CSM Swn Festival Multi Media Magazine 2017

Photography by: Jasper Wilkins

I have always said, Sŵn festival is probably the best weekend on the Cardiff calendar since I was in first year. Now, an old granny in my final year, covering the festival for the amazing Cardiff student media for the final time, I stick to that statement even more!

This year’s Sŵm was rather different to the usual three-day bender of top music and a lot of beer.

This year, Sŵn festival took over the entire month of October; bringing artists to the grass root venues of Cardiff almost every night. With it being a month, Sŵn brought an endless array of phenomenal, upcoming artists as well as some big names and old friends. We had the likes of The Amazons, Clean Cut Kid, Jen Cloher and more amazing artists taking to the Cardiff stages.

Of course, a major highlight for me, and I know I speak for the whole of CSM, was the return of Peace! After two long and torturous years, the student media team were greeted with a couple of interviews and an unforgettable gig at Tramshed from the Digbeth quartet, which really made this year extra special!

Another highlight of this year’s Sŵn, was taking a break from the aggressive moshes and mad dancing for the ambient and relaxed evening that was Off//Kilter; stepping out of the norm to a much more unconventional and beautiful evening of music.

But sticking to tradition, Discovery Day, in good fashion, had us running from venue to venue, cider in hand, to catch as many artists as we could in search for the next big thing. Of course, the wrath of Storm Brian did not stop us as we caught a long list of unforgettable acts which have now taken over our playlists so make sure you catch them all inside this multi-media magazine full of reviews, interviews, live music sessions and gig footage!

But not to forget… a BIG, FAT, special thank you to Charlie Minett, Lucy Aprahamian and Rachel Shuttleworth and another special thank you to the guys from Sŵn, especially Marie, James and Caitlin! This magazine wouldn’t have happened without all your hard work and dedication. You’re all very cool. Bevs on me x - Erin Brown, CSM Music Editor

SWN CO-ORDINATOR Erin Brown DESIGN Lucy Aprahamian, Lisa Doran PHOTOGRAPHY Takura Aldrige, Jasper Wilkins, Amy Farrer QUENCH TEAM Erin Brown, Charlie Minett, Rowan Lees CUTV TEAM Rachel Shuttleworth, Liz Mills, Sagnik Basu, Paul Hilleard, Lara Ashley, Anja Quinn, Bob Wigin XPRESS TEAM Jessica Heap, Megan Sharma, Michael Ash, Keiran Manetta-Jones CONTRIBUTORS Alice Dent, Amy Layton, Bethan Clarke, Ciera Littleford, Josh Ellis, Lauren Daly, Max Modell, Nicole Garcia

Contents 6 Jen Cloher

7 She Drew the Gun 8 The Amazons 10 Tom McRae 11 Touts/Vistas 12 Clean Cut Kid 14 Peace 18 Off//Kilter 20 Idles

Discovery Day 22 Keir 24 Buzzard 26 Bad Sounds 27 Keeva 28 Sea Girl 30 Danielle Lewis 32 YOWL 34 Adwaith 35 The Caspiens 36 Matt Maltese 37 Sock 38 Ardyn 39

Review by: Ciera Littleford

It’s Jen Cloher’s first time in Cardiff on Sunday night, she gleefully admits, as she kicks off her headline set for the city’s very own Swn Festival. The intimate top floor of Clwb Ifor Bach is almost packed out by the time Cloher and her band dive straight into opening song ‘Hold My Hand’.

Jen’s girlfriend, fellow musician Courtney Barnett, plays guitar alongside her, and the pair share some harmonies. I have high expectations for this set, as beautiful crescendos and delicate lyrics swell and fill the room, but as the second song ‘Kinda Biblical’ begins, shock value clichés peep through the cracks. Cloher seems as if she’s scanning the room for a reaction as she shouts ‘you can’t say Merry Christmas… it’s all Happy Holidays correctness’, but it seems to simply fall flat.

It’s not all empty provocations, though. Cloher performs some of her most moving tracks, such as ‘Analysis Paralysis’ and ‘Strong Woman’, criticising the Australian equality laws and exploring identity.

Jen also thanks the crowd for coming to see live music on a Sunday night, which is a fitting comment to make considering the recent campaign to save Womanby Street and its music scene – the street where local gem Clwb Ifor Bach is located, the gem that we’re all gathered at now.

There’s just something so encouraging about the marriage of music and community, isn’t there?

Jen and her bandmates return for an encore after a brief moment offstage – she notes the venue’s curfew – before launching into a raucous encore. It’s a fun evening, and one that bodes well for the rest of Swn Festival.

I went into the venue with a promise from the doorman, assuring me it would liven up. It was still early, and there were only about 15 people there. As the night progressed, however, people trickled in and soon there was a large group gathered around the supporting acts. The energy in the room had changed. The atmosphere was lively now, dedicated fans talking excitedly amongst themselves in between bands.

