Cardiff may be talked-up as one of the UK’s fastest growing cities with a global outlook in film and TV (the BBC and Pinewood have large bases here), but locals extol Cardiff’s sense of camaraderie. Grassroots cultural activity is increasing but often with assistance from established arts centres, such as the excellent Chapter.
“It’s collegiate,” says Kate Wasserberg, artistic director at pub theatre, the Other Room. “There wasn’t an organisation in Wales that didn’t lend us something.”
That mutual assistance is particularly important for Cardiff’s music scene, which, critics argue, gets little political support. In recent years, the city has lost several venues, including the Coal Exchange and the Point, due to a familiar mixture of noise complaints, business pressures and redevelopment. The 1,000-capacity Tramshed is a new addition but, says John Rostron, creator of Sŵn festival (October 21 – 23), music is still undervalued locally. There is certainly no shortage of musical talent or energy. Beyond cult Cardiff exports such as Gwenno and Joanna Gruesome, taste-makers flag-up a raft of emerging acts: Junior Bill’s indie-ska; singer-songwriter Dan Bettridge; experimental pop crackpots Islet; Darkhouse Family and their adventures in bass music. Such creativity is supported by a network of small labels (Bubblewrap, Jealous Lovers Club, Flower of Phong), festivals such as HUB and Shape Records’ From Now On, and a host of DIY promoters from club outfits Blue Honey and City Bass to the Joy Collective, which pushes queer/feminist punk and experimental music. If you're planning on visiting the city to experience its vibrant music scene, you might consider booking a stay at Chatsworth House http://chatsworth-house.hotels-wales.com/en/. An accommodation choice famed for its beautiful architecture and incredible hospitality, it's the perfect base to explore everything the city has to offer.
Cardiff playlist by Rich Chitty, Bubblewrap Collective Spotify
The Joy Collective is part of a group currently fundraising to open a DIY gig and art space, Hotel de Marl. “If we band together we can make something tangible,” says member Claire Vaughan. “The city keeps growing and big business threatens spaces that two years ago would have been affordable.”
That pressure may explain why so much of the best stuff in indie food and drink is happening not in the city centre, but out in the suburbs of Canton or studenty Cathays. Seek and ye shall find Cardiff’s tight-knit, buoyant underground.
MUSIC
Undertone
“Every city needs a small, dingy basement club like this,” says Gwyn Thomas de Chroustchoff, clubs’ editor at Cardiff’s Buzz Magazine and writer for Crack Magazine. Undertone also hosts loud, grungy live gigs, but look out for nights from peripatetic promoters Rotary Club, Groove Theory and City Bass. “City Bass is one of Cardiff’s most well-curated nights, going all the way from grimey, dubstep-y guests like Cooly G to techno/house DJ Theo Parrish,” says de Chroustchoff.
12 Church Street, 029-2022 8883, facebook.com/undertoneCF
Jacob’s Basement
A multi-storey antiques and vintage market, this historic warehouse also hosts roof-top parties and, in its basement, ad hoc late-night tear-ups. Its walls have been shaken by everyone from techno don Dave Clarke (a guest of promoters Compound) to cult house producer/gender activist DJ Sprinkles (playing for in-house night, TEAK). “It’s dark, strange, subterranean down there,” says de Chroustchoff.
West Canal Wharf, facebook.com/TEAKcardiff
Clwb Ifor Bach
This stalwart gig venue is now in its fourth decade. It still welcomes underground acts as diverse as MC Pharoahe Monch and psyche overlords Acid Mothers Temple, while acting as a hub for Welsh language music and fostering offbeat indie club nights, such as Holy Hell.
11 Womanby Street, 029-2023 2199, clwb.net
The Moon
Around narrow Womanby Street several pubs and venues trade in the complementary palliatives of craft beer and live music. In fact, the Moon (a gig space above the equally music-led Full Moon pub), is currently accommodating Waen Brewery’s Gravity Station bar in its loft. Otherwise, says John Rostron, expect raucous gigs in “a black box that, as things tend to be at that level, is done more with love than money.”
Womanby Street, 029-2037 3022, themoonclub.net
Gwdihw
This quirky, boho cafe-bar is treasured as a daytime retreat, an intimate gig venue and for its Sunday daytime open-air Delete raves. Inside, there is a small stage at one end of the room. “You get some gigs that are packed, crazy, sweat-filled nights,” laughs Richard Chitty, who runs the Bubblewrap label. “They had Titus Andronicus play last month. The week before, I’d seen them play Primavera to 10,000 people.”
6 Guildford Crescent, 029-2039 7933, gwdihw.co.uk
FOOD
Top 10 budget restaurants in Cardiff
Street food
With a few honourable, relatively upmarket exceptions, such as Bar 44 and the Potted Pig, discovering the best independent food in Cardiff requires a bit of effort. You need to venture into the city’s suburbs or seek out special events such as the Street Food Circus and Depot. The former is a multifaceted pop-up night market in Bute Park (until end September, Thu–Sun), while Depot’s Street Food Social is a smaller, weekly Saturday night shindig, where visitors can eat from five traders with added ping-pong and DJs (Construction House, Dumballs Road, 5– 11pm). At both, look out for Brother Thai, Slow Pig, Big Fish Little Fish; and Science Cream’s liquid nitrogen ice-cream.
Dusty Knuckle
Such is the demand for Dusty Knuckle’s wood-fired pizzas that no sooner had it set-up at Crafty Devil’s Cellar (see below) than it had to move to a larger space at Canton’s Printhaus studios (Thu-Sat). “It’s a nice heated courtyard and their pizzas are really good,” says Jane Cook, who blogs at hungrycityhippy.co.uk. “They do a seafood one that has Penclawdd cockles and laverbread on it. It’s creative stuff.”
