events
WOMEX, together with some of the most varied
and exciting music to hit the Welsh capital in
years, may have packed its bags and headed for
warmer climes but, as a cursory glance at this
months listings reveals, there’s still plenty of
entertainment to be had in the Principality for the
discerning roots music fan. From blues musician
Eric Bibb (Parc & Dare, Treorchy, Sat 16) to
Malian kora player Ballaké Sissoko (Pontardawe
Arts Centre, Thurs 28), there’s a wealth of
top quality music on show including plenty of
homegrown talent with tours from Catrin Finch
and Seckou Keita (various venues – see listings)
as well as Wales’ finest purveyors of InterCeltic
music, Jamie Smith’s Mabon.
With a growing reputation as one of the liveliest
bands on the circuit, Jamie Smith’s Mabon
brings together five exceptional musicians who
take traditional music as their starting point
and rework its forms through the inventive
compositions and arrangements of Jamie Smith,
the band’s frontman and accordionist. Aided and
abetted by fiddler Oliver Wilson-Dickson, bouzouki
player Adam Rhodes, bassist Matthew Downer
and drummer and percussionist Iolo Whelan,
these outstanding musicians demonstrate an
interplay that that borders on the telepathic.
Effortlessly blending jigs and reels with
mazurkas, muiñeras and Welsh love songs, Jamie
Smith’s Mabon draw on influences from across
the Celtic world to create music that’s by turns
gently haunting and powerfully abandoned.
Having already made their mark at venues
and festivals from Fairport’s Cropredy to
Celtic Connections and from the Llangollen
International Eisteddfod to WOMAD, the band are
now embarking on the ‘Taith Adre’ tour, their first
headlining tour of Wales and a homecoming that
takes in all corners of the country (see listings)
and which rolls into Roots Unearthed at Cardiff’s
St David’s Hall on Tue 26.
A few days earlier at the same venue (Fri 22) Essex
troubadour Billy Bragg celebrates the release of
Tooth & Nail. His first album in five years, it’s one
that finds him getting back to his roots, drawing
on soul, country and folk music to explore the ups
and downs of personal relationships.
Buzz also recommends
Michael Chapman. One of Britain’s finest
singer/guitarists. Swansea Grand Theatre Arts
Wing. (Fri 15)
Blair Dunlop Trio. Supremely talented young
folk singer and guitarist. The Halfpenny Folk
Club. Greyhound Inn, Oldwalls, Gower. (Sun 17)
Oysterband. The greatest folk rock band of
recent years. The Globe, Cardiff. (Thurs 28)
Please send your folk an d roots listings to
[email protected] or phone them in to
029 2022 7677
BUZZ 64
Community Choir Chapter
Arts Centre, Cardiff. 9.4511.45am, £72/£48 (12 weeks).
Info 01446 401209.
Experimentica 2013 Chapter
Arts Centre, Cardiff. 11am10pm, £10 (full day)/£5 per
event/£25 full festival. Info
029 2030 4400. Today features Holly Davey’s If Only I
Could Remember, a day-long
performance piece recalling ideas stolen from her in
Argentina (Common Room,
11am-6pm); Robert Molly
Vaughan & Nicholas McArthur’s
The Dancing Plague Of 1518
(Chapter, 4.30pm); Matthew De
Kersaint Giraudeau’s Artworks
That Didn’t Quite Work Out
For One Reason Or Another
(Stiwdio, 7pm) and Pil And
Galia Kollectiv’s Terminal: A
Miracle Play With Popular
Music From The End Of The
World (Theatre, 9pm). (Until
Sun 10)
Fencing: Welsh Open
Tournament Welsh Institute
Of Sport, Cardiff. 12-10pm. Info
07920 274157. (Until Sun 10)
Freestyle Fitness Yoga Kings
Road Studios, Pontcanna,
Cardiff. 10-11am, £6. Info 07774
601544 / serenhealth@hotmail.
co.uk.
Friday Night Magic Rules
Of Play, Castle Arcade, Cardiff.
6.30pm, £5. Info 029 2022 1695.
Newport Photographic Club
Skip Jennings Hall, Maindee,
Newport. 7.30pm. Info 01633
400685.
