The Live Lounge - The Review

The very first day I arrived in Cardiff, I was given an introduction to the wonderful world of Live Lounge, and since then have often looked no further for a venue that combines real, live music, a nightclub style environment, lunchtime food, high quality drinks and prices that you'll remember for the affordability and forget for the amount of merry liquid that can pass your way during an evening there.

The obvious selling point is the live music, day in day out, with 4 or 5 bands / performers strapping on guitars of every species and flavour, and belting through classic covers that appeal to the diverse clientele that the venue attracts. Despite the belief held firm in clubs across smaller towns that a constant crush of Top 40 Arrggghhh and Beee is all that the tracksuited, hair gelled locals understand, guitar music is alive and well within Cardiff.

There is no greater entertainment than watching people, from students (to potential retirees on a Saturday night) shake their feet, knees and various other miscellaneous appendages to well executed and artfully adapted covers from across the entire spectrum of modern music (with some classics that have twice the years of the average student!) The DJ's crack out a mix of songs for everyone, from Slipknot (By very special request) to One Direction, Green Day, Blink and other bouncealong favourites.

Other highlights include deals during the week to pop your eyes from your sockets, and guarantee a mild haze that obscures your memory the next morning, with £5 bottles of White and Rose wine that may not be vintage but contain serious potency, £1 shots of Tequila and bottles of Carling ensuring beverage based excitement and a fantastic array of dance moves. However, digging a little deeper into the throng reveals an illustrious menu of 2 for 1 cocktails, and specialist alcohol is available on request, with the Bombay Sapphire Gin & Tonic an especially good choice.

The bouncers are always very friendly, helpful and quick to prevent trouble on the dance floor, and with opening times till 4am every single night, there is often a late surge from clubs across the city before the last entry at 2am. I suppose what makes the venue so special is the ability to have whatever sort of night you like, within the one building, with friends managing to spend 6 or 7 hours of a night working their way around the seats, bars and dancefloor.

Forget the cliche that guitar music will make you some sort of wierdo (over exposure to hiphop leads to a world of baggy shorts, and a lingo based on text speak, casual racism and pirate treasure (booty?)) and head on down to one of the best nights in Cardiff. Just don't drink too much wine!

Details

- Address: 9, The Friary (Just by the Hilton)
- Website: http://www.thelivelounge.com/
- You should drink:

Tequila

Wine Pitchers
Double Gin, dash of lime, no ice and a bottle of tonic.
- You should wear:
Black
Tight fit clothes
A cheesy smile
- Try to avoid
Feeling ill in the toilets (a man watches the mens constantly with many bottles of perfume)
Hanging around after 4am (Just go home and have sex, or sleep!)
Annoying various Welsh band members about their musical projects.
Giving up before 12, the dynamic completely changes!