The Welfare, Ystradgynlais
Fri 15 Sept
Musical heritage. The guys in Ímar – Mohsen Amini (concertina), Adam Brown (bodhrán), Tomás Callister (fiddle), Ryan Murphy (uilleann pipes, flute, whistles) and Adam Rhodes (bouzouki) – have that by the boatful. The band’s name is taken from the ninth-century Norse king who ruled over parts of Ireland, the Isle Of Man and Scotland, and their music is a combination of sound and history from those lands. They actually first met up as teens through Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the Irish traditional music network that stages the yearly schedule of Fleadh competitions and have been or are currently also in at least seven other outfits.
Between them, they’ve also won numerous awards and prizes. Groups like Mumford & Sons have boosted folk-rock, but Ímar prefer the more traditional approach, following in the footsteps of such Celtic legends as Altan, The Chieftains, Clannad and Solas and earning high praise. “One of the things I really like is not worrying about how to make ourselves sound ‘different’ – ‘modern’ or ‘poppy’ or whatever – in order to get noticed,” Brown has said. “All of our other bands have that element to them, and it’s great, but with Ímar we are kind of going back to basics – which is different in itself these days.” The new Glasgow-based quintet are showcasing their debut album Afterlight while on tour, so expect a rousing night in Wales.
Tickets: £12/£10. Info: 01639 843163 (RLR)