The Gate, Cardiff
Fri 3 Mar
Meilyr Jones was the influential name on everybody’s lips in 2016 and as we shift into the new year it’s clear the impact he had then hasn’t faded in the slightest.
It was his debut solo album, 2013, that caught the attention of critics and music lovers in Wales and beyond, bringing his unique sound to the fore after the conclusion of his former project Race Horses.
Speaking over the phone, Meilyr recalls it didn’t come together straight away. “I didn’t have any fixed musicians to play with, I just started composing in my head, writing songs on piano but I wanted to record songs completely live. I wanted to do something really different… whatever came out.” A brief holiday in Rome sparked a fire in his imagination and he recognised that he was now in a position where he could “make music in whatever way and make ideas real”.
The Roman lifestyle seemed to be a key source of inspiration for him and how it can be a welcome departure from, in his words, “the hypercapitalist way we live”. The resulting album was released almost a year ago; it’s lavish and ambitious but still qualifies as memorable pop music – or, as Meilyr puts it, “not posh music”. Nevertheless, an orchestra is assembled and put to exuberant work: a satisfying creative outburst borne from a desire to “not compromise what’s in my head”.
Performing 2013 live is a somewhat of a different beast but equally allows Meilyr to explore different arrangements. “With a set band of five people it feels more direct, there’s more of an intensity there,” he says. “It’s a real energetic and joyful thing, still varied and subtle but more physical.” He’s excited to be back on tour, particularly with a visit to Wales on the cards. From living in London and touring in lots of different places he still looks forward to native crowds: “a really great mix of people,” the singer asserts.
The year ahead looks to be busy for Meilyr jones, with trips to America and Europe in spring and summer and before he almost unintentionally revealed all his secrets he assured me: “Ambitious things will happen!”
Tickets: £10. Info: 029 2048 3344
words CHARLIE PIERCEY