Rubie Barker

I am a third-year student studying English Literature and History at Cardiff University. Alongside this, I am section editor of Music at Quench Magazine as part of Cardiff Student Media for the University.

Quench •

Sam Fender @ Motorpoint Arena- Live Review (25/11/21)

For Sam Fender, his band and fans in the room, this concert had been a long time coming. He was initially meant to perform in Cardiff in March 2020 but like so many other artists had to reschedule this show several times. Tickets had been sold out for months and resale tickets disappeared within minutes. Since he last performed in a pub in Cardiff he has released two number one albums, been invited to perform at Elton John’s Oscars 2020 afterparty where they performed ‘Will we talk?’ together an
Quench •

Declan McKenna @ The Great Hall, Cardiff Student Union - Live review (10/09/21)

It has been a whole 18 months since I last attended a gig, at this very same venue and I couldn’t be more excited that this was my first concert back. Unsurprisingly to some, I am running late but as I run up the stairs I can hear the roar of the crowd as McKenna takes to the stage.

Declan McKenna opens the show, not with one of his hits, but with a British classic no one can help but sing along to. The Beatles, ‘With a little help from my friends’ is an instant crowd-pleaser and immediately pu
Quench •

The Return of the Nightclub

With the UK now trialling nightclub events and gigs, we asked Cardiff students how they felt about returning to the ‘normality’ of such social environments.

The 21st of June has been an important date marked in the calendars of young people. The UK government hopes that by this date, all legal limits on social contact can be removed; allowing the reopening of nightclubs if coronavirus cases remain low.

It is clear that many young people will be excited about this. The reopening of nightclubs n
Quench •

Paddington 2: The Best Movie Ever?

Thanks to the discovery of an 80-year-old review of Citizen Kane, the film went from a rating of 100% to 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. But one film which does still have 100% on the infamous film review website is the wholesome and charming Paddington 2. There are other films on the website that score a 100% like Singing in the Rain and The Philadelphia Story, but thanks to the volume of reviews for Paddington 2, it now reigns supreme. Naturally, this usurpation has generated a lot of conversation ove
Quench •

Long-Covid: How the virus lives on...

My experiences with Long-Covid can best be described as (to state the obvious) a real drawn-out affair. I was back home for Christmas; I had a negative test before I came back, and I didn’t socialise with my friends. But there was a small outbreak at our local Tesco’s which is where I suspect I caught Covid. I first developed symptoms on Christmas Eve, which is a real kick in the teeth when you realise half the table couldn’t taste the Christmas dinner.

After that, me, my dad, mum and grandmoth
Quench •

An Interview with Black Honey

The chance to sit down with Izzy B. Phillips, lead singer of Black Honey was not something I wanted to miss. I got to see them back in 2018 at Truck Festival before the release of their hit self titled debut album, Black Honey. But now with their second album, ‘Written and Directed’ about to be released, I wanted to see what has changed for them over the past few years. Without sounding cliché, they really don’t fit into one genre. Ranging from psychedelic rock to indie rock, to alternative rock
Quench •

Looking Back to Lockdown One

With people now beginning to miss the first national lockdown, we asked out contributors to reflect on the ‘lockdown one nostalgia’ and tell us what differences they have noted between feelings towards the first lockdown and the situation we now find ourselves in.

As it approaches a year since the first lockdown began, it does seem inevitable that we are looking back. In an age of Snapchat Memories and Facebook reminding you what your mum tagged you in ‘1 year ago’, it seems impossible to avoid
Quench •

An Interview with Pale Waves

It’s 6 pm in a slightly dingy and drizzly Cardiff for me as I log on to a zoom call with Pale Waves’ Heather Baron-Gracie, who is in a far brighter and warmer LA. “The weather is great!” she tells me, “different to Northern England, so that is a massive appeal to me.” Having announced back in July on their Instagram that album 3 was on its way, Heather tells me that she has been in the studio for the past few days recording, with two songs already done a few days later.
The Collective Mag •

Universities and ‘blended learning’: Is it time to reduce tuition fees?

In March 2020, universities were forced to close. Halls of residence were basically empty, student houses were left with no students and lecture theatres fell silent. The academic year beginning in September 2020 was a disrupted one by any stretch of the imagination with multiple lockdowns and constant changes to universities policies. But as a new academic year looms on the horizon, many had hoped for a return to the university life we once knew; being able to move between home and our student
Quench •

Spring 2021 Fashion Trends

“Second-Skin” Tops are a trend that is gaining more popularity each season. In plain neutrals and bold prints, as the name suggests, they fit like a second skin. From the runway to the every day, they are used as bases for layering or simply being tucked into high waisted skirts and trousers. They are one of the easiest trends this season, and as we have seen in the past year, comfort has inspired this piece to be a choice of many designers. While they are a throwback to the late 90s and early 2