Christmas Comes to Cardiff

If there were any questions over whether Christmas had begun in Cardiff, they’ve been answered now. 

Winter Wonderland has arrived in the ‘Diff. meaning Christmas mode has been fully activated and the festivities can begin! 

I don’t know about anyone else, but I find the annual arrival of the Christmas markets and Winter Wonderland one of the true green lights, signalling that Christmas can begin. The lights, snow machines, big wheel, festive treats, to name a few, create a festive atmosphere that lights up the city centre. 

Due to barely being able to contain our glee over the Christmassy arrival, we headed down swiftly and promptly to the grounds outside City Hall mid-November, to see what was going on this year.

After buying a hot chocolate for what seemed a small fortune, we took in the sights of lights and laughter, as Winter Wonderland provides such a joy to many, young or old.

Braving a fear of heights, we went around the big wheel, which provided a rare glimpse of the city from above. I found something quite magical about being able to oversee the going-on of Cardiff, all lit up and the hustle and bustle about town. After entertaining ourselves with, we did what most people do at these events, decided to waste a bunch of money at ill-fated fairground games.

Now I may have thought we’d have been totally useless, but we came annoyingly close to winning on several occasions. I don’t know what it is about these games, but they fill you with a sudden desire to win a giant stuffed toy, which any other time of the year would seem the most gigantic pile of rubbish not worth spending money on. My heart was set on a gigantic penguin (again, for reasons I cannot even fathom), but alas, it was not meant to be- which is probably for the best.

My face lit up when I started to see snow fall, only for my illusions to be shattered when I realised it was a fake snow machine producing little drops of icy foam over our heads. Still, in-keeping with the Christmas magic, it did just the job and still provided me with excitement. 

After another walkabout, a gander of the rides, a listen to the music and some obligatory photos, we headed back to reality. I have to say I do regret not booking the ice-bar, a new addition to the Winter Wonderland this year, although a hot chocolate quite sufficed.

Our reasoning for not going on the skating rink was a little self-explanatory for anyone who’s ever seen me try to skate- spoiler alert, it doesn’t usually end well. So even though we may not have done everything the attraction had to offer, we certainly ticked all our desired boxes.

Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland is a must for those wanting to get their festive cheer on and escape the mundane for a few hours. You can be in your own Christmassy bubble for an evening, and it’ll surely put a smile on your face.

Words by Gabi Page 

Can We Start Decking the Halls?

The Halloween decorations have gone down, the clocks have gone back, and the nights are drawing in. We’re now left with that awkward gap to fill until December 25th. This then propels the question- is it too early to start getting the tinsel and tree out?

I was thinking this whilst walking through the hustle and bustle of Cardiff City Centre. Shops stocked with Christmas decorations and extending opening hours for keen shoppers, the markets being set up and the Winter Wonderland starting to take form, Christmas is truly in the air whether you like it or not. 

Maybe we have just come to accept that November means Christmas for the sheer reason that there’s so much build up and planning needed for the most magical time of year. 

Finding the perfect presents, ensuring everyone at the table is catered for and well fed, making memories with loved ones, these things take organising and often can’t be done on a whim, in fear of suffering the chaos come Christmas Eve when shop pandemonium peaks and you’re left with nothing to give your nan on the big day.

But does it just enforce the idea that Christmas has become just consumerism at its peak, with no real thought as to the meaning behind the day or the fact that it’s a chance to spend time with family and friends. We can so easily become entrapped in the idea that we ‘need’ to do this and ‘need’ to do that to have the ‘perfect’ Christmas, but surely the perfect day costs not much at all. The company of loved ones, the merriment of some time off work and a chance to embrace the spirit by thinking of others, surely that’s what Christmas is all about?

Don’t get me wrong, my hands are practically shaking in anticipation of riding the big wheel, drinking hot chocolates whilst admiring the lights and trees and splashing out on gifts for my nearest and dearest, but sometimes I think it helps to stop and reflect. Think about whether I need to spend my years earnings on one day, when really, some goodies and a jokey gift or two is enough, and instead I should just appreciate the extra time to slow down and be with those I love.

