THE WYRD WONDER PRESENTS… | LIVE REVIEW
Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff, Sun 23 June
The Wyrd Wonder Presents… is a regular night of the eclectic, with a focus on music but encompassing other forms of performance also. It is organised and hosted by Marc Roberts, whose poetry pamphlet I had the pleasure of reviewing for Buzz some years ago. Then, as now, Roberts remains eclectic and idiosyncratic, with a choice of guest that is as unusual as it is inspired.
This time around, we were treated to a total of five acts. First up was Rhosyn Alaw, who is just 14 years old. Accompanied by, I think, her dad on guitar, Alaw displayed a marked musical talent, with beautiful, melodious singing, and her own accomplished playing of keyboard and guitar. Her songs were nearly all about romantic entanglements, although I wondered how much of this was based on actual experience – the jaded knowingness of some of her lyrics seemed more suited to someone at least 10 years older.
Following Alaw was Ronnie [above], for whom this was a debut performance. Described as ‘louche’ and ‘erudite’, she didn’t come across as the former at all, instead possessing a very fresh, youthful appeal and vibrant energy, although the latter description seemed apt, as her lyrics were certainly more thoughtful and interesting than average. The melodies themselves were quite simple, with song lines that followed them, and a delivery that was deliberately monotone so as to suggest both the best of the 1980s – think a slightly more peppy, poppy Siouxsie Sioux – as well as spoken word.
“Quirky art-pop and ironic-rock” group Starlings Planet [top] seemed more suited to their description, with a set equal parts playfulness and pop. With two of the band onstage – Uri (Marc Roberts) and Elton Braces (Richard Higlett) – and one (Vi, aka Ronnie) as recorded backing vocals, the performers truly ‘performed’, with a crow mask, shop dummy head, and DIY-alien-robot-thing all becoming part of the show. The songs were very good – again, quite 80s-esque, but with a bit of Britpop-era Blur and even grunge-y fuzz mixed in – and I particularly took to tunes Andi, which was rather Jarvis/Soft Cell in style, and Je T’aime Le Pop with its inclusion of triangle, strange whistle, and breathy vocals.
Tim Bromage, after the break, was a wonder: his magic tricks were spectacular and his stage presence palpable. It was his singing and banjo playing that were the highlight of his set, however. Bromage possesses the most beautiful, bluesy, bluegrass voice you can imagine, his songs were delightful, and his version of blues standard In The Pines was gorgeous.
Finally, the evening’s headliner John MOuse [above]. Sharing songs that were written as part of The Fen Sessions – a challenge to write 10 songs over a weekend, delivering one every two hours, and then destroying the songs forever on the Monday morning – we were given an eclectic mix of songs which seemed finished, others only half-formed; some lyrical and tremulous (White Witch, the rather catchy Burn Down All The Venues), others industrial and brutalist. MOuse (John Davies) admitted that his ongoing theme with these songs was his own youthful delinquency – and so we heard narratives relating to vandalism, hanging out at the dump, and more. MOuse danced and moved amongst the audience at one point, and accompanying photographs and a live video stream added artistry and thoughtfulness to the set.
A fab Sunday night of entertainment, full of captivating quirk and cooler than cool tunes.
words MAB JONES photos NOEL DACEY