MUSIC NEWS EXTRA
Ivan Moult
As if in tandem with the lengthy festival
guide running in this month’s issue of
Buzz, although it’s actually just a happy
coincidence, the April-into-May cusp
sees the announcement of The Festival
Congress, which assembles, discusses
and celebrates the independent festival
scene in the UK. Set up by the Association
Of Independent Festivals, itself founded
in 2008 by chillout doyen/Bestival big
cheese Rob Da Bank, The Festival
Congress will take place in Cardiff on
Fri 17 and Sat 18 Oct. Swn Festival is set
to happen on those days too, so expect
lots of dashing between venues from the
400 or so Congress attendees. Not least
John Rostron, who as well as being one of
Swn’s founders will be a keynote speaker
at this new event
Saturday’s Kids, an excellent noisy
rock band who began as teenagers in
Abergavenny around 2007 and released
several fine singles and EPs, are to issue
The Lunatic, their debut album – and
break up pretty much simultaneously. The
quartet’s final eight songs, to be released
by the Reeks Of Effort and Bombed Out
labels, take influence from postpunk and
hardcore among other styles and come
recommended to fans of bands like Sonic
Youth and Unwound. Their final gig will
be in Jacob’s Market, Cardiff on Sat 5
July, and will also feature several other
bands chosen by themselves. Later in
July, SK members Sion Thomas and Rhys
Briggs will drive to Mongolia in a Nissan
Micra, a fundraising venture in aid of
St David’s Hospice and environmental
charity Cool Earth. More at facebook.
com/thesmartcasualsrally
Credit for the popularity of high-octane,
stomp-friendly dance genre hardstyle
in south Wales goes, in large part, to
irrepressible DJ duo Cally & Juice. Paired
behind the decks for 16 years, Cally
has also been bringing Earth’s biggest
hardstyle DJs to these parts since the
turn of the century under the Bionic club
promo banner; the twosome have been
key players in the scene on a wider scale.
However, they too have announced the
retirement of their double act ahead of
time, with final dates for this summer to be
announced. Ian Hollyman and Gary Waters,
to address them formally, will continue
to D