Barely three songs into the set, Jonathan Richman has stopped playing. “It feels like… we’re too far away” he says. Briefly deliberating with the only other band member, longtime drummer Tommy Larkins, he sets about rearranging their equipment til the pair are barely two feet away from the audience. It doesn’t take long – there’s […]
March 1, 2012
A review originally published on Plastik “Every show needs a structure” says Simon Munnery. He’s pointing at the flimsy, six foot high cardboard arch standing beside him. The audience laughs. Already well into the eighty-odd minutes of the act, it’s the only thing approaching a discernible structure we’ve seen so far. By his own […]
November 22, 2011
This post originally appeared on the ITV Wales blog It’s hard to think of another band quite like Throwing Muses. Fronted by guitarist/singer Kristin Hersh, the Boston quartet released a series of brilliantly mercurial albums from 1986 onwards. The lineup went through a few changes, most notably with guitarist Tanya Donelly leaving in 1991. Today, the […]
October 31, 2011
This has also appeared on the ITV Wales blog… With perfect pop, DIY videos, and a wonderfully brash Twitter account to their name, Pris have already picked up quite a following. Formed little over a year ago, they’re no strangers to Wales, playing one of their earliest shows supporting the Manic Street Preachers […]
October 26, 2011
Here’s an interview that originally appeared on the ITV Wales site. It’s always a pleasure to watch Art Brut perform. Once described as “Stephen Fry fronting Guns N’ Roses”, the band is touring in support of their latest album ‘Brilliant Tragic!’, which saw them team up with Pixies legend Frank Black on production duties. […]
July 7, 2011
Around forty people lobbied Cardiff Council’s Planning Committee this week, at the site of proposed residential development in Whitchurch. The council wants to build houses on the site of the former Heol Don Resource Centre. Six options have been presented, each containing upto 18 residential units – homes of varying size. Residents say that with […]
June 2, 2011
Here’s a little radio feature I put together. Talking to the creators of ‘Stiffs’, a comic set in South Wales. It also includes appearances from the undead.
May 10, 2011
Last saw the ‘Uncaged Monkeys’ tour visit Cardiff’s St David’s Hall. Billed as ‘the first ever national science tour celebrating the universe and the wonders that lie it’, it’s been organised by the comedian and broadcaster Robin Ince. His ‘Nine Carols and Lessons for Godless People’ have become something of an annual Christmas institution at […]
May 2, 2011
Bit delayed posting this, but here’s a piece I did at the start of April. It was the week before a set of Bruce Davidson’s photos of life in Welsh mining villages went under the hammer in New York. I talk to Dr Daniel Meadows about the impact of Davidson’s work. The programme? Our final […]
March 16, 2011
It had to happen sooner or later. Someone’s launching a bus tour of the Doctor Who filming locations. I thought it’d make a nice piece for a CJS breakfast show. Oh, and the presenter banter at the beginning? That’s Adam Grierson and Claudia Headon.
March 14, 2012
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