Christmas is a magical time of year, my favourite to be exact, but maybe we should start to embrace the simplicities of the season, instead of worrying about how big the turkey is going to be or already fuelling the local economy by buying endless pairs of socks, chocolate, and more gifts aplenty. 

Let’s instead think about who we can see this Christmas, what we can do for others, and be grateful that we’re here to see another after the year, or two, we’ve just had.

BLOG: There’s nothing sweet about today: Sourest Day

October 25th, a day you may see as normal as every other day, but today is in fact Sourest Day don’t ya know. 

Yes, that’s right, a day to celebrate all things sour, whether that be food or people. 

Like with many of these whimsical holidays, the origins are unknown. One assumption that can be made though is that someone brainstormed it to encourage others to try new sour foods, or to turn their attention to the sour people in their lives, maybe making things a little sweeter. 

Sourness itself is a taste. It detects acidity in a food item, thus determining its level of sourness. Scientists rank substances on their sourness by comparing it to hydrochloric acid, which has a sourness index of 1. 

The word sour is used to refer to someone who is angry, disagreeable, or irritable. A person who harbours resentment or disappointment is also sometimes called a sour person.

A quick google search presents a few ideas for how one may celebrate this holiday, with the ideas being as follows:

1.     Try some sour beverages such as limeade, buttermilk and drinking vinegar.

2.     Try some sour food, such as sour citrus fruits for breakfast, or some lemon chicken for lunch. A ceviche, grapefruit salad and key lime pie would make the perfect sour dinner.

3.     Some sour candy is obvious. You could bring some to your co-workers or just try them solo.

4.     Maybe you know a slightly sour person in your life! Well, doing something nice for them to sweeten their sour may help.

FUN FACT:

An average adult has about 10,000 taste buds in their mouth, reducing in number as people age.

What's On Weekly 18/10/21

Welcome to this week’s What’s on Weekly here at KCL, where we provide our readers with up-to date information on what’s going on in and around Cardiff every week.

From pop-up markets to gigs and outdoor attractions running as restrictions ease, there’s plenty to do in the Capital, you just may not know about it! But that’s where we’re here to help and will be listing all the what’s on and any need-to-know information you’ll need to plan your week ahead. 

So, without further ado, here’s what you can look forward to this week!

Monday 18th

o   Paloma Faith, Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, 18:30

o   The Hunna, Cardiff University Student’s Union, 19:00

o   The Hollies, St David’s Hall, 19:00

o   Vukvoi, The Globe Cardiff, 20:00

o   Kerry Godliman, Unit 7a The Glee Club Cardiff, 19:30

o   The Skints, Tramshed Cardiff, 18:30

Tuesday 19th

o   John May, The Globe Cardiff, 21:00

o   Mode Tuesdays, Revolution Bar Cardiff, 22:00

Wednesday 20th

o   Ocean Wisdom, Tramshed Cardiff, 19:00

o   Nadia Sheikh, The Moon Cardiff, 19:00

o   Speed Dating in Cardiff for 20s and 30s, Peppermint Bar Cardiff, 19:30

Thursday 21st

o   Bad Boy Chiller Crew, Tramshed Tech, 19:00

o   Ross Noble, St David’s Hall, 20:00

o   Winterfylleth, Clwb Ifor Back, 19:00

o   Bokassa, Fuel Rock Club Cardiff, 19:30

o   Dennis Rollins & RWCMD Jazz, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Cardiff, 20:00