NoFit State Circus: Aerial
Conditioning Prince Of Wales
Building, John Street, Cardiff.
6.7.30pm, £7/£5 per session or
£35/£30 for six sessions over
10 weeks. Info 029 2022 1330 /
www.nofitstate.org.
Older Adult Dance/Exercise
The Riverfront, Newport.
11.15am-12.15pm, £2.80. Info
01633 656757.
Rhiwbina Farmers Market
The Butchers Arms, Rhiwbina.
10am-1pm, free. Info 029 2022
7982.
SeeWales Sightseeing Day
Tour: Mines & Mountains
National Museum & Gallery,
Cardiff (pickup point). 9am5.30pm, £5 off if you present
this magazine. Info 029 2022
7227 / www.seewales.com.
Sessions The Riverfront,
Newport. 5-11pm, £1. Info
01633 656757. Boutique stalls
and live acoustic performers.
Tango Argentine Chapter
Arts Centre, Canton, Cardiff.
7.30-8.45pm, £7/£4. Info 029
2023 7332.
Tea Dance St Donats Arts
Centre, Vale Of Glamorgan.
2pm, £6 adv. Info 01446 799100.
With Alan Taylor.
The Cardiff Brain Game
Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff.
3pm. Info
[email protected]. Corporate black tie quiz
night, with dinner included, in
aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Toddler Day Techniquest,
Cardiff Bay. £4.80 for adults.
Info 029 2047 5475.
Zumba: Dance Exercise
Classes Sbectrwm Community
Centre, Fairwater, Cardiff.
1-2pm. Info 07891 712344.
SATURDAY 9
Abertoir Aberystwyth Arts
Centre. £58 (six days). Info
01970 623232. Today has a Q&A
with Fabio Frizzi. Cool. (Until
Sun 10)
Alien Encounters
Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info
029 2047 5475. A search for life
in our galaxy, as well as a look
at the history of such. (At weekends until Sun 15 Dec)
An Evening With Johnny
Herbert Coliseum Theatre,
Aberdare. 7.30pm, £17.50. Info
0800 0147111. Formula One
driver-turned-co-commentator
talks about motorsport. A
chance to “sit in an actual racing car” is promised.
Caerwent Craft Fayre
Caerwent Village Hall,
Monmouthshire. 2.30-4.30pm.
Info cwmbran_crafts@hotmail.
co.uk . Every second Saturday
of the month.
Chepstow Farmers’ Market
Cormeilles Square, Chepstow.
8.30am-1pm, free. Info 01291
626370. Every second and
fourth Saturday of the month.
Crazy Circuits: Beeps &
Buzzers! National Waterfront
Museum, Swansea. 11am, 1pm
+ 2.30pm, free. Info 01792
638950. Make a working circuit
board. On tomorrow also.
Creative Photography For
Beginners Venue TBC, Brecon
Beacons. £90 adv. Info 01874
749092. Visit some of the
most beautiful locations in the
Brecon Beancons National Park
with photographer Nigel Forster.
A Good Day Out event.
Creative Textiles Workshop
Village Hall, Gwaleod-y-Garth,
Cardiff. £32 adv. Info 029 2081
1279. Workshop covering free
machining, applique, full lining,
fastening, hand and machine
stitchery.
Experimentica 2013 Chapter
Arts Centre, Cardiff. 6pm, £10
(full day)/£5 per event/£25 full
festival. Info 029 2030 4400.
Today features Mike Pearson
and Heike Roms’ performative guided tour to the parts
of Cardiff which launched the
city’s performance art scene in
the 70s; Good Cop Bad Cop’s
Wylaf Wers, Tawaf Wedy
(Theatre, 6pm) and Richard
James & Anthony Shapland’s
The Colour Of Saying, a film
and music score exploring the
vocal, lyrical, rhythmic and literary strands of Dylan Thomas’
west Wales (Cinema, 8.30pm).
(Until Sun 10)
Farmers’ Market Twyn
Community Centre, Caerphilly.
9.30am, free. Info 01656
658963. Every second Saturday
of the month.
Feltmaking: Hand Warmers
Craft In The Bay, Cardiff Bay.
£50. Info 029 2048 4611. With
Mandy Nash.
