I went to see Rain Man here a few months ago featuring Oliver Chris and Neil Morrisey. As a…read moretheatre virgin as it were, I entered with much trepidation, unsure of what to expect. I was highly impressed. It's decorated quite lavishly in a pretty old-fashioned way. It certainly conformed to every imagining I had of what a theatre should look like inside and was in keeping with the history of the building, built in 1878. Onto the bar then! The service was quick and the drinks were reasonably priced. A surprise, as I thought I'd get stung for a drink here. A cool service they provided (I have no idea if this is standard fare or not) is that you could order drinks for the intermission, so when you come out, rather than waste any precious time queueing and paying, your drinks are there waiting for you with your name on! I thought this was brilliant. As nobody really wants to stand up in the middle of a tense scene and shuffle past an entire row, there was the expected mad rush for the bathrooms at the end of the performance but the toilets were adequately sized which was great. I'm not a big theatre person but I had a really enjoyabke night here and would definitely go back if something that took my fancy came to town.

The New Theatre is an old classic looking theatre that I always remember when visiting it on school…read moretrips to see what shows they had. I vaguely remember seeing 'The Hobbit' on stage and that was enjoyable. The New Theatre is one of the oldest buildings in Cardiff and still delivers shows for everybody. If I were to put a certain category of shows the New Theatre has it would be pantomimes. Everyone loves the pantomime and The New Theatre knows this, it has had shows like Aladin, Dick Whittington and a variety of other shows. It does have some drama plays too. I went to and see Romeo and Juliet with my girlfriend. However, this does bring me to mention a problem the auditorium has. We were sitting at the back of the stalls and unfortunately we had a giant pillar between our seats so we couldn't even see each other, this wasn't exactly the most romantic way to spend an evening watching Romeo and Juliet's final scenes and all I have to comfort me is a pillar. New Theatre I beg of you, please knock this pillar down. The New Theatre is an old classic theatre that still has a buzz when a performance starts. It may not have the most contemporary shows but it's brilliant for families. My only problem is that annoying pillar. Knock it down!

I've been to St David's hall a couple of times now, mainly for comedians like Ross Noble and Sean…read moreLock. As a venue, it plays hosts to a huge variety of acts and entertainment. In the coming week alone you can see acts as varied as Stan Stennett (?), Brian Conley, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Roy Chubby Brown. It's not the most aesthetically interesting or pleasing venue in Cardiff, being beaten hands down by the Millenium Centre in the Bay, but it nevertheless remains the favoured venue for most acts, probably due to it's slightly larger seating capacity of 2000 (as opposed to 1897 in the Millenium Centre). It still hosts the annual Welsh Proms aswell. My own experiences have all gone pretty smooth, with very little queuing and helpful, professional staff. I suppose it's good that there's nothing of note I can really say here, as the things that would tend to stick in your mind about something as general as a concert hall would in all likelihood have been bad experiences anyway. It's a top venue though and it's important to Cardiff as a city to have somewhere encouraging the arts and being constantly active in doing so.

I have always found St David's Hall to be a little bit of a strange venue. That's not to say it's…read morenot good. Just odd. I think that's because it was, when built, quite a modern design, and that design was not universal enough to quite stand the test of time. What remains is an odd mixture of wood, green carpets and wide areas which make sense when they're full of people, but which are just tired when not. That being said, the selection of music, comedy, ballet and theatre in this venue is great. The theatre itself is vast, but seems much more intimate because of their carefully tiered seating. Seats encompass the stage, and there is a massive organ on display. Unfortunately, I've always found this venue to a little dampening to sound. Or the speakers aren't loud enough, or something. A good venue though.

This is a great place to go watch a show. Very enjoyable experience watching bedknobs and brooms…read moresticks, slight technical problem but still enjoyable. The seats were comfortable and view was great. Staff friendly and helpful. Great experience and thoroughly enjoyed will return to watch another show.

A little while ago I went to this venue to see Aled Jones take on the role of Caractacus Potts in…read more'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang', and finally got to see this splendid new building from the inside. Most people who are at all familiar with Cardiff would recognise the armadillo/woodlouse outer shell of the Wales Millennium Centre, and the giant lettering gracing its sides. But, unfortunately, few people seem to have actually ventured inside. The space is modern and clean, without looking barren, as so easily might have happened. The theatre itself has excellent leg-room, comfortable seats and pretty much unrestricted views. I sometimes struggle with low volume when attending musicals, but the acoustics were excellent, and every word clear as a bell. As well as shows and events, there are also food outlets and guided tours available. There are also free performances most days on the Glanfa stage, which are certainly worth checking out.

