It’s time once again for Llais, formerly known as the Festival Of Voice, to bring a cavalcade of voice-led musical delights to Cardiff Bay. Curated by Gwenno, here are our top picks for what you should see at Llais 2023 in the WMC this month.
BAT FOR LASHES
The alias of singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and visual artist Natasha Khan, Bat For Lashes crystallises Khan’s sense of physical expression into a live show, combining haunting songwriting with synthpop, spectacular artwork and a communal theme. Those of a certain age will know her best from her collab with Beck for the Twilight: Eclipse soundtrack.
Donald Gordon Theatre, Wed 11 Oct.
Tickets: £17-£37. Info: here
BOTH SIDES NOW: CELEBRATING JONI MITCHELL
Canadian great Joni Mitchell has two of her later-period albums – Both Sides Now and Travelogue, from 2000 and 2002 respectively – performed with vocalists Charlotte Church, Laura Mvula, Eska and Gwenno taking turns at the helm. These albums found Mitchell giving orchestral arrangements to both her own songs and older jazz numbers, a role the BBC National Orchestra Of Wales will fulfil here.
Donald Gordon Theatre, Fri 13 Oct
Tickets: £22-£37. Info: here
ENYS MEN WITH LIVE SCORE BY THE CORNISH SOUND UNIT
Director Mark Jenkin followed his acclaimed 2019 debut Bait with the spine-tingling Enys Men: a folk horror tale at its core, it was shot on 16mm film and filmed during lockdown. Jenkin will perform the film’s score at Llais alongside Dion Star, aka The Cornish Sound Unit.
Weston Studio, Sat 14 Oct
Tickets: £12. Info: here
GWENNO
Llais co-curator Gwenno Saunders received the Welsh Music Prize in 2014 for her debut album Y Dydd Olaf. Her only Welsh date for 2023 will be here: a one-off performance titled Tair Ton | Teyr Ton | Three Waves, featuring visuals from Sam Wiehl and dance artist Eddie Ladd.
Donald Gordon Theatre, Sun 15 Oct
Tickets: £15-£35. Info: here
SUPERTED
A free ticketed screening in association with the Wales Broadcast Archive of this much-loved 1980s animated series, about a teddy bear with superpowers. Initially broadcast in Welsh on S4C, SuperTed was also the first British animation to be shown on the Disney Channel.
Weston Studio, Sat 14 + Sun 15 Oct
Tickets: FREE. Info: here
THE STAVES
Since releasing their debut album in 2012, sisterly Americana/folk trio The Staves have crafted modern tales of love and loss taken from the band’s unified experiences. In the past Emily, Jessica and Milly Staveley-Taylor have collectively reignited the Laurel Canyon-era sound from their Watford home. Now in 2023, we find new single You Held It All:the first Staves release to not feature sister Emily, as she takes a step back from the band.
Donald Gordon Theatre, Thurs 12 Oct
Tickets: £22.50. Info: here
THE CAB PRESENTS: ANARCHY IN THE BAY
The Cab, a Newport music venue which champions the city’s working class history, has crafted a DIY punk lineup of Split Dogs, Pink Wellis and Ignitemares to coincide with two other events here: VR film Battlescar: Punk Was Invented By Girls and exhibition Wasteland of My Fathers, the latter curated by Cardiff Music History and showcasing Wales’ punk subculture.
Rehearsal Room 3, Thurs 12 Oct
Tickets: £10. Info: here
Llais, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Tue 10-Sun 15 Oct.
Info: here
WELSH MUSIC PRIZE
It’s time again for a panel of judges to narrow down a year’s worth of new music, from emerging and established Welsh artists alike – and they’ve got their hands full this year. 2023’s nominees include 15 albums, listed below, and the ceremony will launch this year’s Llais.
Cerys Hafana – Edyf
CVC – Get Real
Dafydd Owain – Uwch Dros y Pysgod
H. Hawkline – Milk For Flowers
Hyll – Sŵn O’r Stafell Arall
Ivan Moult – Songs From Severn Grove
John Cale – Mercy
Mace The Great – SplottWorld
Minas – All My Love Has Failed Me
Overmono – Good Lies
Rogue Jones – Dos Bebés
Sister Wives – Y Gawres
Stella Donnelly – Flood
Sŵnami – Swnamii
Ynys – Ynys
Donald Gordon Theatre, Tue 10 Oct
Tickets: £10. Info: here
words EMMA WAY