Fencing: Welsh Open
Tournament Welsh Institute
Of Sport, Cardiff. 12-10pm. Info
07920 274157. (Until Sun 10)
Funkypump Fitness
Universal Gym, Cardiff. 9.30am.
Info www.
funkypumpfitness.co.uk.
Glyn Pooley: Open Studio
Canonhill Art Space, Barry.
10am-4pm, free. Info 07854
375891. You can have a look
at Glyn’s practise and also buy
some art if you like. On tomorrow also.
Ian Duhig & Damian
Walford Davies The Drill Hall,
Chepstow. 7.30pm, £12/£10.
Info www.
poetryontheborder.org. A Poetry
On The Border event.
Intermediate Screenprinting
Workshop Weekend The
Printhaus, Canton, Cardiff.
Free. Info info@theprinthaus.
org. Limited spaces available.
On tomorrow also.
Mumbles Produce Market
Seafront Car Park, Mumbles.
9am-1pm, free. Info 01792
361012. Every second Saturday
of the month.
Music Geek Monthly Chapter
Arts Centre, Cardiff. 3.30pm,
free. Info 029 2030 4400. Also
on Thurs 28.
Newport Craft Fayre The
Gallery, Newport Indoor Market.
9am-4.30pm, free. Info 01633
656656. Every second Saturday
of the month.
NoFit State Circus: Youth
Circus Prince Of Wales
Building, John Street, Cardiff.
10.30am-2pm, £5 per session.
Info 029 2022 1330 / www.
nofitstate.org.
Remembrance Service
National History Museum, St
Fagans. 10.50-11.20am, free.
Info 029 2057 3500.
Roath Real Food Market
Mackintosh Sports Club Car
Park, Roath, Cardiff. 9.30am1pm, free. Info 029 2022 7982.
Rugby Union: Wales v South
Africa Millennium Stadium,
Cardiff. 5.30pm, £25-£70. Info
08448 471881. First of three
home matches for Wales here
this month.
Samba Galez Intro Courses
Willows High School, Tremorfa.
10.30-11.30am, £25 per course.
Info join_the_band@
sambagalez.info.
Saturday Adult Classes:
Stained Glass YMCA,
Swansea. 11am-4pm, free. Info
01792 516900.
Saturday Family Workshops
YMCA, Swansea. 10am-1pm,
free. Info 01792 516900. Join
us to create an animated
film about the adventures of
Richard Glynn Vivian and his
travels around the world. Also
on Sat 16.
SeeWales Sightseeing Tour:
Romans And Ruins National
Museum & Gallery, Cardiff
(pickup point). 9am-5.30pm, £5
off if you present this magazine.
Info 029 2022 7227 / www.seewales.com.
St Mary Street Cardiff
Market St Mary Street, Cardiff.
11am-5pm, free. Info 029 2019
0036.
The Slime Show Techniquest,
Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475.
Explore the amazing properties
of slime and find out why it
behaves in such strange ways.
(At weekends until Sun 8 Dec)
Walking Tour: Around The
Marina National Waterfront
Museum, Swansea (starting
point). 11am, free. Info 01792
638950. An insight into the
development of Swansea marina, hosted by Alun Jones.
Winter Foods In The Iron
Age National History Museum,
St Fagans. 11am-1pm + 2-4pm,
free. Info 029 2057 3500.
WWI 1914-1918
Commemoration Launch
National History Museum, St
Fagans. 11.30am-1pm, free. Info
029 2057 3500. Preview of the
stories, objects and events that
will form the Museum’s fouryear programme commemorating the Great War.
WWII Crash Site Hike Venue
TBC, Brecon Beacons. £55
adv. Info 01874 749092. Jeff
Calligan will guide you to one of
40 aeroplane crash sites in the
Brecon Beacons. A Good Day
Out event.
Youth Theatre The Riverfront,
Newport. 11.30am-3pm, £27
(seven weeks)/£24 (six weeks).
Info 01633 656757.
Yu Gi Oh Rules Of Play, Castle
Arcade, Cardiff. 1pm, £5. Info
029 2022 1695.
