HYWEL MATTHEWS INTERVIEW – JOURNEY 15 YEARS | CLUB PREVIEW

JOURNEY 15 YEARS

The Vaults, Cardiff Bay. Sun 5 May

“There were five of us who loved trance and the harder side of dance music, who were travelling hundreds of miles to attend the clubs we loved. We thought Cardiff deserved something similar.” Hywel Matthews, head promotor for Cardiff clubland institution Journey, is celebrating a significant milestone – its 15th anniversary with an impressive reputation maintained across that decade-and-a-half.

“It’s the attention to detail and effort we put into each event. We install huge production and the crowd is always so up for it, when people come once, they come back for life.”

Dedicated to the pulse-pumping sound of classic trance, Journey has cultivated a loyal following which Hywel puts down to their fanbase. “Trance fans are the most passionate out there, and it breeds a religious type following which has kept the scene alive when some of the superclubs shut their doors.”

Since the early 00s, trance has largely been an underground concern, its popularity having diminished after a brief boom of pop chart-toppers and huge brands like Gatecrasher. “Historically, Time Flies, Bionic and Evolution all had huge lineups,” recalls Hywel of the old days in south Wales, “but since the scene went underground it left only us. The amount of venues in Cardiff that have closed has been alarming but this trend is thankfully reversing.”

Maintaining a club event for 15 years is impressive, especially with both club nights and the live scene in Cardiff facing regular challenges, but passion for trance keeps Journey alight. “It was a passion of ours and as trance faded out of the public eye, it became so much better musically – we want to give it a platform in our hometown. There is no way we could still be going if we sold out for the money as we would have lost the love for it ages ago.”

This passion is sure to charge the upcoming 15th birthday, with a hypnotic lineup including John Askew, Thrillseekers and Uberdruck. “Three hours of the techy sound with John Askew, two hours of uplifting and melodic with the Thrillseekers, and Überdruck showcasing German Hard Trance. The full range of trance showcased in one event!” 

words Dylan Bellis 

Tickets: £25/£21. Info: www.vaultspresents.com