Once they came on, it was clear everybody had been waiting for She Drew The Gun. The band went straight into song and was greeted with an enthusiastic response from the audience. Their sound is difficult to explain. Lead singer and band founder Louisa Roach has a way of effortlessly shifting from her slower songs, like Poem, to the more upbeat, soft rock ones like No Hole In My Head. Done wrong the contrast might come across as upsetting to the ear, but the band has a way of carrying the audience from song to song without really putting them down. This is probably because Louisa fills the pauses between her songs with witty, thought provoking poetry. It makes for the smoothest of transitions from song to song, resulting in the diversity of their sound being exposed in the most mellifluous way.

Her politically charged lyrics can go unnoticed through earphones, as I personally found it very easy to be captivated by her voice and the band. Live, however, its a completely different story. The way she punctuates every word makes her message come across crystal clear. Most of her lyrics expose how unequal the opportunities people receive are, and how this affects the way we see the world. Her message clearly resonates with the audience, as nobody takes their eyes away from her but rather listens with undiluted attention.

Other than for pictures I don’t think I saw a phone come up once.

There’s points where she doesn’t just play the guitar, too. She takes advantage of every single chord and distortion pedal available. No Hole In My Head takes on a totally different vibe when she absolutely goes for it during her guitar solo. Reminiscent of Joan Jett on record, when she plays it live its evocative of Jack White, making its effect much more impactful and long lasting.

They ended their performance with their latest release, Sweet Harmony. The sax interwoven into it adds a soulful undertone to the folk cover and an electric buzz makes its way through the crowd. Louisa lingers amongst us, speaking to some and giving the written set list to a young girl who waves it excitedly at me.

When I speak to her she tells me about the second album she’s already writing, and how Kurt Vonnegut’s writing inspired the album name. Effortlessly cool and with a swift edge, the band leaves. Eventually people start to leave as well, but much less quiet than they were when they came in.

She Drew The Gun Review and interview by: Nicole Garcia Venue: Clwb Ifor Bach

The 9th September was The Amazons’ turn to play the Tramshed stage at the SWN Festival. As the crowd piled into the venue, they chattered excitedly in anticipation of seeing the four-piece alt-rock band from Reading. Anyone who has ever been to a gig would have recognised the familiar smell of stale beer and sweat in the air and the heat of warm body pressed upon body, giving it the festival atmosphere I had missed from the Summer. The Tramshed packed out rapidly, a vast contrast from their very first Cardiff gig at the Wales Club, which was to just six people. As a big fan of them myself, how I would have loved to be one of those lucky six! When towels were laid by the roadies, I knew we were in for something energetic and lively.

Even though it was another Monday night at the office for The Amazons, my suspicions about the towels on stage were correct.

They delivered a powerful and passionate performance of their first self-titled album, headbanging and bouncing to hits such as Little Something, Ultraviolet and Black Magic. Matt Thomson, the dynamic frontman with lustrous ginger locks to die for, has the ability to captivate his audience, beginning chants which are then finished by his fans. Thomson even toyed with the audience, stealing a Welsh flag from the crowd and spoiling the score of the Wales V Ireland World Cup Qualifier match (sorry for your loss, Wales).

The performance was incredible and seemed to be enjoyed by all, however one thing I noticed was that the chemistry was a little lacking between the band members, and they appeared to be playing a separate performance from each other. I have seen many different bands perform and I love watching them interact and banter on stage, making me feel as though I am a part of their fun.

The best parts of the gig were the high-octane bridges containing heavy-hitting riffs, such as those in In My Mind and Little Something, which hyped up the audience to form a true mosh pit experience, much associated with rock music. The crowd jumped and sang along; it was loud enough to believe we were in a bigger venue, showing that The Amazons’ fans are dedicated to showing their love and support. I bet there were some sore voices the next morning (including mine – not helping with my freshers’ flu at all).

Perhaps the best moment of all though, was when the tempo of the gig slowed down to a more emotional song, Palace, causing people to connect with their friends and partners. Sounds cliché, but it did show the effect music has in bringing people together, especially if it is the music of a band mutually loved by many in the same room.

As I left with ringing in my ears and the buzz of the spectacle, I knew I would definitely be back to see The Amazons once again.

Review by: Amy Layton

Tom McRae Review by: Max Modell Venue: St John’s Church Gig date: 13-Oct-2017 The tranquillity of a gig in a church is something I have never quite experienced before. It’s a little uncanny. The normal rush you get walking into a gig surrounded by fellow, loud fans is replaced by a subdued and relaxed murmur of voices discussing the competitive nature of modern scene. The cheers you’d expect on the entrance of the support act are replaced by a polite round of applause and the rush at the crowded bar, replaced by £9 bottles of wine with plastic cups. It’s fair to say this was a rather unique experience.

