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Traditionally held in the run-up to Halloween, Sŵn Festival is a multi-venue event, which brings the best alternative and up-and-coming artists from both Wales, the UK and even further afield to the Welsh capital.
Serving as an amazing showcase of grassroots venues, the festival similarly acts as a moment of connection for the people who rally around music as a form of expression. More than simply a festival, Sŵn can also feel like an act of reclaiming a city that far too often seems tailored only to its University students. Whilst the latter are certainly found among the festival crowds and at home with its atmosphere, the festival is an important cultural beacon for Cardiff’s alternative communities.
In its fairly long operating time, the festival has had its highs and its lows but it’s been on a clear upwards trajectory, attracting international artists as well as some of the UK’s most exciting new names. If you are headed to Cardiff for what promises to be a very interesting weekend, here are some highlights you might be wanting to check out.
First and foremost, Sŵn is a showcase of alternative sounds, whatever spin on the subject they might take. From the quirky, the challenging and to the deliberately unsettling, this year’s lineup features a number of left-field acts to expand your horizons.
Lovers of pop music, who want to see a completely different take from its mainstream directions, will find plenty to enjoy with the likes of Catty and Jessica Winter, both artists known for their conceptual and innovative performances. Those who like more unsettling, atmospheric sounds and experimentations will certainly get them with exciting rising stars Dog Race or TTSSFU. And those who like their rock on the harder side, can’t afford to miss sets from noise-loving, energetic bands such as Man/Woman/Chainsaw or Deadletter - both acts whose growing popularity becomes only the easier to explain when looking at the veritable frenzy they can throw their audiences into.
Music festivals are now, more than ever, also political in their very existence. They are an act of rebellion against an establishment that is encroaching more and more on the turf of the grassroots, independent venues, with Cardiff experiencing its own painful closures in recent years. The absence of The Moon on the list of stages is a painful sight, so it is perhaps not a surprise that this lineup also features a number of excellent artists whose work is openly and proudly political.
For example, check out Benefits for a truly powerful manifestation of the original punk spirit, brimming with class anger and political defiance, or CLT DRP for a clever, lyrically sharp exploration of feminist themes through truly engaging, EDM-influenced synth-rock. Alternatively, Chicago-based experimental rappers Angry Blackmen offer a representation of the lived Black experience in contemporary America that is both vivid and poignant.
This is ultimately still a Welsh music festival, and since Welsh artists find themselves often unfairly sidelined in a music landscape that feels at times a bit too Anglo-centric, what better opportunity to discover some voices from the land of the dragon? Starting with Slate, one of the most exciting bands to come out of Wales in recent years, whose mix of neo-gothic and industrial rock makes for a powerful example of the versatility of the local scene. Names like Ynys and Gruff Rhys are also beloved returns to the festival, the former offering a jazzy take on folk vibes, and the latter being a true household name, with his solo career being seemingly unstoppable after an equally glorious past as the frontman of Super Furry Animals.
This is just skimming the surface of a festival which in past years has abundantly displayed its versatility, ability to entertain, and efficient handling of crowds and venues. Welsh weather might not feel the most welcoming in mid-October, but the warmth and excitement Sŵn always manages to evoke is sure to provide a more than apt counterbalance for the bleakness outside.