Martyn Joseph - St David's Hall - 7/2/2023

Performing the 122nd night of his tour, Martyn walks onto a very big St Davids Hall stage armed with his trusty Lowden Guitar and launches into ‘Here Come The Young’ the title track of his 2019 album.

This is no ordinary gig, the passion up a notch, Emotion and conviction always there with Martyn, but tonight is special to him and the fans and family present.

Martyn truly is a musical warrior spreading the word, feeding the mind, and touching emotions.

I watch in awe at a man at the top of his game, commanding a large auditorium on his own is an amazing talent, connecting and engaging with the crowd singing along and captivated by his conversation and songs.

1960 is his latest album as he explains more personal and retrospected to other albums, ‘Born Too Late’ ' ‘Felt So Much’ and ‘Driving Her Back To London’ particular highlights.

In the over 2 hour performance he plays songs from a lengthy career. ‘Cardiff Bay’ is always a popular choice and of course, he jokes about his top 40 hit ‘Dolphins Make Me Cry’.

His recent TV and Radio appearance for the song ‘Albert’s Place’ is mentioned, a song Martyn was commissioned to write is about the amazing work of Andrea Bell and the kitchen she runs in Sunderland supplying over 100 meals a day to anyone who needs help. It is another emotional version.

‘Nye’ is another example of Martyn’s talent for creating inspiring words and anthemic melodies. A song about the great Nye Bevan who founded The NHS.

After a short break you will find Martyn is off on tour to Canada, probably another 122 nights. How he can perform all those gigs, each with such quality songs conveyed with complete passion and professionalism, challenging inequality and injustice and still connecting with human stories, humbly and with genuine love takes a very special talent.

At Tonight’s concert, I was proud to be part of the audience. Artists like this are Very rare.

Please take some time to check the links below to Martyns Website, and ‘Let Yourself Trust’ Charity.

Questions with: Shane Greenhall of Those Damn Crows

‘As far as I can remember there’s always been an incredible scene of Welsh talent’

Bridgend-based rock band Those Damn Crows have been making a solid name for themselves in the music scene for the past few years, with the release of ‘Point Of NoReturn’ (2020) skyrocketing them even further. 2022 was a great year for the ‘Crows’, with their festival appearances at both Download and TeddyRocks and a headline slot at the iconic Chepstow Castle alongside Mason Hill and Florence Black.

This year is somehow gonna be even bigger and better with their brand new album ‘Inhale/ Exhale’ set to be released on February 17th and the UK headline tour on the horizon. This interview was conducted prior to their appearance at Download 2022 and so the quotations reflect that time.

In this interview, vocalist Shane Greenhall discussed the anticipation of playing the mainstage at Download Festival, the power of the Welsh music scene, and how the pandemic altered the way music is written. I posed the question ‘What was your favourite music video to shoot’ in which Shane replied ‘’Sick Of Me’ , we shot ‘Sick Of Me’ in a bomb shelter site which has now been modified to be used for TV and filming projects.

This was the time of the pandemic so it was really strange as we all had to isolate and keep our distance from fellow bandmates and the director of the video, there were no shots where the band was all together, we had to do our parts individually. ‘Sick Of Me’ is one of the lead singles from the 2020 album release ‘Point Of No Return’, the music video was released on YouTube on the 5th of February 2021 where it amassed almost 100k views.

Those Damn Crows can generally be found at an array of different festivals over the spring/ Summer months, Shane goes on to describe the anticipation of playing the mainstage ‘It’s so great to be talking about festivals again, we’ve been on the Download poster for nearly 3 years now as we were supposed to have played it a long time ago, literally months before the pandemic hit so it feels like it’s long overdue. We played the Download pilot which was insane and a huge honour to be one of the first bands to be picked to play to 10,000 people in a festival environment. But to be playing on the main stage this year under Iron F*****g Maiden is literally an incredible feeling.

Surely nothing can stop this from happening now! We’ve waited nearly three years…. we can’t wait!’ They performed a critically well-received slot at the festival. The band has found themselves in a supportive and close community with the Welsh music scene, and they have also done a lot to further this scene ‘There’s an incredible pool of talented Welsh bands at the moment and the rock community has embraced us all, but I must say, as far as I can remember there’s always been an incredible scene of Welsh talent.

Why? It’s probably because the Welsh in particular love to get together and have a sing-song, a couple of beers whether it be watching sports, family BBQs, party with friends, or down to the club to watch live music. There’s always music with us Welsh it’s part of our culture and rock music in particular has an incredibly strong hold on us.

During the first UK lockdown, the band came together over video calls to produce a weekly show for fans, they called it CrowCast. CrowCast has reached over 100 episodes, after almost three years of streaming. Although they never expected it to take off as much as it did, it had the opportunity to blossom into a new community for fans alike ‘CrowCast has steamrolled into something bigger than we ever thought possible, the idea was to keep in touch with our fan base throughout the pandemic, little did we know at the time but it was a place where we could all come together without us all being physically together to chat and express how we are all (not just in the band) feeling and experiencing this complete first for our generation with isolation.