Tom McRae is singer/songwriter from Chelmsford whose live performance feel more like an on-stage therapy session than a gig. His emotional lyrics really hit a chord with me and the audience who were transfixed. I got the feeling that the majority of the audience are fans who have followed his whole career and seen him many times before. This showed in McRae’s performance as he really knew his crowd and how to work them, despite unusual environment. This encompassed moments of humour as well as direct crowd interaction. While this mostly worked sometimes the heckling and audience requests made the show feel messy and awkward.

Despite the fact the show sometimes appeared messy it was refreshing to have some spontaneity in normally militaristically rehearsed shows. Going into the gig I unfairly didn’t expect much from McRae, I certainly didn’t expect his charisma and energy. He managed to strike an effective balanced between the understated introspective mood of his songs and enthusiasm and exorbitance required to compel an audience. While McRae’s music isn’t for everyone, those who get it get it, and the audience got it. This created a great energy and silent buzz, again a strange sensation which offset the expected vibe of the Church location.

Overall while not something I would normally go and see I was pleasantly surprised by Tom McRae at St John’s Church, Canton. Not only did McRae provide a solid energetic set but he was support by two other very impressive Welsh artists in Christopher Rees and Lowri Evans, both of whom dedicated their performances to BBC Radio Wales presented Alan Taylor who sadly passed away on the 28th September 2017. However, if this was playing on the mind of either of them they didn’t let it affect their performance as they both smashed it. The only disappointment being the supports each only had a half hour set. Next time I hear of a gig in a church I think I’ll now be far more intrigued following his bizarre but brilliant experience.

Brace yourselves Catfish and the Bottlemen fans. The Vistas are about to take over your mind! A new indie rock band from Edinburgh, influenced by the likes of Twin Atlantic, The View and Biffy Clyro. Having only formed in January 2016 they are sure to make a huge impact considering how infectious their songs are. They also conjure up elements of The Amazons, The Orwells and Circa Waves. Yet, it is the Vistas abundance of energy and their Scottish twang that set them apart from these big names. Currently on their UK tour, they had finally come to grace us with their presence in Cardiff to play at Sŵn Festival. They were playing at a venue I had never, in my whole three years at university, come across before – The Transport Club. A little way out from the centre of town. Upon arriving at what appeared to be the venue, I couldn’t help but check google maps a countless number of times to check if I was actually at the right location. But this most certainly was the place. The venue was pretty run down but overall it was your generic pub set up.

I think due to the setting it was such a tame crowd, made up of no more than 20 people – some 30-yearold men in leather jackets, a handful of students and some middle-aged locals. The band took to the stage with the song ‘Medicine’, teasing us with a vibrant melody on the guitar which accelerated into playful guitar riffs, accompanied with a rich sound of drums and vocals. The lead vocals from Prentice Robertson were just effortless, and geez, who couldn’t love that Scottish accent! The passion fuelling the band was so obvious as they oozed energy throughout the whole set; extremely impressive considering this unfortunate crowd. Not to mention I just couldn’t get enough of the quirky jerks and animated footwork from the guitarist, Dylan Rush. Succeeding this was ‘Sign Language’; a harmonically-rich and upbeat tune with the extremely captivating chorus lyrics: ‘yes I need you, so I talk with my hands, it’s just like sign language, to help you understand’; even now I still can’t seem to get this out of my head. The next song to stand out was their most recent single ‘Hold me’ which had a skewed twang to the guitar and a build-up of the other vocalists to the chorus. Again, they clearly have a way of captivating you with the chorus. The penultimate song ‘Strong Swimmer’ was an absolute blast, with the frantic heavy drum rhythms and an incredible build-up of heavy riffs on the guitars. I was in my element! Once the set had finished however, I couldn’t help but come away from the gig feeling frustrated for the band as they deserved to be playing in a much better venue to a MUCH livelier crowd. The night had the potential to be epic. I’m sure once more people hear them play they will be making the headlines extremely soon. Vistas are too dynamic and ridiculously catchy to go under the radar.

Touts/Vistas Review by: Lauren Daly Venue: The Transport Club Gig date: 4-Oct-2017

Clean Cut Ki

id

Review by: Bethan Clarke Gig date: 16-Oct-2017

Up and coming Liverpudlian rockers, Clean Cut Kid, kicked off their UK tour at Clwb Ifor Bach on 16th October. With their infectious indie pop beats and catchy melodies they’re definitely ones to watch out for on the live music scene, and if their Cardiff gig was anything to go by there’s no stopping this four-piece band.

Right from the opening chords of their first single, ‘Runaway,’ the audience were fully committed with the glitter covered teens at the front dancing away to every tune. The audience was a great mix of people of all ages though which was refreshing!

What makes this band different however is that lead singer, Mike, and keyboardist, Evelyn, are in fact married in real life! This is reflected in the obvious natural chemistry the band have going, with adorable comment from Mike during the show that it makes coming to work extra fun. The songs from their debut album, Felt, follow the course of their blossoming relationship which gives the songs such a personal feel about them. Now this sounds like it could turn out to be a massive cheese fest, but their energy and playful interactions with the crowd kept it light-hearted.