Despite a few issues, Clwb consistently maintains its status as possibly the best nightspot in…read moreCardiff. Where other clubs rise and fall, Clwb remains, playing the role of the alternative Oceana to the slightly less rude boy crowd. The reason for this seems to be because whilst other clubs have a niche that slowly dwindles over time, Clwb has enough room and enough nights to cover all the bases. Every week they cater to the drum and bass crowd, to the indie boys and girls, to the hipsters, to the RnB fans and even to those among us who dig a little (or a lot of) soul. On top of this, you have the regular gigs from international, national and local bands that bring in the crowds as well as sets from world-famous DJs such as Grooverider and you have a club that everybody loves for one reason or another. Unfortunately, the problem a lot of people have with Clwb is the pretentiousness that goes with it. Whilst the staff and the club itself remain relatively grounded, it seems the status as one of the top clubs has definitely gone to a lot of the regular's heads. This snobbish atmosphere and poseur attitude puts a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths, but if you can get passed the douchebags wearing sun glasses and leather jackets in a night club, it is one of the best nights in Cardiff.

Also known as the Welsh club to all the English speakers out there. Clwb Ifor Bach is easily my…read morefavourite club in Cardiff. Coming from London originally and spending all my time in Camden, it's hard to find anything else in the country that comes close to there for alternative clubs. Infact, I've been very disappointed with a lot of the alternative clubs here that all feel inclined to adhere to the 15 year old NME readers. Clwb isn't like this. Consisting of 3 floors, all of which are different themes depending on what night you go. Generally the bottom floor has anything from the 60's to present all night and have even heard the likes of Devo etc in there. That pleases me! The middle floor can be closed at weekends, but if you go on a wednesday it's the funk room. I've walked in before to see the whole dance floor playing limbo in there and have funked it up royally in there many a time. Upstairs on a wednesday plays NME hit list...Though the odd good choon does escape from the speakers. On a saturday it becomes the drum and bass room. For that you have to specify your going to that room, otherwise you will pay twice to go in downstairs and then upstairs. Confused? So am I. Drinks are dirt cheap in here and I can't remember a time I've paid more than £1.50 for a bottle of fosters and shots are of a similar price if your looking to drown your woes in the satan's liquids. There also a load of gigs happening here all the time and suggest you go to the website to see who's playing. The list is very diverse as I've seen people like Rueben to Will Haven here personally. All in all I am very fond of this place and celebrated my graduation here as I would not go anywhere else if I want a great night out.

Want to see Boy Zone? Take That? West Life? Enrique Iglesias? Pink? Then this is the best place in…read moreCardiff to go, when these and other pop stars come to Wales. I long for Britney Spears to come and sing here. I've seen her in London, but it is not the same as it would be to be able to see her here. I really enjoyed the Boy Zone concert it was amazing, they were on roller skates and they performed scenes from the Movie Grease. This was back in their early years. It ended with fireworks and started with fireworks. Spectacular! I saw Busted there as well that was another awesome concert! I'd never had such fun in a long while, before I had been to that concert. I didn't even really care about how loud it all was, which I often do. I recommend it for all; especially teenagers, the older the better I feel. It's near Cineworld cinema, in the town centre.

This is a really good arena. I've never been to it to see any sports (I don't even know if they do…read moredo sports there - sometimes places really surprise you and you realise that they have an ice rink under the floor and things!) but only music. It's a fantastic venue to see a concert. There is always a really atmosphere - and although part of that will obviously be my own excitement, a bad venue can hinder a gig. There's a good amount of seating and of standing room and the prices are always reasonable. I just wish there were more loos! That's always the problem!

'What good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the…read moremusic play. Life is a Cabaret, old chum, Come to the Cabaret. 'Put down the knitting, The book and the broom. Time for a holiday. Life is Cabaret, old chum, Come to the Cabaret. 'Come taste the wine, Come hear the band. Come blow your horn, Start celebrating;' Ready? This local drama club meets on a Monday evening at around 7.30pm at Rumney Memorial Hall. They put on two theatrical productions a year - a pantomime at Christmas and a play in the summer. Members can take part in the performances as an actor or actress or, if they preferred, they could help out back stage with wardrobe, set production, lighting and sound or just generally help out with ticket sales, programmes etc. please contact Mark Williams via rumneydramaclub@hotmail.com for more information.

I want to write poems about this place…read more Live Lounge is the last chance saloon for the rest of Cardiff. Open until 4am, it is the stopping off place for the most hardcore patrons of every other bar in Cardiff, so chances are by about half 3, you're going to know at least three different groups of people in there. The cocktails are delicious, and made with consummate skill. One bartender in particular knows the ins-and-outs of his bar, and it shows. Every member of the barstaff in fact are cheerful, energetic and entertaining. Drinks are preposterously cheap, which is always a nice bonus (£5 for a bottle of wine quickly sends any female friends down the slippery slope of happy alcoholism). With live music performed by a selection of the top local Cardiff bands every lunchtime and evening, the club certainly earns its name. And, whilst it is always packed, and can sometimes get a little hairy in there, it is always fun and rarely an annoyance to end up there at the end of the night.

