Cherryade
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"Apparently I used to dance when she drank cherryade too." Now living in Cardiff, Neil is surrounded by his love for music.
Transcript
"My mum told me that before I was born, I used to dance in her belly whenever she played music. Apparently I used to dance when she drank cherryade too.
Music was my first love and when I came to live in Cardiff two years ago and discovered the music scene, I felt like a kid in a sweet shop.
Tiny cave or giant hall, it doesn't matter. The anticipation of those first thunderous bars. Friends say I look like I'm being gunned down by a machine gun as I thrash around in the mosh pit. The bass thumps so hard your heart forgets when to beat, and the noise is so extreme that your ears are still screaming in protest two days later. No doubt I'll be deaf by the time I'm 50, but I'll be too old for gigs by then.
Clwb Ifor Bach: I still don't know how to pronounce it - proper Welsh.
The CIA: Where I saved a friend, but lost her coat during the chaos of The Strokes and finally discovered The Manic Street Preachers.
Toucan: My first experience of Brazilian Marshall Arts Dancing.
Chapter: Marvelling at a bendy cowboy in a futuristic musical.
Metros: Dripping ceilings and bouncers intent on getting me to 'CALM DOWN'!
Cardiff Uni: Where I was given my first photographer's press pass last week at the Kaiser Chiefs.
Then there's the Barfly, where my new favourite band plays close enough to spit on my face. This is the place to see bands flirt with groupies and sign the body parts of potential stalkers.
I met Grace there too, while King Adora howled the soundtrack with transvestite angst and now we're discovering new sounds and growing deaf together ... in Cardiff, my new favourite city."
An interview with the author
Please tell us a little about yourself.
Having reached the dizzy heights of competence as a graphic designer, at 36, I'm looking for new challenges. I want to leave something permanent that I'm proud of before I end up with a blanket on my legs, staring out of a conservatory troubled by what might have been.
What's your story about?
My story is about the diversity of music venues in Cardiff and my passion for music. I don't feel that the Cardiff music scene is appreciated by those that live in Cardiff and by the British music media. Many bands, when choosing to do a "British" tour, seem to avoid Wales altogether. I wanted to show what a vibrant city Cardiff is and how much choice and diversity is on offer.
What did you find most rewarding about the workshop?
Meeting new people with a story to tell and a passion for telling it.