Towards the end of the set bigger hits such as ‘Felt’ and ‘Vitamin C’ received such enthusiastic responses from the crowd it’s clear to see their future is bright.

With harmonies as strong as lead singer Mike’s impressive beard, Clean Cut Kid keep going from strength to strength following on from a busy summer on the festival circuit. Keep an eye out for future performances from these guys!

Peace Review by: Rowan Lees

Photography by: Amy Farrer

Venue: Tramshed Gig date: 20-Oct-2017

Swn festival has been a barnstorming success this year, and on the 20th of October we got the cherry on top of the icing on the cake, in the form of a 4-piece indie rock band called Peace. The elusive foursome have been spending time recording a new album in America while their loyal fans eagerly awaited a return to the UK. Safe to say anticipation was very high for not only the performance but there was a tangible excitement for the new material likely to be played on the evening. Chroma and Idles provided fantastic sets prior, the latter breaking crowd members into a sweat with a flurry of mosh pits.

Taking to the stage in some stylish 3-D cinema looking glasses, Harrison immediately whipped up the crowd with the words ‘I DON’T WANNA GO TO SCHOOL’ and as they tear through the song on stage every fan is immediately reminded why they came to see the band who have been off the radar for so long.

“We haven’t done much in the last two years” Harry laments as he thanks the fans for their support, but they clearly lived on in people’s memory as every last word is belted back to the frontman by the audience.

It being their first gig in a while, Peace seemed determined to make the best of their time on stage, hurriedly (and literally) throwing away guitars in need of replacement to get going with the song. Injured drummer Dom even called along the assistance of Maccabees drummer Sam Doyle to play alongside him on another drum kit!

The whole band looked happy to be back on stage and playing live again to a filled out Tramshed. Peace are a band with one of the most solid (if currently small) discographies and they could probably have played anything from the two LPs and got a good reaction. However in the carefully selected set-list we are treated to hits like California Daze, Money, and the full 10 minute rendition of 1998 which sends the crowd into an absolutely frenzy.

Some new material was debuted on the night too, including a crushingly beautiful acoustic version of a new song (probably called Metalhead??) which the Koisser brother sang with impressive vocal delivery hitting some tonal highs. The band seems to be hitting new heights creatively too with the new tracks and the stripped back acoustic nature of the performance left fans on tenterhooks for a release date.

Interview by: Erin Brown Photography by: Amy Farrer As the phone rings, anticipation excels as the moment I’ve been waiting for since the age of fourteen is about to happen, yes that is right, I’ve somehow wangled a chat with the elegantly cool, Harrison Koisser from Peace as they make a return to Cardiff as well as the music scene as whole after a two year break. As the phone stops calling, Harry answers with a friendly hello “I’m having a park day. I’m in Regents Park. I’ve never really appreciated the park and I thought ‘you know what I’ve got nothing on I’ll spend a few hours on this bench’ which I can only imagine him majestically sitting on in an oversized, faux, vintage coat in classic Koisser fashion.

Leaving a big, dark hole along amongst the indie sphere as Peace partially vacated, it was intriguing to see what the band had been up to whilst masses of indie teens sobbed into their pillow for two years “Since the last show in 2015 we moved straight into a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. It was completely isolated with just the four of us for six months which was cool as we wrote loads of music. Then we did some stuff in London, went to some studios and then there was three months where I probably just stayed in bed and then we went to America” which of course, everybody knows for a popular four piece on a two year break, they probably weren’t just popping over to eat some corn dogs and see The Statue of Liberty “I don’t know if we can say what we’ve been doing but yeah… we went to America and recorded loads and got back a few days ago, went to Paris for a couple of days and now I am back and in a park”.

With all this time hibernating, writing and recording, we can ecstatically confirm that album number three is on its way “We’ve recorded a new album, we have done all our bit now” with Harry laughing “And now it has been fed into the machine and the machine is gonna churn it out into the er charts you know”. However, despite everything being ready, Harry is still unsure on both a release date and a title, with him even asking me for suggestions with him joking “I was gonna call it Let It Be but that probably wouldn’t work” Probably taken by some small band or something?

Despite this, we can certainly expect big things from Peace’s new material from what was showcased at their Tramshed gig “My housemate said yesterday in the kitchen (as Harry channels a weird 70’s promoter type accent) ‘Harry, I don’t know how this music sounds so damn big’ that was his exacts words and voice”. So, what is so dam big about album number three?

What is to be expected from Peace’s return? “You know with album three, you either go electronic or back to your roots?

Well we’ve gone back to our roots. We are not recreating what we did originally but sort of creating what the original intentions were of the group, you know, the garage thing”. What he meant by this was the idea of a group of friends playing in their parent’s garage together “When we went to that farmhouse it was kind of like a far more opulent version of growing up again. It felt like we were young and stupid again, well we still are, but younger and more stupid”.

