SWN FESTIVAL
Various venues, Cardiff
Wed 17-Sat 20 Oct
Cardiff’s citywide independent music festival Swn has been an annual autumn institution since its conception in 2007 by founders John Rostron and Huw Stephens. Originally envisioned as Wales’ answer to Austin’s South By South West, it has varied in size with each offering but has always remained focused on championing and curating emerging and established talent from Wales and beyond, solidifying its status year upon year.
Its latest incarnation sees a change in management, with Womanby Street venue and promotion team Clwb Ifor Bach at the helm. They are set to deliver the same high standard over four days, cultivating the hive of activity you have come to expect across the city at the twilight of festival season. Cardiff’s array of great independent venues makes it an easy task for them, ranging from the intimate (and let’s be honest, downright sweaty) stages of Gwdihw, Undertone and The Moon to the much larger (and sweatier yet) Tramshed and Cardiff University Students Union’s Great Hall.
Proceedings kick off with two standalone shows leading into the weekend. Head to the Tramshed on Wed 17 for a Heavenly Records-curated lineup with Gwenno, Adwaith and Halo Maud, followed by Drenge and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever at the Great Hall on Thurs 18. Next, we have the main bulk of the festival: Fri 19 headliners The Go! Team, Boy Azooga and Gaz Coombes take over the Tramshed whilst other names such as Bo Ningen, Farm Hand, Goat Girl, Heavy Rapids, Mellt and many more can be found strewn across the city (make sure you wear some good trainers).
Sat 20 ups the ante again, with almost 60 names listed so far. Some of this author’s personal picks would be Accü, Alfa Mist, Argrph, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, Cowtown, Dream Wife, Fling, I See Rivers, Low Island, Marged, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, Night Flight, Sock and if I had room on the page quite a few others. Time to start writing your list. CHARLIE PIERCEY
Tickets: £60 full pass/£35 Fri + Sat only/£15-£25 per day. Info: swnfest.com