’ The CrowCast has brought on some amazing guests including Lucas Woodland and Ruth Jones, this is what Shane has to say about some of his standout guests ‘Favourite guest for me was probably Ruth Jones as she was just so down to earth and truly lovely, but Danny Bowes from Thunder, Ricky Warwick from BSR- live from LA were fantastic, telling stories of how music touched them and has never let go but genuinely every single guest we’ve had on has been wonderful’.

To end the interview, I asked Shane how he would describe the new album in two words and here was his brilliant response ‘HOLY SH*T. The two words I hope everyone will say when

they hear it’.

The Gulps - Clwb - 3/2/2023

The Gulps are preparing for their UK headline tour in just under two weeks. This will see the alternative rock band of five, frontman, Javier Sola and guitarist Juan Carlos Ruiz (both from a small town in La Rioja, Spain), bassist Simon Mouchard (from Nantes, France), rhythm guitarist Francesco Antonio Buffone (from Calabria in southern Italy) and drummer Raoul Khayat (from Beirut, Lebanon), touring sold out tours in London, Leeds, Glasgow and Manchester. 

But their first stop was Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff, where they supported welsh alternative rock band, ‘Trampolene.’ Trampolene’s set remained true to its welsh origin as the welsh national anthem began before they even got on stage and the second, they got on stage, they reminded anyone who didn’t know where they were from with a welsh flag with all their surnames on it. This was a nice personal touch which really made the set their own. This created a huge crowd reaction as chants begun and the music started the blare… it was an electric atmosphere. 

The Gulps said how excited they were to support them as they mentioned “We watched Trampolene in a festival over Taylor Swift, and now we are supporting them!’ They said. Before singing their first song, ‘Candy”, followed by ‘The Kings House’. Their stage presence was outstanding, and this was proven, as the venue was filled quickly as fans of all ages flooded in, all moving in time to the vibrant music. 

Their next song, ‘Boys’ was one of my favourites as they interacted with the crowd to sing back the lyrics. Shouting “Come on guys we sing boys, and you sing it back!” The vocals from both the crowd and band filled the room and it was nice to see the band engaging with the audience. 

And finally, their new song ‘mirror mirror’ took to the stage like a storm as they sang, drummed and strummed their hearts out. It was defiantly a best till last moment, as it’s groovy and repetitive lyrics got everyone on their feet. And the only negative I can say is they weren’t on stage for long enough! If only they were head lining their own shows…

Oh, wait they are! So, if you want to see them headlining their own shows and immerse yourself into their refreshing take on indie rock music you can grab yourself tickets for just £11! See you there! 

Casey - The Fleece - 12/1/23

After their almost four year break from music, Casey reunited with a tour of England and Germany, starting in Bristol on the 12th January. 

Casey are a five-piece Welsh Rock band formed in South Wales in 2014. They have released two albums and numerous singles.

Being in The Fleece, a small but lovely venue in Bristol, there was not one space free in the crowd. The venue was packed full of dedicated fans. 

Casey opened with their new song “Great Grief” which has meaningful, poetic lyrics and an impressive use of instruments. Straight after was “Atone” of a similar nature. They then followed with their older music which the fans adored. Looking around, the majority of the fans were passionately screaming the lyrics to each song and I could see how much this meant to some of them. Throughout the night the music was very loud and clear making it a memorable experience. 

Towards the end of the set, lead singer Tom Weaver asked the crowd where they had travelled from and one group were attending from Australia! This is a huge dedication to be able to see this highly motivating band that clearly have a reassuring impact on lives. 

Upon announcement of reuniting, Casey tickets sold out within just five days. In result of the demand, there was a venue upgrade and two extra nights added. From seeing the gig and following on social media, it is evident that the band are incredibly grateful for the support they have from their community. It is exciting to envisage what the band has for the future and it was an honour seeing them perform.

Pierce The Veil – The Great Hall Cardiff -01/12/22.

The San Diego rock band Pierce The Veil has had British fans in a chokehold all year as they’ve been

teasing their return to touring in the United Kingdom since early 2022. Fans of the group were

especially excited as this was their first time performing in The UK since their last album was

released in 2016.

The UK tour kicked off in Cardiff on the 1st of December and is set to run through the 10th December,

including two nights at the highly revered O2 Forum in London.

Despite the icy weather, fans could still be seen queuing outside of Cardiff University Student’s

Union for hours prior to the doors opening at 7pm. It was clear that despite the band taking six years

away, they were still more adored than ever.

After opening acts Carolesdaughter and Against The Current had set the tone of the night with their

passionate performances, the band kicked off their tour in Cardiff by playing two songs from their

2012 album - Collide With The Sky - titled ‘May These Noises Startle You In Your Sleep’ and ‘Hell

Above’. The audience were quick to start screaming as the members started to appear on stage. It

was easy to see that they were just happy to be back as the audience were to have them.

It was hard to tell that this was the band’s first show in the UK in a long time as their stage presence

was unparalleled. The quartet strutted onto the stage with such confidence and dived right into

performing without skipping a beat.

