Never forget where you’re coming from! The Welsh certainly don’t. Take That returned to Swansea once again in 2024, where they had one of their first Welsh concerts all those years ago. Take That’s return to Swansea wasn’t just another stop on their tour- it was a powerful nod to the places that shaped their rise to stardom. Back in the ’90s, cities like Swansea provided the band with their first devoted fanbase, the ones who sang their hearts out and propelled them into the stratosphere of success. Returning here felt like a full-circle moment, a chance to reconnect with the foundations of their journey.
Take That has an almost magical ability to bring people together, transcending generations, backgrounds, and tastes. Their music has long served as a unifying thread, weaving together fans who first screamed their hearts out in the ’90s with a new generation discovering their timeless hits. At their Swansea concert, it was impossible not to notice the diversity of the crowd – parents with their teens, lifelong fans reuniting with old friends, and even newcomers soaking up the atmosphere. It’s this unique power to unite different groups of people, to create shared moments of joy and nostalgia, that makes Take That so much more than a band – they’re a phenomenon that reminds us of the universal love for music.
Take That has forever been a common ground in my family- my mum introducing it to me when I was younger than I can remember and the countless times we would listen to the songs in the car. Regardless of whether Take That is your thing, everyone has to admit ‘Relight My Fire’ is a classic and that Robbie Williams should come back. The setlist included a lot of older ‘classics’ as well as their new music, hopefully promising more to come from the band so many people love! Despite their stardom, they stay loyal to the fans that power their music, giving opportunity to some smaller cities, like Swansea!
Words by Neve Powell
Whilst Cardiff has been fortunate to host popular artists in the Principality Stadium, such as Taylor Swift and Billy Joel, it is refreshing to see young rising artists thrive in small venues. This is why my favourite concert in Wales in 2024 was Wasia Project’s Isotope Tour at Tramshed Cardiff, where the intimate atmosphere fostered a perfect space for sibling duo Olivia Hardy and William Gao to showcase their musical talents.
The preliminary performance by singer-songwriter ‘Hohnen Ford’ was mesmerising, with her cathartically beautiful lyrics perfectly paving the way for Wasia Project’s set. Her modern blend of pop, jazz and folk was evidently shown in her performances from her new EP ‘I Wish I Had A God’ and ‘Honest Mistake’. Ford’s performance introduced me to her discography, which I now listen to frequently on Spotify.
Shortly after, Wasia Project graced the stage, with Gao wearing the iconic suit from their album cover, while Hardy effortlessly rocked the ‘isotope chic’ aesthetic in a black sheer mesh top. They opened with their new single ‘Is this what love is? . Hardy’s emotional, melodic vocals combined with her vibey energetic dancing was incredibly striking, especially considering she’s only 19 years old. I found it incredibly moving to witness such a young woman so unapologetically expressive of her emotions on stage. Gao, known for playing Tao in Netflix’s Heartstopper, showcased his classically trained skills on the keyboard, and equally melodic vocals during ‘Misfit Biscuit’ and ‘Ur so Pretty’ .
Through being such a small venue, the fan interaction felt deeply personal as they encouraged us to participate in singing with them to their cover of Sade’s ‘Smooth Operator’. This was a memorable engaging experience that distinguishes them from other concerts I have attended. The whole night was a captivating experience, and I am excited to see where their promising musical career takes them.
Words by Alyssa Jeanes
My favourite concert of 2024 was a beach-party themed Death Metal show in Newport, early January. This show had three local death metal bands playing: Virology from Cardiff, Cremulation from Newport, and Sodomized Cadaver from the Welsh valleys. After familiarising myself with the metal scene in South Wales whilst growing up here, I knew that these three bands playing together would be insane – partly because I knew they were the only known death metal bands in our area.
The show was in The Pit at McCann’s, a very small cosy venue, which was perfect as 90% of the audience were the 10 friends I invited, which made it even funnier. The bands themselves played incredibly, and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to support them at numerous shows over the past year and seeing their crowd grow with each show.
When you think of death metal, you don’t think of a beach party. So, the fact it was beach-party themed made it so much more fun and not like any concert I’ve been to before. All of them wore Hawaiian shirts and sunglasses which was amazing to see how they didn’t take themselves too seriously and were all just enjoying themselves, despite their gorey, gruesome lyrics.
Considering the show was in January as well, being dressed ready for the beach in British weather was absolutely crazy but after all the moshing we were glad we dressed the way we did!
I would definitely say this concert contributed to Wales’ music culture in being so diverse, it really challenged the typical atmosphere of metal concerts. I would also say that it contributed to Newport’s own music scene, which is typically known for Punk and Hardcore concerts, having death metal was an enjoyable change.
After the success of this show, there will be another death metal beach party at the same venue on the 25th of January, with bands Cremulation, Priest Crippler and Exngrind, which I’m really looking forward to.
Words by Iylah Routley
Photo Courtesy of Visnu R Nair on Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image.