Rhodri Brooks Rhodri BrooksÔÇÖ electric guitar remained muted and mellow as the inevitable rain hit The Hayes at the start of his set. However, the unassuming singer soon turned things around. The minute that ÔÇÿYour Head Was Full Of TroubleÔÇÖ and its finger-picking melodies floated to the crowd gathered beneath the trees, a smile flitted across the performerÔÇÖs face. Toe-tapping and head nodding, the audience … Continue reading S┼Án Festival – Saturday
Samoans┬á ThereÔÇÖs a sense of trepidation floating around Four Bars as the clock strikes 11. CardiffÔÇÖs prodigal sons Samoans have returned from an almost yearlong absence, bringing with them arguably the South Wales sceneÔÇÖs most anticipated debut album. As they shuffle onto the stage with all the nerves of someone introducing their new spouse to a gaggle of drunk mates, it soon becomes clear that … Continue reading S┼Án Festival – Friday
Chl├Âe Howl ÔÇô The Angel Hotel At just 18 years of age, Chl├Âe Howl writes the sort of brutally honest, cynical lyrics about what it is to be young that youÔÇÖd expect from someone whoÔÇÖs lived through it already. Her talent as a synth pop artist was clear from the outset, with opener Rumour from her EP of the same name: high energy and a … Continue reading S┼Án Festival: Thursday
Francesca Gardner┬ácaught up with Leeds’ Sky Larkin ahead of their S┼Án set.┬á How have you found the festival so far? Kate: Yeah itÔÇÖs a shame we have to leave because S┼Án is such a great festival and Cardiff is such a great city that itÔÇÖs a match made in heaven, really. We played the first year so itÔÇÖs really nice to come back, it felt … Continue reading Interview: Sky Larkin
Tom Connick┬ágot the lowdown on S┼Án from the Father of the festival, John Rostron.┬á For the uninitiated, can you explain what S┼Án Festival is and why they should take note? S┼Án is a 4-day multi-venue new music festival which takes place in Cardiff this year from Thursday 17th to Sunday 20th Oct. You buy either a day or a 4-day wristband, then go and see … Continue reading Interview: John Rostron
NorwichÔÇÖs Olympians popped in to the Quench base to catch up with Charlie Mock ahead of their S┼Án Festival set. Warning: contains puns.┬á First of all welcome to Cardiff! You’ve got a lot of live dates at the moment- how are they going for you? Dan: Totally mixed. WeÔÇÖve had some totally good ones. But, we played in Norwich with Focus and all … Continue reading Interview: Olympians
Amy Endacott┬ácaught up with Playlounge ahead of their main support set at Fuel on the Sunday of S┼Án Festival.┬á You describe your sound as noise pop and soft core punk, explain that a little more. What is it you want your fans to take away from your gigs?┬á Soft core punk is like a joke because we both love hard core punk but just arenÔÇÖt … Continue reading Interview: Playlounge
Food & Drink’s special correspondent Sean Bagnall explores the boozy delights of Cowbridge ÔÇ£Cowbridge Food FestivalÔÇØ. To a native of the middle of England (like myself) this festival is hardly as famous as the likes of Glastonbury, but being a food loving, aspiring amateur food writer, it was only right that I visited this charming little town to see what it had to offer. My … Continue reading Cowbridge Food & Drink Festival 2013
This yearÔÇÖs Green Man Festival, tucked away in the sprawling beauty of the foothills of the Black Mountains, opened amidst a confusion of rain and shine. Yet as Bangor-based We Are Animal took to the Far Out stage and opened with a raucous set, the showers cleared and the tenth year of Green Man began to quietly thrum with excitement. A curious festival that has … Continue reading Festival Review: Green Man Festival 2013
Super-soakers are a must have at the┬áSongkran, Kayleigh Chan writes about┬áThailand’s annual water fight.
