GWENNO / JUNIOR BILL AND THE SCALLIES / MIKE DENNIS | LIVE REVIEW
National Museum, Cardiff, Thurs 28 May
Putting on a live gig inside a gallery within the confines of the most echoey building in Cardiff would probably be laughed off as crazy by most people, but it could also be seen as innovative. The city has lately played host to shows in some quirky venues – The Abacus, Jacob’s Market and The Louis, to name a few. This show, curated by Spillers Records, was the second of a brace of gigs showcasing some of the best – and incredibly varied – local acts, with Chalkie Davies’ current exhibition providing the backdrop.
Sensibly-named Mike Dennis is first up, and is something of an innovation in himself. Violin in hand and a multitude of effects and loop pedals at his feet, he builds up to a string and percussion crescendo before opening his mouth and… wow! This guy doesn’t just spit rhymes, they just cascade out at a speed that is as ferocious as his lyrics. The crowd, until now casually wandering between the pictures on the wall, have now taken notice and start to gather around. A few cheeky tunes about hating work a lot (and hating guns even more) later and Mike is finished, but with a whole new bunch of fans under his belt.
Walk into Spillers on two or three separate occasions in one day and the music being played will not be more varied, so it’s no surprise that after a classical rap session, we are treated to some quality genre-shifting from Junior Bill And The Scallies. One minute they’re bashing out a Vampire Weekend style ditty, the next it’s dub reggae all the way. JB and the crew bounce around the stage and are joined on the other side by a loyal bunch of fans, skanking their way around the gallery. A sight and sound to behold.
After a short stroll to the bar (quite probably the longest walk to refresh one’s parts outside of a festival), we’re all back in time for the highlight of this evening, Gwenno. Her debut album Y Dydd Olaf has been doing the rounds for almost a year now, but Heavenly are about to re-release it amidst some notable press feedback. Most of the songs from the album get an outing here, from the haunting film soundtrack stylings of Calon Peiriant to the stunning italo disco of Fratolish Hiang Perpeshki, Gwenno seems to add something a little different with every performance, but never puts a foot wrong.
words and photos BEN GALLIVAN