With Peace return to their original roots and way of making music, it was interesting to see how the new album was strung together this time in comparison to what had been done previously “It was a joint effort. I am always writing the lyrics and poetry of the songs, that’s always been my thing but there definitely was a collaborative approach to the piecing together of the sound, structure and range of instruments.” With bands, you never know if it is truly a one man show or a collaborative effort “That’s a thing bands do in the beginning that they sort of loose touch with doing things together”. As he comments on Happy People “When you’re all caught up in the big circus of touring and stuff, you get caught up, like with the second album I’ll be like ‘Hey guys I’ve written a complete song, can you play this and you play this and you play this’” but this time it was more like we are sat around eating pasta and being like ‘Do you think we need to put a hip on this song?’ and Dom will be like ‘NO!’ and I’ll be like ‘Dom you’re correct, that’s brilliant would you like me to past you the parmesan?’” Adding some wise words… “Making a record is like whipping up a nice tagliatelle. Easy peasy”.

Harry also talked about Peace’s music as previously being what he describes as “Magpie-esque” which means they would pinch a range of influences to contribute to an overall song “I heard a really cool bongo pattern on a techno song in Fabric. I recorded it on my phone and then we used it in our song, there was also a guitar line from nirvana and basslines from little funk songs”. However, their musical capacities have clearly expanded from the innocent 19 years olds they once were as he now describes them as the SAS’s musical equivalents “you know how the SAS are trained killing machines, we are kind of like trained song making dudes”. But despite this automated way of making music, their third studio album still had an element of influence “We went to Woodstock in New York to record it which is spiritually one of the homes of Peace as a concept. You walk around the town and there’s giant CNDP symbols and hippies everywhere. It is fucking brilliant. We recorded the whole album out there. The album we had already written in the UK was a blueprint but it was built in Woodstock”.

As Harry mentions, the lyrics are down to him and it can’t be denied he has such a beautiful way of curating lyrics that their fans are inclined to sing back. I’ve often wondered what’s they key to making unforgettable choruses and memorable bridges but Harry seems to think it’s all down to “Being a weirdo really” which apparently is his thing “Someone said to me recently, they said ‘Harry you live outside of the matrix” I was creeped out by that I was like what does that even mean?”

But with all this material out, why have Peace appeared out of nowhere after two, long and torturous years and just played a small, unexpected and under the radar, four date tour “We are looking forward to the shows so much. This is our puddings from the last two years”. However, a lot of importance lies in these shows to the band “You’ve gotta always serve those that are dearest to you first, you know those who want to come and hear you play. It’s important to do that first rather than ignore those people and do a massive show and be like look at our cool new jackets.” An inspiring approach, considering they could put on a large tour which would inevitably be followed by a rather friendly pay cheque but it is clear Peace have a very grateful attitude towards their much adoring and loyal fans “this is for the day one crew who will come see you with or without a new song on Limewire” amused by his choice of music platform he laughs “I tried to go Woolworths the other day, can’t remember what I was gonna buy and I said ‘oh yeah I might pop down to Woolworths and get some’ and they were like ‘Woolworths? Woolworths haven’t been open for years!’ I was like ‘What Woolworths next to BHS?’”

Stepping out of the comfortability of a usual Sŵn gig, Off//Kilter presented a beautiful and eccentric evening of music. Teaming up with the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Off//Kilter was accompanied by the angelic stages of the college as well as backdropped by the enchanting woods of Bute park. The venue alone set the scene for a beautiful evening which was only augmented by the talent that Sŵn had rounded up for such an evening.

Kicking off the night was RHAIN; small, young and shy, accompanied by a monumental piano. RHAIN put on such an ethereal set, with her haunting vocals and beautiful piano playing. As soon as she plays she makes anything small about her no longer existent as she takes over the room with her booming vocals and enticing songs, inducing goosebumps and shivers throughout.

She mirrors a similarity to the vocals of the legend that is Kate Bush and yet carries so much individuality in her work. Her music is so powerful, yet between each song, she is giggly and sweet, constantly keeping the audience engaged. You find yourself crying during songs whilst laughing between them as she jokes “What’s the only kind of bee that makes milk?... a BOOBee”. She carries so much innocence within her persona which only creates a larger shock factor when she begins to play with such delicacy and sophistication.

Then came Cotton Wolf ’s ambient, synthy set which was accompanied by an enticing contemporary dance routine from Kim Noble. Her moves combined with their out of this world sound made it a mellow and hypnotic set that you couldn’t take your eyes off.

