upfront
SWN FESTIVAL
This month, Wales’ annual Swn Festival
– one of the best festivals in Europe for
showcasing underground and emerging
musical talent – returns for a seventh year.
A
long with hundreds of carefully selected
up and coming musicians, this year
Swn’s team of curators have nabbed
master of the eclectically epic DJ set
Mr Scruff and electro-indie masters Everything
Everything for the line-up. “The festival feels really
well established,” says Swn’s event manager, Gemma
White, reflecting on its siex-year journey. “We’re
seeing people return year after year, but we’re also
getting an increasing number of people travelling to
Cardiff especially for the event, which is amazing.”
Its achievements have not gone unnoticed: “We were
nominated for an NME Award last year in the Best
Small Festival category, a real testament to how the
festival has grown and really made its mark in the
hectic festival calendar.
“The basics of the festival remain the same this year,
and always will,” says Gemma. “What Swn started out
to do was to showcase new and emerging talent from
Wales and beyond, and to put on a great multi-venue
event in the city which supports not only those artists,
but also local businesses and creative organisations.”
While the foundations remain sturdy as ever, some
exciting additions make the seventh Swn even more
enticing and inclusive. “We’ve added an Outdoor
Stage and a pop-up radio station,” Gemma shares.
“The Outdoor Stage was introduced last year. It had
such a great response that we’re bringing it back to
the Hayes this year for both the Saturday and Sunday.”
Swn Radio (Mon 14-Sun 20 Oct, FM and online), will
supplement the onstage performances. “We’ll have
guest DJs, presenters, live sessions and interviews.
The music that we’re all so passionate about will be
accessible by all, not just Swn ticket buyers.”
The city-wide takeover is expanding this year, with
new venues Fuel, Angel Hotel, St John’s Church,
Jacob’s Market and Cardiff Fashion Quarter. “We try to
work with as many local independent businesses and
creative organisations as we can,” Gemma assures.
“The sense of community and friendship that you
feel at Swn Festival makes it really special. I think
that comes from the fact that Swn was borne out of
an idea between two friends [John Rostron and Huw
Stephens] who wanted to put on a really great event
with acts that they loved in a city that they loved.
“Over the years, the team has grown with people who
share that love for Cardiff and a passion for music,
and that creates both an amazing line up and a really
friendly, vibrant atmosphere in the city. The line-up is
more diverse than ever this year, so hopefully people will
hear something that they wouldn’t usually access.”
It’s not just about musical performances, though.
“In addition to the live music, DJs, music industry
sessions, art and films, we like to throw in some
festival fun and games too. You can have a game of
Swn Bingo, play Quiz Quest or take some snaps as
part of our #swnspotting photo competition.
“We just want everyone involved to have a great
weekend, to experience as much new live music as
possible, to meet new friends and explore the city,”
Gemma clarifies. As experienced Swnsters and critics
will confirm, the festival transforms the capital into
a welcoming creative mecca. This year’s Swn Festival
looks to be another four-day party to remember.
Swn Festival, various Cardiff venues,
Thurs 17-Sun 20 Oct. Wristbands:
£65 full weekend/£17-£28 per day.
Info: www.swnfest.com
five
Swn
picks
pic: ADRIAN LAMBERT
AMONG BROTHERS
KUTOSIS
IRON EYE
With an arsenal of glissando
strings, warm guitars, brass
injections and lyrical love
notes, this six-piece could
charm anybody. Their pretty
sounds, smouldering faces
and tickworthy pop-rock
brilliance is guaranteed to
win you over.
Think you’ve experienced
loudness? Think again.
This Welsh Music Prizenominated three-piece
will destroy all decibel
thresholds with their
melodic post-punk/
hardcore/grunge. If
Fugazi had a Cardiffian
counterpart…
Funky rusted saxophones
and strutting, cymbal-heavy
drums are the backbones
to this ethnic-sounding
bop-along magic. Throw
some shapes to their jazzy
blues stolen from a sizzling
American summertime
carnival parade.
BUZZ 16
CATFISH AND THE
BOTTLEMEN
Llandudno quartet splice
plinkity-plonkity pop with
sabre-toothed indie and
ballsy, noisy rock. Despite
their unpr