Friday 22nd

o   Sham 69, Tramshed Cardiff, 19:00

o   Clearwater Creedence Revival, Portland House Cardiff, 19:00

o   Bingo Lingo, Depot Cardiff, 18:00

o   Martin and Eliza Carthy, Acapela Studio Cardiff, 21:00

o   Britpop Acoustic, The Globe Cardiff, 20:00

Saturday 23rd

o   Belinda Carlisle, St David’s Hall, 19:30

o   Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, 19:30

o   Hard Generation 2021 Tour Presents Darren Styles, Tramshed Tech, 23:00

o   Dr Meaker Live, Frontal Lobe Warehouse Cardiff, 21:00

o   Hue and Cry, Acapela Studio, 21:00

Sunday 24th

o   Al Stewart, The New Theatre, 19:30

o   Black Marble, Clwb Ifor Bach, 19:30

o   Public Service Broadcasting, Cardiff Student’s Union, 19:00

o   Coco & The Butterfields, The Globe Cardiff, 19:30

o   Turin Brakes- 20th Anniversary Of ‘The Optimist LP’, Tramshed Cardiff, 19:30

Know of an event or activity on in Cardiff or the surrounding areas coming up? Let us know! If you’d like your event to be featured in our What’s on Weekly, then get in touch via: infocardifflive@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram @keepcardifflive, and for a £3 donation* via our website, we’ll include it on our list!

*All donations go towards running costs of the site which enables us to keep getting great content out for you to enjoy! If you’d like to support us, head over to the KCL website where you can find the donation box on the homepage. Thank you!

Prepping For a Haunting Halloween

Pumpkins, orange autumnal leaves and sugar rushes aplenty. Yes, it’s that time of year again, Halloween is creeping around the corner with only two weeks to go, meaning now’s about the right time to make sure everything’s in order for the spookiest day of the year!

Whether you’re planning a haunting Halloween gathering or a night in on the sofa with for a scary screening is more your thing, having an idea of what you’re doing is always the key to success. We here at KCL are here to help with your nightmare-ish plans to provide you with the perfect ghoulish inspiration you need for all things Halloween. 

Drinks

These will prove especially handy if you’re planning a Halloween party, as you’ll of course need some refreshing beverages for guests to sip on throughout the night, but they can also keep your solo-self or small group of friends refreshed when needed. 

·      Grasshopper Cocktail

·      Blood Beetroot Cocktails

·      The Witch’s Heart Cocktail

·      Halloween Mocktail Punch

·      Beastly Blackberry and Bay Lemonade Mocktail

·      Green Beer

·      Sparkling Ginger Sangria 

·      Zombie Brain Cocktail

·      Vampire Floats

·      Toxic Tonic

Food

Again, you don’t need to be having a party to enjoy some scary snacks, but if you are then it’s important to remember you can multiply recipes to cater for your crowd. Adjusting and experimenting with methods can tailor your food to your needs for your get-together perfectly- but we won’t tell if you chose to keep all the goods for yourself!

·      Easy Halloween Cookies

·      Eerie Eyeball Pops

·      Pumpkin Cheesecake

·      Witch Hats Cupcakes

·      Spider Pizza

·      Bloody Finger Hot Dogs

·      Rotten Devilled Eggs

·      Poison Apples

·      Bloody Mary Syringes

·      Halloweentown Marshmallow Spiders

Music

Now it’s all good having ‘Thriller’ on for the 100th time, but you’ll want to diversify your Halloween playlist a little, for fear of growing tired of the same music and to keep things fresh and new. As you may have guessed, music is very important to us here at KCL, and we feel it’s important to ensure you have a good idea of some spine-chilling songs so that you can make an informed decision when it comes to your playlist.

·      ‘Thriller’, Michael Jackson

·      ‘Monster Mash’, Bobby Pickett

·      ‘A Nightmare on My Street’, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince

·      ‘Werewolves of London’, Warren Zevon 

·      ‘Somebody’s Watching Me’, Rockwell

·      ‘Superstition’, Stevie Wonder

·      ‘Psycho Killer’, Talking Heads

·      ‘Heads Will Roll’, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

·      ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’, Blue Oyster Cult

·      ‘Zombie’, The Cranberries

·      ‘Dead Man’s Party’, Oingo Boingo

·      ‘Witchy Woman’, The Beagles

·      ‘Monster’, Kanye West

·      ‘Black Magic’, Little Miz

·      ‘Black Magic Woman’, Santana

·      ‘Feed My Frankenstein’, Alice Cooper

·      ‘Dracula’s Wedding’, OutKast

·      ‘Red Right Hand’, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

·      ‘Bury a Friend’, Billie Eilish

·      ‘Howlin’ for You’, The Black Keys

·      ‘This is Halloween’, Marilyn Manson

·      ‘Sympathy for the Devil’, The Rolling Stones

·      ‘This is Halloween’, Michel Elias

·      ‘Disturbia’, Rhianna

·      ‘Highway to Hell’, AC/DC

·      ‘Dragular’, Rob Zombie

·      ‘The Monster’, Eminem 

·      ‘Runnin’ With the Devil’, Van Halen

·      ‘Ghostbusters’, Ray Parker Jr. 