Pizzas from £7. 70, Llandaff Road, dustyknucklepizza.co.uk
Cocorico
“Spectacular pastries that you’d expect to find in Paris, not in a Cardiff suburb,” enthuses Brother Thai’s Andrew Chongsathien. Science Cream owner Carly Karran is similarly smitten with the tarte chibouste and salted caramel religieuse at Cocorico, Laurian Veaudour’s chic Cathays café: “Cardiff is extremely lucky to have patisserie of that standard.”
Cakes £2.90-£4.10, 35 Whitchurch Road, 029-2132 8177, cocoricopatisserie.co.uk
Jalan Malaysia
Recently given a trendy makeover and new name, Jalan’s dishes remain true to the Malaysian originals. Flavours are clear, precise and sometimes fiery, particularly in the nasi lemak. “It takes me right back to Penang. You’ll find plenty of Asian students in there which is a good sign,” says Chongsathien.
Mains from £8.95, 101 Woodville Road, 029-2023 5616
Falafel Kitchen
Israeli owner Ronen Achrak brings an authentic taste of the Middle East to this simple lunchtime cafe/takeaway. His zingy salads and garnishes (try the smoky baba ganoush) are prepared each morning and he fries his falafel to order. “They do a lovely mezze platter and the pittas and falafel are always hot and fresh,” says Cook.
Dishes from £4.50, 76 Crwys Road, falafel-kitchen.co.uk
DRINK
The Dead Canary
This drinking den works hard to create distinctive cocktails and retain its air of mystery. “You book online and arrive at an unmarked door – it looks like there’s nothing there,” says the Other Room’s Kate Wasserberg. “Ring the bell and you’re led down this slightly shabby corridor into this beautiful golden cavern. It’s ridiculously glamorous.”
Cocktails from £8, Barrack Lane, 029-2023 1263, thedeadcanary.co.uk
The Little Man Coffee Company
Naturally, these coffee obsessives serve a sweet flat white, but Little Man is also a creative fulcrum that facilitates pop-up theatre shows, life drawing classes and the popular Simple Knots Craft Club. There is always something happening.
Coffee from £2.30, Ivor House, Bridge Street, 07933 844234, littlemancoffee.co.uk
The Crafty Devil Cellar
The Crafty Devil brewery’s bottle shop and bar serves its own beers (among them stronger, experimental specials) and a fine range of cutting-edge brews. Crafty Devil also has a bar at its warehouse brewery which opens once a month (Fri/Sat, last weekend, Unit L, Papermill Business Park), with live bands, DJs and street food. Another notable Cardiff craft brewery, Pipes, has its own monthly brewery tap event (first Sat, pint from £4, 183A Kings Road).
Pint £4, 16 Llandaff Road, craftydevilbrewing.co.uk
Buffalo Bar
This lively late-night DJ bar also has a 150-capacity room used for gigs, comedy and club nights by promoters such as drum‘n’bass crew Aperture (facebook.com/aperture.family) and Hideaway, who have recently welcomed nu-disco royalty Late Night Tuff Guy and Horse Meat Disco. As well as fun cocktails, Buffalo serves beers from Pontypridd’s excellent Otley Brewery.
Pint from £2.50, 11 Windsor Place, 029-2031 0312, buffalocardiff.co.uk
Urban Tap House
Owned by Newport brewery Tiny Rebel, the Tap House showcases its own beers (go directly to the Belgian yeast Urban IPA), as well as craft creations from around the world. “It’s getting more interesting guest stuff in, including more local bottles ,” says Crafty Devil’s Rhys Watkins, “and its starting do more tap-takeovers and events.”
Pint from £3.30, 25 Westgate Street, 029-2039 9557, urbantaphouse.co.uk
CULTURE
Bone Yard
This creative hub is an old scaffolder’s yard with shipping containers used as offices, studios or workshops. It is open to the public every first Saturday (as is the similarly interesting Printhaus) with food often supplied by the Yard’s resident pizza aces, Ffwrnes. “It’s a great example of how art can transform derelict sites and create vibrant communal spaces,” says Tom Rack, artistic director of circus troupe NoFit State.
Rear of 35a Romilly Crescent, 07738 092524, theboneyardcardiff.com
The Other Room
Located within Porter’s bar, this tiny, intense 47-seat pub theatre is a fully-functioning producing house which curates, facilitates, mentors and programmes original work from both new and established writers and fringe theatre companies. “It’s innovative and Porter’s always has a good vibe,” says Rack.
Porter’s, Harlech Court, Bute Terrace, 0333 666 3366, otherroomtheatre.com
G39
As a concept, G39 is almost 20 years old, but this artist-run warehouse gallery has clearly retained its appetite for mischief and challenging work. It is currently home to Carl Slater’s multi-faceted installation Miss America’s Trip to Technoland, which explores religion, rave culture and mind-melting transcendence. Running simultaneously, Does That Include Us? is a programme examining issues around disability in the arts. For more contemporary Welsh art, visit gallery/ten, which concentrates on painting, print and sculpture.
Oxford Street, 029-2047 3633, g39.org
Made in Roath
This annual festival sees Roath, an area just outside the city centre, come alive with art. You will find poetry and public interventions, dance and video installations happening in unusual settings. “It animates the whole area,” says the Other Room’s Kate Wasserberg.
Oct 9 -16, madeinroath.com
Mr & Mrs Clark
Trading in an explosive amalgam of live art, dance and theatre, Mr & Mrs Clark can frequently be seen performing their often politically-charged pieces in Cardiff. “Their work, Smash It Up, was a direct response to the destruction of Newport’s Chartist mural,” explains Alice Burrows from Chapter (which is currently showing the exhibition, Sticky Intimacy). She describes the duo as “two of the most interesting, liberating, generous performers I’ve seen in Cardiff.”