Reviews

Cardiff-based Shape Records have arranged one of their ‘functions’ in Gwdihw featuring three new up-and-coming artists. Headlining are the foolishly named Flamingods, supported by Hamamama and Please.

From the first song to the last, Mumford & Sons put on a fantastic show. As someone who began the night sceptical of the performance ahead and unsure quite what the fuss was about, I left with a new respect for the band, and in awe of their incredible talent.

There was an air of anticipation before the Stereophonics emerged on stage at the Newport Centre as part of a new chapter in the band’s career, and they did not disappoint.

Brooklyn-based Sharon Van Etten concludes her European tour in Cardiff alongside This Is The Kit and Georgia Ruth.

Renowned for his unpredictability and cantankerous disposition, there was slight trepidation that Van Morrison was not going to be on top form on Sunday at Wales Millennium Centre, a venue so perfectly designed for musical excellence.

As Laetitia Sadier acknowledges early on in her trio’s set, this is the first time she’s performed in Cardiff for roughly a decade. The last appearance was upstairs in this venue with Stereolab, the band she sang lead vocals for from 1990 until the proverbial ‘indefinite hiatus’ three years ago.

Ever since shoddy sound and a genuine fear of meeting a swampy death scuppered my plans to see The Killers live at Glastonbury 2007, I’ve been keen for another chance to find out if the Las Vegas showboys are as, well, killer live as everybody keeps telling me they are.

With a Swiss bassist, a South African guitarist and a drummer from, er, Southampton, David Gedge’s Wedding Present v.2012 is a truly international affair here in Cardiff.

Lee 'Scratch'Pperry perfroms live at Cardiff's Glee Club.

words IAIN PEEBLES and NOEL GARDNER VIRALS The Moon Club, Thurs 18 For a while there, Lovvers – Shaun Hencher’s band before Virals, for whom he now sings and plays …

Justin Evans recalls his personal experience of another successful Swn Festival.