Nine great new artists you may have missed at Sŵn Festival on Sunday
By George Phillips
The beauty of Sŵn is that you never know quite what you are going to walk into.
A diverse range of expertly curated artists descend on Cardiff every year. All genres are covered at an array of small music venues keen to host exciting new music, emerging talent and homegrown artists.
This year’s Sunday climax saw 56 artists spread across eight venues. As much as every attendee would like to, it’s impossible to see every performance. So here are my standouts from the ones I did manage to catch, in case you didn’t.
Artist: Bonny Doon
Venue: Clwb Ifor Bach
What a discovery the Detroit trio were for me. Effortlessly blending elements of blues, Americana and lo-fi indie rock, the band were my standout pick of the weekend. A first time in Cardiff for the group, they let their music do the talking, with their twangy Telecaster licks helping create a sonic atmosphere that took you to another realm. I, like many, had not heard of the band before playing at Sŵn but now I will be delving into their back catalogue, with recently released third album Let There Be Music a great place to start.
Listen here: https://bonnydoon.ffm.to/lettherebemusic
Artist: Car Boot Sale
Venue: The Moon
Car Boot Sale mesmerised The Moon with their psychedelic funk and soul groove. People couldn’t help but dance along given the frontman’s undeniable passion and showmanship. Effortless style and vibe, combined with a vintage sound not regularly heard nowadays made for a ridiculously fun show which put a big smile on my face.
Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2hHAEpcLh1gGU2pYJRuhI7
Artist: Conchúr White
Venue: Tiny Rebel
Irish folk guitarist Conchúr White slowed the pace of the evening right down with his emotive and intimate musicianship and fingerpicked guitar playing. The audience, although small, hung onto his every word as he tip-toed and silked through his setlist, taking a detour mid-way to perform a Big Thief cover — something that delighted the room. White’s debut album Atonia is out in January on Bella Union. White is another incredible new talent with the capability to go right to the top — who you may have first seen at Sŵn.
Listen here: https://conchurwhite.bandcamp.com/
Artist: Jack Valero
Venue: Tiny Rebel
A small crowd, reflecting the 2pm start time, didn’t deter singer-songwriter Jack Valero who delivered an Elvis Costello-esque rock ’n’ roll performance with a modern indie twist. Jangly guitar and catchy hooks filled his performance as he showed his development and growing maturity as a musician and lyricist. Despite describing himself and his band as “worse for wear”, this being the final date of a debut headline tour, Valero’s melancholy lyrics yet upbeat sound kicked the day off in style.
Listen here: https://www.jackvalero.com/
READ MORE: “I wanted to prove I really had it in me”: Our Jack Valero interview
Artist: Zzzahara
Venue: The Moon
Sŵn’s artists come from all corners of the world and it was back to America with Los Angeles native Zzzahara delivering a raw and authentic performance to the crowd of The Moon. A mix of shoegaze, emo and grunge, their guitar heavy sound combined with vulnerable lyrics of self-discovery and rebellion reflect feelings and experiences many young people can resonate with. They are certainly one to watch.
Listen here: https://zzzahara.bandcamp.com/
Artist: Butch Kassidy
Venue: Clwb Ifor Bach
Butch Kassidy constructed a colossal wall of noise and it was an experience I will not forget anytime soon — my ears certainly won’t. It was the loudest performance of the weekend and possibly the loudest I’ve ever seen, knocking Mogwai from top spot. Their deafening sound and accompanying light show created a complete out of body experience for all who were there to witness it. They took elements of Mogwai and Godspeed You! Black Emperor and injected them with steroids to create a live show for the ages.
Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0mDTM9lWOAmhmR40Df5Fsr
Artist: Safari Gold
Venue: Clwb Ifor Bach
The audience were treated to a performance full of dynamic vocal harmonies and ethereal reverb. The quartet, hailing from the South Wales valleys, have just released their second album The Years Between Dog and Wolf to critical acclaim and showcased their virtuosity as band members continuously swapped instruments and took turns on lead vocals. Their keys-driven indie-dream pop was a highlight of the afternoon.
Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6JGHnhNiw2mb4JbowCKKEB
Artist: Maria Uzor
Venue: Tiny Rebel
Celebrating the release of her debut album Soft Cuts, Maria Uzor provided a complete change of pace and made a Sunday evening gig feel like an early morning warehouse rave. Bathed in low red lighting, the artist and producer took the audience on a techno, electro and dance journey through time and space.
Listen here: https://mariauzor.com/
Artist: Los Blancos
Venue: Fuel
Singing a majority of songs in the Welsh language, the Carmarthenshire five-piece entertained a packed crowd with punk energy. I particularly enjoyed the erratic dancing and tambourine playing of one of their frontmen — I couldn’t help but be reminded of Bez of the Happy Monday’s.
Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ZQtf9whL0ZlspK3DS0O3a
This list is just a small sample of the amazing talent to perform over the weekend.
You turn up with an open mind, not knowing what to expect and come away having ‘discovered’ an array of incredible artists, that’s the magic of Sŵn.
Its benefit to those on stage is invaluable and is such a joy to attend. There’s no gatekeeping of bands or cash-grabbing promoters, just a collection of like-minded people who love music and love discovering it.
Sŵn Festival is a jewel in the music crown and long may it continue — 2024 can’t come soon enough.