·      ‘Halloween Theme’, John Carpenter

·      ‘Spooky Scary Skeletons’, Andrew Gold 

·      ‘Ghost Town’, The Specials

·      ‘Spooky’, Dusty Springfield

·      ‘I Was a Teenage Werewolf’, The Cramps

·      ‘I Put a Spell on You’, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins 

Films

Maybe you’re hosting a frightening film night for friends or family, or perhaps you’re choosing to go it alone on Halloween eve, whichever you decide you’ll want some great films that will keep you on the edge of your seat. From classics to modern-day horrors and thrillers, there is no shortage when it comes to suitable Halloween films. 

·      Beetlejuice 

·      Adams Family 

·      Halloweentown

·      The Nightmare Before Christmas

·      Edward Scissorhands

·      Shaun of the Dead

·      Witches

·      Ghostbusters 1 & 2

·      The Rocky Horror Picture Show

·      Little Shop of Horrors 

·      Hocus Pocus

·      Gremlins

·      Hotel Transylvania 

·      Zombieland 1 & 2

·      Scream

·      Jennifer’s Body

·      Hubie Halloween

·      The Nun

·      The Conjuring 

·      Midsommar

·      Hereditary

·      Halloween film collection

·      It Follows

·      Insidious 

·      Carries

·      The Birds

·      Coraline

·      Corpse Bride

·      Casper

·      Donnie Darko

·      The Invisible Man

·      Heathers

·      Paranormal Activity

·      US

·      A Quiet Place 1 & 2

·      The Cabin in the Woods

·      The Babadook

·      The Omen

·      Poltergeist 

·      The Exorcist  

Now that you’re feeling inspired for what you can get up to this Halloween, all you need to do is decide what spook-tacular things you’ll be doing this October 31st.

REVIEW: A melodious marvel with angelic acoustics– Laura Marling is a master of her craft

All Images Subject to Copyright

A sold-out venue is a very good sign with a concert, hence why I anticipatedly arrived with such eagerness to Cardiff’s Tramshed on the evening of Wednesday 13th.

I was excited with the hope of basking in an evening of sublime song and breath-taking vocals by one Laura Marling. I was not disappointed. 

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A newbie to Marling’s repertoire, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from her show. Some lovely acoustic songs from a small band on stage perhaps. But no, Marling carries her shows solo, and what a job she does.

Opening the set with a four-strong salvo of songs from her 2013 album ‘Once I Was An Eagle’, the 15-minute compilation, of which she playfully remarks to the audience “I thought I’d ease you in with a short 15 minute song”, set the tone for the rest of the evening, in that Marling has no problems with commanding a stage and playing as if she were joined by others.

Her soulful singing along with her exquisite guitar playing made for the most beautiful music. From a rampage of stumming with ‘Take the Night Off’s’ to the witty lyrics and biting from ‘I was An Eagle’, there was clearly a lot of thought behind starting with these songs. Setting a scene for the audience, the music established what many in the crowd already knew, that this was a show of spectacular intimacy with a very talented woman, taking us on her journey through song. 

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The faultless vocals and mesmerising music made you feel no loss by having no-one else on stage with her. You’re simply entranced by her presence. I couldn’t get my head around how quickly each song seemed to go by. Not due to their shortness, but simply because I found myself so positively lost in the music that nothing else in that moment seemed to matter, and I could immerse myself in the show.

‘Master Hunter’ was a personal favourite of mind, with the slightly edgier guitar and notes creating a darker and more haunting effect. ‘Song for Our Daughter’ was another that stood-out for me, with her lyrics written to a fictional daughter about, as Marling puts it herself, “all the confidences and affirmations I found so difficult to provide myself”, providing a striking and heartfelt setting.