Following this, what the lovely Ed Dowie. Putting on an enchanting yet hilarious set. The Off//Kilter line up had the tendency to consist of individuals playing beautiful and angelic sets with a slight comedic break between each song which made the evening slightly lovelier. Dowie was an eccentric character, delivering such hilarity between songs and then shutting you up with a magical performance constructed by an array of carefully constructed sounds from the press of a button on his laptop mixed with an elegant keyboard show to make such an eye catching set. ‘Red or Grey’ was a particular favourite of mine, a mystical track, oddly taking me into a scene from Charlie in The Chocolate Factory. Later on into his performance, he moved from the modern day way of showcasing music to a classic stripped back performance of one of Billy Bragg’s tracks on It’s safe to say, I’ve never seen or heard something quite like it.

Review by: Erin Brown

Then, all the way from New York, the unique Vorhees played an ambient and electronic mix of sounds. Taking music into a completely new dimension.

Playing live guitar with a processed overlay mixed with effect pedals on loop.

She created an enticing and hypnotic set which was backdropped by the aesthetics of an eerie Bute park at night which only added to her set.

Finally, to close the night; the much anticipated Richard Dawson who definitely rounded up the punters put on an amazing show. For me the first time actually properly listing to Dawson, I was shocked as he opened with a traditional styled English folk ballad completely acapella which was a common style he would revisit throughout the night. His overall performance was theatrical and powerful as he belted out this medieval styled sound which was then strongly contrasted by his mesmerizing guitar playing mixed with his beautiful and strong vocals which presented his beautiful lyricism. Dawson’s lyrics reflects on dark subjects which are channelled through the mundanities in everyday life which only made his set all the more enticing.

Overall the night was a refreshing change from the norm which invited a whole other realm of genres and sounds which I may not have stumbled past or bother to engage it with before. It brought a more experimental and eccentric stance on today’s music which has definitely altered my current playlist!

Off//Kilter

off kilter

Photography by:

Idles Review by: Josh Ellis Photography by: Amy Farrer

Following the release of their 2017 debut ‘Brutalism’, Idles bring their potently aggressive post-punk sound to Tramshed. As part of the build-up towards Swn’s Discovery Day in Cardiff, Idles are here as support for the night’s headliners Peace, but the Bristol-based band quickly establish a hold over the crowd.

Yes, Idles’ debut album is called ‘Brutalism’, and yes, their sound is brutal too. The album exhibits a raucous blend of thumping, driving post-punk grooves, and brutal, guitar-heavy noise rock. Idles’ do not fail in strengthening these sounds in a live setting. The album’s aggression and energy translates well on stage in songs like ‘Mother’ and ‘Faith in the City’. The driving bass and wild guitars fill Tramshed with riotous noise, quickly warming up the crowd, that turns from a gathering, to a sea of people, moving in the motion of the waling guitar notes and Jon Beavis’s thrashing drums. Joe Talbot is animated from the outset, spitting into the air, and leading the uniformed chorus of screaming on ‘Faith in the City’.

There are momentary pauses between the chaos. Talbot thanks Peace for having them, before moving into the wild ‘1049 Gotho’, where the screeching guitars feed the energy of the crowd. On ‘Divide and Conquer’, the driving drum beats rattle the venue, as Talbot spits beer into the pit of people in front of him. The big hits from ‘Brutalism’ don’t fail in exhibiting Idles as one of the best live bands in the country, but they’ve brought a couple of new songs too. ‘Samaritans’ and ‘Alcohol’ see Idles continue to master their destructive punk style, delivering the same aggression as on ‘Brutalism’.

Though they look down from the stage above, Idles like to break down the barrier between artist and spectator, with Talbot interacting through the mic, and guitarist Mark Bowen diving shirtless, with his guitar, into the thrashing pit of people. One track that really shows off what Idles are about is ‘Well Done’. It’s rough, harsh, heavy, rowdy and filled with satirical quips and political innuendo. Live, it’s complete chaos, in the best way imaginable, and an absolute highlight of their performance.

By closing track ‘Rottweiler’, there’s no doubt that Idles have complete control over the Cardiff crowd. It ends their performance on an explosive high as guitarist, Lee Kiernan, becomes the second member to be washed under the arms of the manic concert goers, to a chorus of unrelenting flashing lights. It’s a memorable performance that demonstrates Idles’ ability to translate the energy of the album to the stage in a formidable way.

Sea Girls

YOWL

Bad Sounds

DISCO

DA

OVERY

AY

The Caspiens

Keir

Adwaith

KEIR

Review by: Erin Brown Photography by: Tahura Aldrige

The first artist to catch at discovery day, I was still half asleep and delicate from the night previously and despite my high expectations and anticipation for KEIR; I went along half-heartedly with my first cider of the day in hand. However, as soon as I stepped onto the top floor of Clwb Ifor Bach, that mood soon changed. KEIR woke me up quicker than a big cup of coffee with his explosive performance.