SUNDAY 10
Abertoir Aberystwyth Arts
Centre. £58 (six days). Info
01970 623232. (Finishes today)
Alien Encounters
Techniquest, Cardiff Bay. Info
029 2047 5475. (At weekends
until Sun 15 Dec)
Ballet Academy Wales
Classes – Adults Chapter Arts
Centre, Cardiff. 12-1pm, £6.50.
Info 07837 937351.
Bridgend Undercover Car
Boot Sale Multistorey Car
Park, Bridgend Town Centre.
7am-12pm, free (selling cars £6;
selling cars with trailers £10).
Info 01656 661338.
Cardiff Theosophical
Society 206 Newport Road,
Cardiff. 3.30pm, free. Info 029
2049 6017.
Crazy Circuits: Beeps &
Buzzers! National Waterfront
Museum, Swansea. 11am, 1pm
+ 2.30pm, free. Info 01792
638950.
Experimentica 2013 Chapter
Arts Centre, Cardiff. 6pm, £10
(full day)/£5 per event/£25 full
festival. Info 029 2030 4400.
Today features Ben Ewart-Dean
premiering a film exploring
Cardiff’s improvisatory experimental music scene (Cinema,
3pm); Mamoru Iriguchi’s One
Man Show (Stiwdio, 5pm);
Nigel Barrett And Louise
Mari’s Probing Elvis, based
on a trio to Porthcawl’s Elvies
in September (Theatre, 7pm)
and S Mark Gubb’s Bonfire Of
The Vanities, an offsite performance piece starting at 10pm.
(Finishes today)
Fencing: Welsh Open
Tournament Welsh Institute
Of Sport, Cardiff. 12-10pm. Info
07920 274157. (Finishes today)
Football: Barclays Premier
League – Swansea City v
Stoke City Liberty Stadium,
Swansea. 4.10pm. Info 0870
400004.
Glyn Pooley: Open Studio
Canonhill Art Space, Barry.
10am-4pm, free. Info 07854
375891.
Ice Hockey: Cardiff Devils
v Hull Stingrays Ice Arena,
Cardiff Bay. 6pm, £6-£17. Info
029 2038 2001.
Intermediate Screenprinting
Workshop Weekend The
Printhaus, Canton, Cardiff. Free.
Info [email protected].
Riverside Farmers’ Market
Fitzhammon Embankment,
Cardiff. 10am-2pm, free. Info
029 2022 7982.
SeeWales Sightseeing Day
Tour: Golden Gower National
Museum & Gallery, Cardiff
(pickup point). 9am-5.30pm, £5
off if you present this magazine.
Info 029 2022 7227 / www.
seewales.com.
Sunday Board Games
Cardiff Chapter Arts Centre,
Cardiff. 3pm, free. Info 029
2030 4400.
The Slime Show Techniquest,
Cardiff Bay. Info 029 2047 5475.
(At weekends until Sun 8 Dec)
Waterfront Book Club
National Waterfront Museum,
Swansea. 2pm, free. Info 01792
638950. Reading Seating
Arrangements by Maggie
Shipstead this month.
Willow Decorations Craft In
The Bay, Cardiff Bay. £50. Info
029 2048 4611. With Melanie
Bastier.
WWE Live Motorpoint Arena,
Cardiff. 5.30pm, £25-£60. Info
029 2022 4488. Featuring a
Championship bout between
Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton.
MONDAY 11
Ballet The Gate, Cardiff.
4.15-8.30pm, £48/£42. Info 029
2048 3344.
Bharata Natyam Dance
Classes For Adult Beginners
Bayview House, Cardiff Bay.
8.15-9.15pm. Info 029 2075
1158.
Cardiff Inter Varsity Club
Meeting Churchill’s Hotel Bar,
Llandaff, Cardiff. 8.30pm, £5
(three-month trial membership). Info 07526 141392.
Ceroc Dance Class Odyssey
Nightclub, Swansea. 7.4510.45pm, £5. Info
[email protected] .
Children’s Ballroom
Dancing Classes Memorial
Hall, Newbridge. 7-9pm. Info
01495 243252.
Climbing Class For Adults
Boulders, St Catherine’s Park,
Cardiff. 7-8.30pm, £12. Info
0845 0347791.