 Laura’s stagehand deserves a special mention from the night, as she revealed herself that he had to lend an extra helping hand with putting her guitars over her shoulders due to an unfortunate fall in the woods days prior, which resulted in her putting her back out, making twisting for guitar straps an uncomfortable affair. 

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The blistering heat of the Tramshed seemed irrelevant, as no matter how hot and flustered I may have been getting, the distraction of Laura’s performance was enough to help me leave those troubles behind. How she kept so in time, so in tune and so consistent with her playing whilst making it seem simply like second nature to her boggles the mind and left me simply in awe- with a hint of jealousy that my 4-chord wonder songs would never amount to quite her level.  

A stage presence to capture a room, a talent that will leave you wondering how she does it and a sharp wit, it’s hard to find fault. Laura Marling is truly a master of her craft, with a painstakingly beautiful show, this is an artist you must try and see live at least once. 

 Review by Gabriela page for Keep Cardiff Live

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Setlist:

1.     Take the Night Off

2.     I Was an Eagle

3.     You Know

4.     Breathe

5.     Strange

6.     Master Hunter

7.     Hope In The Air

8.     What He Wrote

9.     Hope We Meet Again

10.  The End of the Affair

11.  Your Girl

12.  Sophia

13.  Salinas

14.  Once

15.  Daisy

16.  How Can I

17.  Held Down

18.  Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)

19.  Wild Fire

20.  Fortune

21.  Song for Our Daughter

22.  For You

What's On Weekly: 21/09/21

Welcome to this week’s What’s on Weekly here at KCL, where we provide our readers with up-to date information on what’s going on in and around Cardiff every week.

From pop-up markets to gigs and outdoor attractions running as restrictions ease, there’s plenty to do in the Capital, you just may not know about it! But that’s where we’re here to help and will be listing all the what’s on and any need-to-know information you’ll need to plan your week ahead. 

So, without further ado, here’s what you can look forward to this week!

Monday 27th

o   The Hunna, Cardiff University Students’ Union, 19:00

o   Ian Stirling- Falling Upwards, The Glee Club Cardiff, 20:00

o   Quids In- The Nugget Party, PRZYM Cardiff, 21:00

o   Lost Lands Cult 80’s, Corporation Yard Cardiff, 19:00

o   Jazz and Blues Club, The Bootlegger Cardiff, 17:00

Tuesday 28th

o   The Freshers House Party, Story Nightclub Cardiff, 23:00

o   Applebum/Cardiff/Freshers Jump Off, Cardiff University Students’ Union, 22:00

o   Courting, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, 19:00

o   Clwb’s Alt Disco, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, 23:00

Wednesday 29th

o   PRYZM presents Basshunter

o   Mo Gilligan 2021- There’s Mo To Life, St David’s Hall Cardiff, 20:00

o   Cipher: Cardiff Launch Party, Clwb Ifor Bach, 23:00

Thursday 30th  

o   Julia Bardo Live, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, 19:30

o   Weird (in house disco), Vale Sports Arena ltd, 22:00

o   Vice City: Fleetwood Mac, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, 23:00

o   Student Rocks with Sam Johnson from Love Island, Tiger Tiger Cardiff, 23:00

o   Cirque Du Soul, Cardiff University Students’ Union, 14:00

o   Gecko, The Moon Cardiff, 19:30

Friday 1st

o   Fix Friday’s, PRYZM Greyfriars Road Cardiff, 21:00

o   Marisha Wallace, Dora Stoutzker Concert Hall Cardiff, 19:10

o   Gwilym, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, 19:00

o   Kanadia- Live after Lockdown, The Globe Cardiff, 19:00

Saturday 2nd

o   Inside Out Festival Cardiff, Bute Park Cardiff, 12:00

o   Journey: Trance Classics, Vaults Cardiff, 14:00

o   Graham Gouldman- Heart Full of Songs, The Gate Cardiff, 19:00

o   Dirty Pop, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, 22:30

o   Cut Capers, The Globe Cardiff, 19:00

o   Boiler Room: Cardiff- open dancefloors tour, Tramshed Cardiff, 22:00

o   Basic State, The Vulcan Lounge Cardiff, 21:00

Sunday 3rd

o   Leo Sayer- The Show Must Go On, St David’s Hall Cardiff, 19:30

o   Squid, Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff, 19:00

o   COBO: Comedy Shutdown Black History Month Special, Uni 7a The Glee Club Cardiff, 18:00

Know of an event or activity on in Cardiff or the surrounding areas coming up? Let us know! If you’d like your event to be featured in our What’s on Weekly, then get in touch via: infocardifflive@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram @keepcardifflive, and for a £3 donation* via our website, we’ll include it on our list!

