While the summer months can feel like an overload of festival announcements you have to admit that the festival life isn’t for everyone, and so we’ve narrowed down a list of gigs across July in Wales where you can turn up, enjoy some live music and head home at the end of it.
HOZIER
From his stand out single Take Me To Church to newer feats in his upcoming album Unreal Unearth – out on Fri 18 Aug – Hozier has become the dark horse of moody folk and bluesy rock. The Irish singer-songwriter announces his arrival to the grand outdoor setting of Cardiff Castle, alongside the Teskey Brothers and Victoria Canal.
Cardiff Castle, Thurs 6 July
Tickets: £40. Info: here
THE REBUILD FUND EXTRAVAGANZA
Music from Minas, Dactyl Terra and Mali Haf plus auctions from local businesses Myths ‘n’ Tits, SNAKENUB, Broke N Poke, Matsudai Ramen and Natural Beauty Clinic Cardiff, this event aims to raise and send aid to Syria and Turkey and communities affected by devastating earthquakes.
Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Fri 7 July
Tickets: £10 waged, £7 unwaged. Info: here
SOCK
Cardiff-based, guitar-driven alternative rock outfit Sock are joined by AhGeeBe for their self-titled sophomore album launch event and Cancer Research UK fundraiser. The show will see the band debuting their new album and playing together for the first time in three years.
Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Sat 8 July
Tickets: £5. Info: here
PULP
“What exactly do you do for an encore, yeah?” asked the English band Pulp on their 1998 single, This Is Hardcore. This month, they might well answer that exact question, because they’re bringing their This Is What We Do For An Encore tour to Cardiff’s International Arena.
Cardiff International Arena, Wed 12 July
Tickets: sold out. Info: here
333’S TRANS AID CYMRU FUNDRAISER
Dedicated to helping transgender, intersex and non-binary (TIN) individuals through mutual aid support provided by Trans Aid Cymru, this fundraiser includes a packed lineup of acts including Razkid, Minas Presents: Junk, Rainyday Rainbow, Ivor Woods, Papa Jupes T.C., Casper James and RightKeysOnly, as well as pieces for sale from Elena G & Weird Wednesday.
The Moon, Cardiff, Thurs 13 July
Tickets: pay by donation. Info: here
BUZZARD BUZZARD BUZZARD, HOME COUNTIES + THE FAMILY BATTENBERG
This ain’t just any old night at Porter’s, this is the night Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard headline with support from London angular post-punks Home Counties and the rising stampede of psych rock in The Family Battenberg’s pedal to the floor set.
Porter’s, Cardiff, Fri 14 July
Tickets: FREE. Info: here
CVC
Things have been getting a little too real for CVC recently, fresh off a Stateside visit where they opened Bonnaroo Festival; the south Wales six-piece are doing the rounds for a summer tour that’s assumed to sell well, so get your tickets in good time.
The Bunkhouse, Swansea, Fri 14 July
Tickets: £10. Info: here
BELLE AND SEBASTIAN
The Glasgow-formed indiepop outfit arrives in Cardiff for a twice-postponed show, after the release of their acclaimed 2022 release A Bit of Previous and this year’s followup Late Developers.
Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union, Sat 15 July
Tickets: £32.50. Info: here
MOTEL THIEVES
Psychedelic rock outfit Motel Thieves go local with a hometown show to promote their new single Purple. Support comes in the form of Waterpistol (self-plug) and Soundwire.
The Bunkhouse, Swansea, Fri 21 July
Tickets: £5. Info: here
TOM JONES
Tom aptly named his latest run of shows the Ages And Stages tour, following the announcement that the Welsh rock’n’roll megastar would be returning to headline the city a full 21 years after his last headline show there.
Cardiff Castle, Fri 21 July, Mon 24 July + Sat 5 Aug
Tickets: £82.50. Info: here
PETER DOHERTY – IN CONVERSATION AND ACOUSTIC
Experience an exclusive and personal evening in the company of indie icon Peter Doherty as he delves into his remarkable career, sharing captivating anecdotes and untold tales from his work with The Libertines, Babyshambles, and beyond.
Tramshed, Cardiff, Fri 22 July
Tickets: £32. Info: here
BEN HOWARD
“Playing music in the studio felt like a real privilege and a luxury,” Ben Howard said when discussing the recording of his fifth studio album Is It? With its release date in June, the Old Pine singer will be back on the road again, in Cardiff as part of a 26-date European run.
Cardiff Castle, Sun 23 July
Tickets: £42.50. Info: here
PIGEON WIGS
Primal rock ‘n’ roll birds with attitude Pigeon Wigs have a way with words, so much so that they’ve written a mini-album, titled Rock By Numbers and set for release on Fri 7 July. See these retro-revisionists for yourself early next month.
Le Public Space, Newport, Sat 5 Aug
Tickets: £7. Info: here
words EMMA WAY
