SPOTLIGHT
The most wonderful time of the year: time for KATE RUSBY’s latest folky Christmas album
Kate Rusby’s Light Years is her seventh seasonally-themed folk album, bringing her total to 22 records in 32 years.

Utilita Arena Cardiff Presents BIG NIGHTS OUT
See what’s coming up…
WHAT’S ON
Sheffield industrial dance project RANDOLPH & MORTIMER headlines an eclectic bill in Cardiff’s Inkspot
Randolph & Mortimer, aka Sheffield-based Sam Evans, specialises in a danceable kind of industrial music: one might observe a full-circle element of sorts, thinking of bands from that city like …
Nearly 15 years after exploding on the UK club scene, JOY ORBISON is still hard at it, and back in Cardiff
District 2 Greyfriars Road, Cardiff, CardiffDecember brings London dance heavyweight Peter O’Grady, aka Joy Orbison, to the floors of District for his first visit to the capital in years. Joy O has come a long way since 2009’s trailblazing debut dubstep drop Hyph Mngo: latest project Still Slipping Vol. 1 is a hypnotising infusion of garage, house, post-dubstep and unreleased …
Bristol post-rockers THE BRACKISH make their Cardiff debut in the Moon this Sunday
The Moon 3 Womanby Steet, Cardiff, Cardiff, United KingdomCardiff debut show – one that’s been in the works for a while, I believe – for The Brackish, who are from Bristol and make exploratory instrumental rock music. Members are or were also in This Is The Kit and Zun Zun Egui, but go in a different and evocative twin-guitar direction here. Haul and …
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BUZZ PICKS
BLACK GRAPE’s Cardiff comeback: a soul-lifting experience defying the cold
Black Grape warm up frosty noses and cold-bitten toes in a Cardiff show with fresh energy and real teeth.
ANTON CORBIJN’s infamous video work for DEPECHE MODE gets long-awaited repackage
Released on VHS over 30 years ago, Anton Corbijn’s Depeche Mode video collections Strange and Strange Too are now resurrected on a more up to date format.
PARANORMAL CARDIFF: a city of spirits, séances and the supernatural, says Mark Rees
According to Mark Rees’ Paranormal Cardiff, the city “excels in what might be described as the more chilling cases of supernatural history”.
TOPOGRAPHICA HIBERNICA: compelling short stories from Irish rapper turned podcaster BLINDBOY BOATCLUB
Initially known from Irish duo Rubberbandits, Blindboy is famous nowadays for his books and self-titled podcast; his latest publication is a collection of short stories.
SWANSEA TO HORNSEY: pacy memoir by Trampolene singer and Libertines orbiter JACK JONES
“I am what they call a relatively high-strung person,” says Jack Jones, frontman of Welsh indie group Trampolene, in pacy memoir Swansea To Hornsey.


MUSIC

A Brand NEW Learning Experience from Buzz
If you’re 16-30, live in Wales, and want to get ahead in the Creative and Cultural Industries, this could be what you’re looking for.
THEATRE
I SHOULD BE SO LUCKY: blissfully cheesy pop nostalgia from the Stock Aitken Waterman hit factory
A gloriously light-hearted cheesfest of 80s nostalgia, I Should Be So Lucky will have you dancing in the aisles.
Frozen fun from kids’ theatre specialists FLOSSY & BOO with their new show BEYOND THE BLIZZARD
With memorable characters, and songs so catchy that we’re all singing along by the second chorus, Beyond The Blizzard is a show that’s a joy to be part of.
Charming, elegant, powerful performances: THE KING AND I returns to Cardiff
The King And I is a living testimony to how great stories can stand the test of time and still have something meaningful to say.
SHREK THE MUSICAL: a joyfully different fairytale in Cardiff’s WMC
Watching this exuberant, colourful and warm-hearted musical, adapted from the movie series, is like stepping into the pages of a fairytale.
Ambitious, challenging and striking: new adult Welsh-language musical BRANWEN: DADENI
Challenging, ambitious and imperfect, much like its titular heroine, you’d be hard-pressed to find Welsh mythology retold with as much vim and viscera as Branwen: Dadeni.
Splash Test Dummies at the MEMO Arts Centre
“It’s Baywatch meets the Three Stooges!”
Fresh from international waters, Australian circus-comedy specialists The Dummies are heading to the Memo with splish-splashing circus for half term fun!
Wed 1 Nov 2pm & 5:30pm & Thur 2 Nov 11am
Books
food & Lifestyle
Christmas crackers: your festive events guide
Moving into December and January, a roundup of theatre, pantos, concerts, festivals and more taking place in the Yuletide build-up and aftermath.
PENDERYN distillers, blenders and managers explain why Welsh whisky is women’s work
Three Penderyn Distillery staff – master blender Aista Phillips, distiller Bethan Lewis and general manager Laura Davies – discusspuncturing the spirit’s blokey image.
THE RED LION: Vale Of Glamorgan roadside inn offers good non-trad pub cooking
Customer-focused, friendly and good, The Red Lion in Bonvilston has been around for hundreds of years and will doubtless continue.
BWCABUS: the fight to save this crucial transport service in rural Wales
The Bwcabus debate in mid and west Wales has opened up a can of worms about the funding of public services. Julia Deli reports on the campaign, from the position of an involved party.
Cardiff’s themed bar scene continues to expand with Shuffles & Alcotraz
Post-pandemic, themed bars back with a vengeance, with two new conceptual venues arriving in Cardiff this month.