His stage presence is the type that you can’t take your eyes off; he enforces so much energy which makes such a captivating experience which his enthusiastic and powerful gestures whilst booming out his soulful voice to songs which quite frankly, cannot be flawed. A lot of his songs, included intense and anticipating build ups which were followed by an explosive burst of drums, guitars and compelling vocals. I am desperate to see him again‌

Buzzard Review by: Erin Brown

After previously doing an intimate and delicate set with Tom Rees from Buzzard in the days running up to Swn, I was apprehensive and stubborn to change; how could something so lovely then be changed and backed by a full band when it worked so well acoustically? But, going along to see Buzzard at a very packed out Undertone I have never looked back. Buzzards set was vibrant and boisterous, they’ve got a traditional indie sound with an iconic 70’s twist which just makes you feel good. Their sound can be flowery and mellow at times but this does not deny a heavy and rowdy live set from Buzzard with some of their songs being evidently made for the mosh pit. With the band being newly born I’m eager to see what they’ve got planned, but by the Swn punter reactions, we can expect big things. A definite highlight of Discovery Day, as well as a now must see band!

Bad Sounds

Review by: Erin Brown Photography by : Takura Aldrige

Bad Sounds; a prominent highlight of Swn’s discovery day. They are a tasty concoction of almost every music genre imaginable delicately blended together to make them the band with the catchiest hooks and most infectious beats around at the minute. With a dash of funk, a sprinkle of hip hop, combined with a classic indie undelay; Bad Sounds bring the perfect level of groove to the indie genre which makes them so appealing. Watching their music live, represented their vast amounts of energy also which only made them more enticing, with every head bop and cheeky hip wiggle, I was sold. They bring so much energy and so much enthusiasm which is only accentuated by their great tunes. I firmly believe that this band will definitely be the band to take over a large number of playlists in 2018 and I can’t wait.

KEEVA Interview by: Erin Brown Photography by: Jasper Wilkins

Hello Keeva…Welcome to Cardiff. How are you finding it?

“I love it, the weather is great, storm Brian, he’s really filled in for us” So, for those that don’t know you, how would you describe your music?

“Soulful, 60’s music” What made you want to make music like that?

“I heard a guy called Leon Bridges and he does amazing soul music, I didn’t realise people still connect with that kind of music. I’ve been brought up on motown and I thought I could maybe pay homage to what I have been listening to as a kid.”

Who in particular influences you?

“I really love John Mayor, he was one of the ones that made me want to make music. A mix of John Mayor, Willie Nelson and Marvin Gaye.

How do you manage to make such a traditional type of music current?

“I am still trying to figure that out. I think it is all in the lyrics. Like with Amy Winehouse for example, she definitely had inspiration from soul and jazz yet somehow her lyrics were so relatable. I’m also really inspired by Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson as singer songwriters and how conversational they are. I try to be as conversational as possible.

What do you conversationally write about then?

“Love and heartbreak… you know the classic. It is such a deep emotion. I’ve also written some songs about my mates who have told me stories about their lives. I wrote a song about my friend Louisa, about how this guy was a massive dick to her. I also wrote a song about my mum which is on the album which will be coming out soon.”

Where can we find your music?

“I have two tracks on sound cloud which are live demos that both have videos that go alongside that. My first proper single is coming out in a month’s time and we’ve just done the music video for it. It was in a really creepy, vintage club In Dorset. It looks cool though. I stuck with something simple and emotional for that.

Do you tour a lot, or is this just the beginning?

“I’ve been doing a few festivals but this is one of my first shows really. I’ve done little open mic stuff in London but in terms of going around the country this is a first. When I first moved to London, I did an open mic every night just to try and get good and meet people as well.

Would you recommend Open Mic nights to fellow upcoming artists?

“Yes! I’ll always be going to open mics, you need to test out new material. People are so honest at open mics.

They’re not there to see anyone in particular so if they don’t like you they will just go to the bar, get a drink and ignore you. It is a good learning curve, it’s really important. You never know who is watching. Once a guy from GQ was watching one time and was like “love your stuff ’ and then I got a little article in GQ. Quick fire questions courtesy of Xpress’s Jessica Heap…

If you could send any record to space, what would it be?

“Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’. I think it would tell them that our world is a little fucked up but we are trying to sort it out.

If you could form a super group with anyone, who would it be?

“OMG Taylor Swift! Tay Tay would bring the sass and then I would bring Beyoncé because she would bring the proper sass and then Willy Nelson in there to really throw people off. They would be like why is Willy Nelson in a group with Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. Then I would throw in me. Weirdest super group ever. I don’t think anyone would turn up.

If you could collaborate with one person, dead or alive, who would it be?

“Elvis Presley because I have the biggest crush on him. He is such a heartthrob.

That’s not why though, he’s got a great voice and is very talented and he is a babe.

Listen to Keeva here: https://soundcloud.com/keevamusic

Sea Girls Interview by: Charlie Minett

Discovery day is inevitably, a day to discover new artists and bands. Sea Girls are certainly ones to watch for 2018 and I cannot wait to see what they are capable of. I caught up with Henry and Rory from the band before their set at this year’s SWN. Are you guys wanting to see any other bands today?