*All donations go towards running costs of the site which enables us to keep getting great content out for you to enjoy! If you’d like to support us, head over to the KCL website where you can find the donation box on the homepage. Thank you!

What's on Weekly: 20/09/21

Welcome to our first What’s on Weekly here at KCL, where we’ll be providing our readers with up-to date information on what’s going on in and around Cardiff every week.

From pop-up markets to gigs and outdoor attractions running as restrictions ease, there’s plenty to do in the Capital, you just may not know about it! But that’s where we’re here to help and will be listing all the what’s on and any need-to-know information you’ll need to plan your week ahead. 

So, without further ado, here’s what you can look forward to this week!

Monday 20th

o   The Hunna, Cardiff University Students’ Union, 19:00

o   Emo Boozy Brunch, Revolution, Cardiff, 16:00-03:00

o   Mason Hill, The Globe Cardiff, 19:00

o   Quids In Freshers Launch, PRYZM Cardiff, 21:00

o   Brian Wilson, Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, 19:00

o   Priscilla Queen of the Desert, New Theatre Cardiff, 19:30

o   Blood Youth, Clwb Ifor Bach, 19:30

Tuesday 21st

o   Mode: The Gran Opening, Revolution Cardiff, 21:00

o   No Poetry Presents: Squidge & Sunset Sunday, 19:00

o   Genevieve’s Tuesday Night Open Mic Night, Porter’s Cardiff, 20:00

Wednesday 22nd

o   Bring Me the Horizon, Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, 18:30

o   Hannah Grace, Clwb Ifor Bach, 19:30

o   PRZYM Presents: Jonasu Live, PRZYM Cardiff, 22:00

Thursday 23rd

o   Invicta Audio Tour x Pull Up: Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach, 23:00

o   TNT Freshers Launch, Walkabout Cardiff, 22:00

Friday 24th

o   Cardiff Rugby vs Connacht, Cardiff Arms Park, Westgate Street Cardiff CF10 1JA, 19:35

o   Bing Lingo, Depot Cardiff, 18:00

o   Intirave Cardiff Reggaeton International Freshers, Revolution Cardiff, 22:00

o   Shake: freshers welcome party with Danny T, Story Nightclub Cardiff, 22:00

Saturday 25th

o   Walk for Parkinson’s Cardiff, Bute Park Cardiff, 10:00

o   Cardiff Devils vs Guildford Flames, Ice Arena Wales Olympian Drive Cardiff CF11 0JS, 19:00

o   Concert in the Parc- #RMFestival2021, Clos Parc Radur Cardiff, 11:00

o   TDC Presents: Bandicoot, Tiny Rebyl Cardiff, 19:30

o   Midnight Tornado Cardiff Live #1, Fuel Rock Club, 18:30

Sunday 26th

o   An Evening of Queen, Glamorgan Cricket Ground Sophia Gardens Cardiff CF11 9XR, 19:30

o   Cardiff Freshers UV Neon Rave, Story Nightclub Cardiff, 22:00

o   Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, St David’s Hall Cardiff, 20:00

o   Andrew Peterson, Highfields Church, 07:00

Know of an event or activity on in Cardiff or the surrounding areas coming up? Let us know! If you’d like your event to be featured in our What’s on Weekly, then get in touch via: infocardifflive@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram @keepcardifflive, and for a £3 donation* via our website, we’ll include it on our list!

*All donations go towards running costs of the site which enables us to keep getting great content out for you to enjoy! If you’d like to support us, head over to the KCL website where you can find the donation box on the homepage. Thank you!