Sŵn is back and this year the line up is as diverse and exciting as ever. The city-wide festival will take over Cardiff’s leading venues - from the famous surrounds of Clwb Ifor Bach to a suite at the Angel Hotel - between October 17 and 20, with the focus on shoving new artists into the limelight.
Everything Everything, Drenge, Ghostpoet and Waxahatchee are among the big hitters on the bill, and they’re surrounded on all sides by some thrilling, innovative bands. Among them are nominees for the Welsh Music Prize, superstar DJs and Stateside noise merchants - check out the full line up here and dive in below for a run through just some of the bands that you should be checking out this weekend.
Chlöe Howl - Thursday - Angel Hotel
Pop music with brains. Chlöe Howl’s debut EP - ‘No Strings’ - displayed a sharp wit, biting skill with words and enough hooks to fish the Atlantic. She’s one of the names on this year’s bill that screams future star.
Gulp - Thursday - ClwbIfor Bach
The latest project from GutoPryce of Super Furry Animals and vocalist Lindsay Leven (pictured), Gulp play, according to Pryce, ‘cosmic pop’. Fusing elements of folk, psychedelia and electro, their experimental ditties are guaranteed to intrigue.
Greta Isaac - Thursday - Gwdihw
A hometown girl, Greta Isaac will bring her folk musings to Gwdihw on Thursday evening. Likened by organisers to Laura Marling and Joni Mitchell - no pressure - she’s a veteran of last year’s festival and arrives packing a powerful, affecting voice.
Bo Ningen - Friday - ClwbIfor Bach
Nothing screams Friday night like some ear-crushing, acid-punk mind fuckery from this Japanese troupe. A fearsome live band, they’ll tackle the upstairs space at ClwbIfor Bach before Drenge do their thing.
Samoans - Friday - Four Bars @ Dempseys
Cardiff’s finest exponents of mathy, shoegazey epics will take the stage at Dempseys on Friday night, on a bill also containing the excellent Radkey, a trio of teenage brothers from Missouri who play hardcore punk, and North Walian crazies Beard Of Wolves. It’s a good one.
Golden Fable - Saturday - St John’s Church
Golden Fable, another North Walian delight, will take over St John’s Church on Saturday, with Rebecca Palin and Tim McIver bringing their intriguing mix of choral vocals and straight-up synth-pop to a room that’s set to provide perfect acoustics.
Kutosis - Saturday - O’Neill's
This noisy lot are following the trail blazed by McLusky (RIP) all those years ago. Former Welsh Music Prize nominees, they will be playing with a wilful disregard for eardrums at O’Neill’s on Saturday night, just prior to Shhh...Apes! and Metabeats.
We//Are//Animal - Saturday - ClwbIfor Bach
More joys from up north. We//Are//Animal will bring their loud, sleazy racket to ClwbIfor Bach on a bill headlined by the Wytches. Recent tourmates of the Joy Formidable, organisers describe them as making ‘lowering the tone an artform’. Which sounds really fucking great, doesn’t it?
The Lovely Wars - Sunday - ClwbIfor Bach
Another Cardiff bunch on this year’s line up, the Lovely Wars play catchy, engaging power pop. They’ll open proceedings downstairs at ClwbIfor Bach on Sunday, ahead of the Adelines’ set later that night.
Slowly Rolling Camera - Sunday - Chapter Theatre
The latest project from jazz pianist and all-round musical maestro Dave Stapleton, Slowly Rolling Camera are set to be an atmospheric highlight of the weekend when they bring their stripped-back, understated electronica to the Chapter Theatre.
Swearin’ - Sunday - Angel Hotel
Allison Crutchfield - twin sister of Katie, aka Waxahatchee - will ensure a family affair at the Angel Hotel on Sunday when she and Swearin’ roll out their scuzzy alt-punk a few hours before her sister’s set.
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