Created in 2007 by Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens and local music promoter and industry expert John Rostron, Sŵn (pronounced ‘soon’ and Welsh for ‘sound’) has grown into the 4 day, 16 venue, 200 band event it will be when it kicks off this Thursday, 18th October in Cardiff.
Inspired following a visit to the legendary South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas the very first event brought around 100 up and coming acts to Cardiff. Since then the festival has been moved back a few weeks from its initial November home and is now well established as the main event of October’s music calendar bringing together every form of music you can possibly think of from hip hop to metal, grime to punk and dance to ‘indie’.
Anyone browsing through this year’s line-up and thinking they don’t recognise many of the acts fear not, as this is the joy of an event like Sŵn which has rightly established a reputation as one of the key places for promoters, managers and labels to find the next big thing. Look back over previous years and you’ll see the likes of Mercury Prize nominee Ben Howard, The Cribs, The Vaccines, Yeasayer, Beirut, Marina & The Diamonds, Lucy Rose, Los Campesinos!, Y Niwl and Islet. This is not an event where you go to see your current favourite band, it’s somewhere you go to discover your next favourite band while they’re still playing a small, intimate venue and you can feel the music rather than watching from a distance on Reading festivals main stage.
This year’s line-up has quality spread right through the 4 days starting at 6pm on Thursday and Friday and 2pm Saturday and Sunday running into the early hours with the official closing party kicking out at 4am on Sunday night/Monday morning from Clŵb Ifor Bach. The Welsh Music Prize is well represented with many of its 12 nominees scattered throughout the weekend, following their own show on Wednesday night at Clwb Ifor Bach.
If it’s big names you want then look no further than The Cribs triumphant return on Friday night at Cardiff Student Union’s Great Hall. Thursday see’s Gallows rocking The Globe while Django Django bring their unique style to Cardiff University’s Solus and Welsh pop superstar Charlotte Church shows off her new style at Dempseys. On Saturday the legend that is John Grant will perform what is sure to be a magical show at the National Museum for Wales at the same time as local rockers The Blackout play what is sure to be one of the loudest sets of the weekend at The Globe.
It’s not just about music either. Throughout the four days Sŵn boasts a stellar line-up of extra curricular activities including the World première screening of 'Manic Street Preachers: Culture, Alienation, Boredom and Despair', a documentary following their eponymous debut album ‘Generation Terrorists’ on it’s 20th anniversary (now that makes me feel old) as well as other music based cinema screenings. There will be two days of Sŵn Sessions where talks will be held on the music industry covering a range of topics from management to funding which are free while club nights scatter the cities nightspots all of which are either free or discounted for Sŵn wristband holders.
Full details on the various weekend, single day and individual show packages are available at www.swnfest.com. The full programme of events, times and line-up is all in the beautifully put together and completely free programme which can either be picked up from various venues in Cardiff including Spillers Records or can be viewed online here.
If you need a bit of a steer for how to spend your time during the festival, Stereoboard have selected a list of 10 acts we’ll be making sure to see, in no particular order:
Sion Russell Jones – O’Neills Trinity Street, Saturday (5:30pm)
A delicate, acoustic songwriter who’s debut album ‘And Suddenly’ has earned critical acclaim. A perfect late afternoon chill out for Saturday.
Cut Ribbons – Dempseys, Friday (10:45pm)
Llanelli based 5 piece who’ve been getting more and more mainstream attention over recent months. Their male-female dual vocal overlays their spiky sound perfectly, one of my favourite new bands of the year.
Zervas & Pepper – The Gate, Saturday (7pm)
Cardiff folk duo whose sound is awash with influences from the Californian coast. Their beautiful, silky smooth harmonies are at the perfect venue for their sound.
Exit International – The Moon Club, Sunday (9:15pm)
Welsh Music Prize nominees whose groove based heavy rock will blast away the Sunday night cobwebs. They’re scuzzy, loud and great fun live.
Turbowolf – Clŵb Ifor Bach downstairs, Saturday (8:45pm)
Maybe the loudest band at the festival and certainly one of the most energetic live, Bristol based rockers will bring their huge riffs across the border for one of the sweatiest shows of the weekend.
Islet – Chapter Stiŵdio, Saturday (9pm)
A band you have to experience live. Welsh music Prize nominees whose electronic sound will hypnotise you from start to finish, an absolute must see.
Golden Fable – Chapter Stiŵdio, Sunday (6:30pm)
Welsh boy/girl duo who perform layers of mixed up pop blending acoustic guitar with electronics and synths. Likely to be firm local favourites very soon.
Dry The River – Chapter Theatre, Sunday (9:30pm)
Probably the best known of this list the London folk rockers are magical live and with an acoustic version of debut ‘Shallow Bed’ soon to be released this has all the hallmarks of a truly special performance.
Rozi Plain – Ten Feet Tall, Sunday (8pm)
Debut album ‘Over Here’ is one of the most beautiful records of 2012. Her summery harmonies will help you forget the drizzle outside and feel like you’re back in a field full of sunshine.
Gallops – O’Neills St Mary Street, Saturday (12am Sunday morning)
Wrexham’s finest take the trip South with their instrumental tracks bringing together a glorious combination of random sounds, somehow creating something that makes perfect sense.
Let us know who you’re looking forward to see in our comments section below.
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Inspired following a visit to the legendary South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas the very first event brought around 100 up and coming acts to Cardiff. Since then the festival has been moved back a few weeks from its initial November home and is now well established as the main event of October’s music calendar bringing together every form of music you can possibly think of from hip hop to metal, grime to punk and dance to ‘indie’.
