaving out? Keep Wales Tidy have got you.

They’re arranging Spring Clean Cymru on 15-31 March 2024 – and calling on people across Wales to join forces to collect and safely dispose of litter from our streets, green spaces and beaches.

The plan? Join in and pledge to pick up as much litter as you can during the campaign. You might choose to pick up just one bag, or you could set yourself a goal of collecting as many as you can.

Last year, an incredible 7,000 #LitterHeroes collected more than 4,000 bags of litter and recycling. Can we do even better in 2024? I could probably do that just from my street in Butetown. COME ON CARDIFF WE GOT THIS!

Whether you’re an avid litter picker or this is your first time joining for a community litter pick, pledge to pick up a bag – or more – today!

REGISTER YOUR CLEAN UP NOW!

More info:

Keep Wales Tidy – Spring Clean Cymru website

Keep Wales Tidy Facebook

Keep Wales Tidy Instagram