photo: Tom Hartrey
Clinigol
Sat 15 May 2010
Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
There was a time when pop music was embraced only after too many double-Vodkas in Walkabout on a Saturday night. But recently, music of the super-happy sing-a-long variety have burst free of peoples’ ‘guilty pleasures’ playlist and found themselves as the scenesters’ tunes of choice.
Slick producers and downright bonkers front-men have helped put the ‘popular’ back into pop – and Cardiff-based Clinigol are no exception, bringing their Welsh-language brand of electro-pop to Clwb Ifor Bach this weekend.
From the bubblegum bounce of Hufen Ia to the blippy funk of Eiliad, pretty much every song was bursting with a catchy dancey charm that you couldn’t help but tap your feet to. And for the English speakers, the collective embarked on an irreverent whistle stop tour of modern pop music – mashing up everyone from Kylie to Roisin Murphy, and even managing to make I Gotta Feeling sound listenable again.
Front-man Geraint Pickard commanded the crowd’s attention with his evident passion for pop, and vocal meat was added by part time collaborators / full-time powerhouses Nia Medi and El Parisa.
Synths, Violins and Bongos rounded off the eclectic soundscape, and also suggested that this band may be made for bigger venues.
Overall, Clinigol’s debut headlining gig showed bags of potential, so it’s a shame non-English tunes are generally ignored by the record buying masses – their Swigod LP would sit nicely alongside the Alphabeats and Gagas of this world. But hey, if Jedward can forge some sort of successful pop career, anything is possible!
I caught this band on Saturday and they were awesome! I’m not a Welsh speaker but still had a ball and the lead singer is a real cute one. I’d catch them live whilst it only costs you 6 quid for the privilege
I saw these live on Saturday and thought they rocked. Ive got the album, Melys, and loved the way they mashed up some Kylie, Lady gaga, New Order as well as Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams into their tunes! They are worthy of a bigger and wider audience. Would love to catch them at a festival or even a local secret garden party…..
Wish Id caught them on Saturday, have followed them on facebook, not fluent welsh speaker either, but known Geraint for years having worked with him and he’s very talented… well done for the great review, hope they go far. xx
I caught these on Sat too, I’m not really that into pop/dance but they were brilliant to watch live. Very cool string section with electric violins/cello, and female singer on the right in front of them had one hell of a voice. Would recommend seeing them live.