Right, here is the break down of the rating I've given Live Lounge:…read more 1* - It is open until 5 in the morning every day of the week. Now, I feel like this is how late most clubs should stay open but most of the places here shut at 2 or 3. As a result, there is always a surge towards Live Lounge when the clubs let out. 2* - And, to be honest, 3*s as well, for the prices of the drinks which are quite ridiculously cheap. They are also really good and the cocktails are delicious. The bar can get pretty busy so I wouldn't recommend having the cocktails at night but at lunchtime or in the evening, they're a must. 4* - The music caters to a lot of tastes. A standard night will see people dancing to 90s cheese, club classics, a little bit of indie and some RnB. If you're looking for more specialised music they also have a lot of live bands playing. 5* - The building in general. The dance floor is big, it's located near a cash point (and near fastfood for those who've had too much). It's near the main clubs. It's near the union. It's near the taxi rank.

Earthfall is a pioneering, radical hybrid dance-theatre company that puts on exciting, energetic…read moreand unique productions. Since forming in 1989, the company has become widely known and very well-established across Wales, has won several awards, and has performed all over the world at major festivals. They've featured on TV programmes and have been involved in film work, winning the Bafta Cymru Award for Best Short Film for 'Too Old To Dream'. Unlike most conventional dance companies, Earthfall uses some performers who are not trained dancers, and brings political and social issues into the dance arena, as well as using sound and installation in their productions, alongside dance and theatre. If you haven't seen an Earthfall production, find out what they have coming up ('The Factory' is on in October 2010) - and get yourself a ticket! You're unlikely to have seen anything quite like it before.

Jessica Cohen and Jim Ennis formed this pioneering dance theatre company over 20 years ago and have…read moregarnered a reputation for issue-based work that combines radical choreography with live music and strong visual imagery. The award winning troupe seek a deeper experience of physical theatre resulting in performances that are gritty, emotional and often stamped with the word 'mesmerising' in press reviews. Earthfall as a company continue to develop and explore their relationships across the globe, they have regularly worked with companies in both Poland and Brussels, and have toured internationally across France, Germany, Holland and South America. This August will see Earthfall continuing their international work through a co-production of their 2005 show After The Birds, with CHOREA, a polish based theatre company. Earthfall are financially supported by the Arts Council of Wales and the Lottery Division of the Arts Council of Wales.

Chapter isn't just a cinema, its a centre for arts of all kinds in Cardiff. It has quirky art…read moredisplays, great theatre and dance performances, comedy nights and hosts lectures and debates, not to mention scrabble Sunday. I wish there were more places like this in Cardiff, places that work with community and offer up something less mainstream that provides the arts scene in city a really good base. Defiantly think its worth checking out their brochure and find out whats going on, and get down there and support the place.

Chapter Art Centre, as a single entity, offers one of the most comprehensive programme of events to…read morebe seen outside of London. Comprised of a cinema, gallery, theatre, café-bar, dance studios, workshop spaces and bookshop, it is, quite literally, an all singing, all dancing, creative hub. It also happens to be one of my most loved havens in Cardiff. I spent the best part of Monday there, (which wasn't my intention... it's just a very difficult place to leave!) I regularly ensconce myself in the newly refurbed café, lunching out whilst taking advantage of the extremely quick wifi they provide. These days there are plenty of sockets so that everyone who wants to can plug-in, (in the bad old days I have had to queue to get to a socket when I ran out of juice... there just weren't enough to go round). The facilities have improved across the board since vast sums of money have been spent modernising the space. There are two schools of thought regarding the refurbishments, with the old guard firmly protesting the changes, and people like me, who think that it has lost nothing of its charm, and are grateful for the improvements that have been made. I guess not everyone appreciates change. Oh well, done now!

Everyman are an ammeter dramatic theatre group who put on some fantastic open air plays in the…read moregrounds of the Folk Museum every summer. They generally put on three or four shows, always one aimed at young children such as Wind and the Willows, and of course one by the bard himself Shakespeare. A performance of A Midsummer Nights Dream in recent years was particularly memorable, the outdoor setting being absolutely perfect for the forest scenes. Of course there is a downside to staging the plays outdoors, whilst on a warm summers evening the experience is fantastic, on a rainy day the open air stage is disastrous, with both the performers and audiences spirit (and person) being rather dampened, though thankfully the audience are under cover, for the most part.

Everyman Theatre Group is, to put it simply, the biggest amateur dramatics society in Cardiff…read more Being responsible for the famous summer Shakespeare show at St. Fagin's each year, and the nearly all the local output from Chapter Arts Centre's theatrical arm, the company is a constant source of entertainment and intellectual stimulation for the city. Their output routinely consists of avant-garde pieces, both classical and updated Shakespeare plays, musicals and comedies, ensuring that the company always contains players of consummate skill, and ensuring the company rarely repeats itself. At intermittent Wednesdays, Chapter hosts the interesting "Everyman Club Night" where company members, potential patrons and everyday members of the public are able to sit in on a small performance of a pending piece and witness the director's burgeoning ideas before they come to fruition. It's an interesting experience, being packed into a room that fits maybe thirty people at a stretch, watching actors literally three feet away from you, and provides a wonderful sense of involvement to see the director's vision come to the stage several months later. There is, however, a vein of elitism within the company; a degree of snobbishness that can sometimes rear up. Luckily, this is usually quelled before it can cause any real harm to the company's image.