YPN ARE BACK AT SŵN!
Presenting seven exciting new artists!
by Richard Samuel
If you’re a Sŵn geek, a grassroots Welsh music fan or just in the know; chances are you’ve heard of us: The Young Promoters Network.
The Young Promoters Network was set up to create live music opportunities for young music lovers across South Wales, predominately focusing on the emerging young talents from the South Wales Valleys both on stage and behind the scenes. Our association with Sŵn Festival came about in 2012 where we honoured to be a charity of the festival and of the late great James Mclaren, and has grown ever since.
If you’ve checked out our stages in previous editions of the festival, you’ll have seen the first appearances from Horizons artists: Gabrielle Murphy & Delyth Mclean alongside the Radio Wales A-listed Upbeat Sneakers, Alex Stacey and performances from Pretty Vicious, Upbeat Sneakers, Nineteen Fifty-Eight and Paint Happy.
Our Sŵn Festival philosophy is to always try and give you a flavour of our favourite artists; of what is being produced outside of Cardiff and this year is no different.
Spearheading our line-up is Betsy, “An incandescent new talent” as described by the Sunday Times. She’s received airplay on BBC Radio 1 and has been A-listed on BBC Radio 2. Her music is a juxtaposition of sad, melancholic vocals over big beats accompanied with strong visual style. Ever since I heard Betsy on Adam Walton’s show, I fell in love with this huge voice that was so tender, raw and packed a punch Anthony Joshua would be proud of. As soon as we were confirmed for Sŵn Festival this year, she was on the top of my hit list for headliners and I’m so delighted we’ve managed to get her first Welsh appearance.
https://youtu.be/LsvijIPoPF4
One place that is on fire at the moment for music is Merthyr Tydfil and the latest band are indie rock-n-roll five piece Local Enemy. Five lads whose attitude, swagger and minimum affectation is met with bluesy guitars and grungy-garage bass and percussion. I love the attitude of this band, real working class indie that seems to have been lost in today’s current climate; they work hard and play even harder. In the past year they’ve supported Sundara Karma, Lethal Bizzle and Trampolene in addition to their self-booked UK Tour!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mnDlVynIcs
Caerphilly’s Atterbury & Gibbz an indie four-piece with an experimental edge, listen in to hear flavours of The 1975, Alt-J, Mikill Pane, Ghost Poet. After watching these earlier in the year in Clwb Ifor Bach, I knew these had to be exposed to a wider audience. Their song ‘What’s Real?’ wouldn’t sit out of place on the Radio 1 playlist, 6 Music playlist or Apple’s Beats 1, it ooze a deeply rich, layered, textured and cool sound. I’ll leave the final words for them from YPN member Luke Priestly, “The bands melancholy sound is one that’s very current but don’t for one second think they’re a carbon copy!”
https://soundcloud.com/atterburyandgibbz/whats-real
The Brocklebank are a four piece indie-pop band from Pontypridd. Encompassing an alternative, yet distinctly guitar driven pop sound, the band name Wet Wet Wet as influence on their music. Comparisons to the critically acclaimed sound of The 1975, joyfulness of Scouting for Girls and The Kooks are easy to make, as it certainly is the sound of youth. After getting sent this track on twitter, we knew we had to book them straight away for Swn Festival as there is something special about them.
https://soundcloud.com/the-brocklebank
If you’re a Welsh Music Connoisseur then you should be in know, that we produce great psychedelic music. Now I introduce you to The Firs. A two piece psychedelic indie rock band from the Vale of Glamorgan, with hits of their predecessors and twinges of The Beatles and The Kinks thrown into the mix; the result is a throwback to another time and dimension. We came across the two-piece on Adam Walton’s BBC Radio Wales and fell in love at something so groovy and interesting on the musical pallet. The pair have released their album ‘I Am Your Plaything’ independently and for FREE on bandcamp earlier this year (Which we’ve conveniently included below for you to download — we’re nice like that). This will be The Firs first ever show, so come and join us and make history!
https://thefirs1.bandcamp.com/album/i-am-your-plaything-album
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Hailing from Blackwood, CWCW share a love for wicked sounds and consist of Elliot Bradfield, Erin Julian and Lewis Evans. We promise you lead singer isn’t related to another from Bradfield from the same area, although both do have tremendous vocal ability. After meeting in school due to a collective passion for music and writing music, they developed their indie-folk sound and soon started performing local gigs and taking formative steps to becoming a band. CWCW have already supported former YPN stage alumni Into the Ark in their hometown venue, Blackwood Miners’ Institute. This show got our very own Gabrielle Giffard gushing with excitement.
“These are a band to watch, every one of them ooze talent! #goingplaces.”
Gabrielle Giffard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka57y4Q9hFQ
Vince James is a singer-songwriter from Llanharan. His music is an interesting blend of indie, folk and pop sensibilities. He started writing songs at the age of sixteen after being inspired by his favourite artists. In 2016 he’s played across the UK, including a show on the River Thames, in support of his simply stupendous debut single ‘Forget About Last Night’. A mix of gritty vocals and warm-heartfelt lyrics engineered for you to experience. The song tells a familiar story of a drunken night and those hazy mornings that most of us have experienced on a weekend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-obV3-Vkms4
The entire Sŵn festival team have always made a great effort to support what we have done and continue to achieve. This year is no exception with our line-up presenting seven new artists to the Sŵn festival team. If you love discovering new music, then be sure by to include us in your Sŵn Festival schedule and save them in your Sŵn app! We literally have something for everyone as we only book artists we love.
Also because we fancy ourselves as music tipsters, we highly recommend you also circle the following on your schedules:
Friday: Spring King, Tramshed: “with a massive debut album behind them, this indie punk band will go from strength to strength. Certainly not one to miss” — Luke Priestly
Friday: Jess Campbell DJ Set, Tramshed — “Always been a massive bae with the love and support she shows us. She knows her new music better than most, so I’ll be dancing and showing some love” — Richard Samuel
Saturday: Peaness — Our very own Rowan Walsh adores this indie pop 3 piece from Chester, so be sure to join her and the team here.
Saturday: Reuel Elijah — I first saw Reuel with Swn Alumni KayCee and Manon Lewis from LUK and we were blown away; 100% the Welsh Usher! Vocals and some super slick and crazy moves.
Saturday: TIBET — I mean how good is that new single!?