Yeah, actually we’re really good friends with Island. I think we clash slightly with them but we’ll try and catch the end of their set. Bad Sounds are on the same time as us, so the two other bands we want to see clash.

It says in the programme that you’re like Bastille and The Kooks do you agree?

Well if people think we sound like that it’s fair enough, we just like writing easy, hearty songs, that are easy to listen to and if that’s The Kooks and Bastille then that’s The Kooks and Bastille.

It says that you have a backlog of songs ready to go, does that mean that you’re ready to go with an album?

Not yet, we have our new EP recorded and we’re going back into the studio in November. We could potentially do an album but it doesn’t really matter at the moment we’re just doing it song by song.

What have you guys been up to over the summer?

Music-wise, gigging. We did our first proper headline gig in June which was awesome, we had sell out shows hahah. We were also just writing, we are going to be releasing sporadically a few singles. The whole EP is out in January. We did Neighbourhood Festival in Manchester and also Live at Leeds.

Favourite venue in London?

Omeara looks super cool, we’re playing there in February. It’s in an old railway arch and it looks like a Victorian kind of theatre. It’s the new cool venue in London.

Have you been to Cardiff before?

Never, this is our first time, we’re playing in Clwb Ifor Bach but I’ve been looking forward to this so much. It’s our last booked in show this year.

Who would be your dream collaboration?

Mine (Henry) would be Lana Del Ray I just think she’s awesome. I (Rory) would pick someone like Charli XCX. They are sonically different. If you collab with the same you end up with the same as what you already have.

Do you find yourself listening to the same people when you’re as a band together?

We all listen to quite different music. We’ve been listening to a lot of Oasis. Liam is all over the media at the moment so it does get in your head. They make me proud to be British. But what’s that new band? Super Orgasm?

No Super Organism? Ahha They are amazing, they did a session with Huw Stephens a few days ago and I loved it.

Would you like to do stuff like Live Lounge?

We would love that. We did a Sofar Sounds thing that totally changed around who we are. We had a cello in to do like a reimaged version of our songs.

If you were to do a cover what would it be?

We Looked at doing ‘Boys’ Charli XCX and ‘Green Light’ by Lorde. If you do something that’s too close to you it points out your references a bit too much. It’s nice to take something that’s a bit left field and put your own spin on it.

Have you got any plans for the rest of the year?

We’re doing loads of pre-production stuff and writing loads. We have just been demoing. There’s always stuff to keep us going. Hopefully we will play more shows.

You can catch their new sing ‘What For?’ on the 7th November, but if you can’t wait for that you can watch their latest video for their track ‘Lost’ here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaG8rpFIrPk

Danielle

Lewis

Review by: Alice Dent Photography by: Erin Brown

Danielle Lewis’ vocals captivated the intimate crowd during her set at Buffalo on Saturday.

Armed with just an acoustic guitar, Newquay-born Lewis charmed the audience with tales of her travels to Australia and her life on the road in-between tracks.

With an Eva Cassidy-esque vocal, Danielle performed a number of tracks from her 2016 EP Fly, included a song of the same name and Anywhere is Home – a particular favourite of mine. It is evident that Lewis has absolute passion for the music that she produces and is a born performer. Pure, romantic and heartfelt, West Coast Sound took the crowd on a journey from the west coast of Wales to Australia where she spent time gigging and getting inspiration for her next EP.

She pointed the crowd towards her online presence, in particular her music videos on YouTube for tracks such as Fly and Dreams Grow. Danielle’s voice is just as captivating live as it is on pre-record – her sweet Welsh lilt evident. Some Welsh language tracks can also be found online, which are most definitely worth a listen.

Finally, we were lucky enough to hear the first performance of her brand-new song, Wasted. The melancholic track was a similar style to some of her previous work, yet was beautifully understated and had everyone in the small venue wishing her set was longer than thirty minutes.

Danielle Lewis is an extremely talented singer who deserves more exposure. Check out her latest track, the upbeat “West Coast Sun” on Spotify!

YOWL Photography by: Charlie Minett

Adwaith Photography by: Takura Aldrige

photograph as seen on The Caspiens’ Facebook page

The Caspiens

Matt Maltese

Sock

Ardyn Review by: Charlie Minett

As it was named ‘Discovery Day’ it was the perfect time to start discovering new artists.

After being advised to see Stroud based band Ardyn by fellow Bristol/Bath based band Bad Sounds, I had to see what they had to offer. They had an evening set at Buffalo, and their mellow, laid back sound was just what I needed after such a busy day. Sibling duo, Rob and Katie Pearson bought another drummer and guitarist to complete the band. Katie’s angelic, Ray Morris style voice, accompanied by a slightly groovy but at the same time, chilled out sound seemed to be the perfect mix. They are definitely not ones to miss out on.