Any older fans who were looking for their fix of nostalgia were in luck. Songs from the band’s earlier

albums were all performed at the show, each with more energy than the last. Their 2010 song

‘Caraphernelia’ was played towards the end of the set, but the energy from the crowd was still

explosive nonetheless as fans chanted the lyrics to the beloved track in unison. Despite the song

being released roughly 12 years ago, the fans excitement to see the song performed live was

palpable.

In addition to playing some of their quintessential songs such as ‘Bulls In The Bronx’ and ‘Circles’ ,

Cardiff was also given the opportunity to hear Pierce The Veil perform two new songs from their

upcoming album - The Jaws of Life - live for the first time ever. The third song on the set list titled

‘Pass the Nirvana’ was released in August 2022 and was the first song the band has released since

2016. They also played their newest single ‘Emergency Contact’ which was released in November

this year. As a longtime fan, it was incredibly exciting to see the band perform a mixture of both

their older songs as well as their most recent releases as it felt like a reflection of how far they’ve

come as artists. Anyone can see that the band still haven’t lost their touch, even after so many

years.

It was my first time seeing the group live and they all delivered immensely. Fuentes’ vocals exceeded

any expectations I could’ve had from watching their recorded performances online and hearing his

voice paired with such talented musicians Tony Perry, Jamie Preciado and Lionel Robinson made for

an astounding show.

In addition to the amazing performance, the technical aspects of the concert were incredible. A

combination on perfect lighting, smoke machines and confetti raining down on the audience made

for a magical experience. It felt unlike any show I had been to before as I was left praying it wouldn’t

end.

As the concert came to an end the band departed from the stage. However, fans were quick to start

begging for more. While chants for an encore filled the venue, Fuentes was quick to return to the

stage with his acoustic guitar in hand. In contrast to their earlier performances, the singer slowed it

down by playing their song ‘I’m Low On Gas And You Need A Jacket”. This performance evoked an

emotional response from fans as many started singing along and even shedding a tear.

Finally, the group closed the show by playing one of their most popular songs titled ‘King For A Day’.

The audience screamed in anticipation as the first few chords of the song started to play. The song

was the perfect way to end their set as they left the venue on a high note. Throughout the show

Pierce The Veil performed with such high energy and enthusiasm so it made sense that they would

choose such a lively song to end on.

While the hit rock group take the UK by storm it is clear that the best is yet to come as they’re fifth

album -The Jaws Of Life- is set to release on February 10, 2023, once again leaving fans in

anticipation of what’s to come.

Pet Needs - Clwb Ifor Bach - 7/12/2022

This is a four-man punk band from Colchester in Essex. They performed their new album ‘Ibiza in winter’ for their first Welsh audience in Clwb Ifor Bach on December the 7th. 

The venue was small and intermate, but brothers Johnny and George Marriott filled the room with their vocals and Jack Lock skilfully played the drums whilst Rich Gutierrez accompanied them on bass. They all worked well together and had a great stage presence. 

But before their set, ‘Bridget’ a singer, song writer also from Colchester, was their support act. She sang her most popular song ‘Deflate’ and my personal favourite, ‘The Drive.’ This was one of my favourites because she really interacted with the crowd and got them singing her lyrics back to her. So, this really got the audience warmed up for Pet Needs. She also stayed after her set, and I got the chance to chat to her and she was lovely!

Pet Need’s set started at 9pm and lasted just over an hour. But they managed to sing a variety of songs from their albums. Starting with, ‘Lost again’, ‘Pavlovian’ and ‘Kayak’. Then on to the album title, ‘Ibiza in winter’ followed by a crowd favourite, ‘Punk isn’t dead; it’s just up for sale.’ The audience went wild when they heard this, and they screamed back every word to the equally excited band members. ‘Wales, we love you, thanks for having us!!!’ They said. 

In between the songs the band told funny stories about their experiences in Wales, their families and shone some light into their personal lives. This really suited the venue because it was small and intimate, you felt like you were friends with the band rather than fans, so it was nice for them to have been as chatty as they were.

An emotional song ‘Dear Abi’ was played for the first time, was completely striped back and took the audience by surprise because it was the opposite of their usual punk, rock genre. However, the sentimental and thoughtful song went down a treat and the crowd loved it and took in every word. – especially all the ‘Abi’s’ in the room.  

But the vibe soon picked up and was back to their punk rock genre as Bridget came back on stage for a duet with the band, to sing ‘The argument’. This was great to watch and both artists put their heart and souls into the performance and the song, which looked like it meant a lot to both. Bridget then left the stage, and they played a couple more songs, including, ‘Spirals’ and ‘Toothpaste.’ With a welsh accent attempt from Rich and an audience member jokingly saying, ‘you can stop doing that now.’ The show soon came to an end…

Until, the crowd repeatedly roared, ‘encore’, ‘encore’, they came rushing back on to sing, 3 more songs, including their most popular one, ‘Tracey Emin’s Bed’. And it was defiantly worth the wait.

They are on tour till early 2023, so if you get the chance to see this energetic and talented band I would recommend. And with an equally male and female audience with all ages, everyone would have a great time. So, go get your tickets, they are as cheap as £10!

Sea Girls - Great Hall - 22/11/22

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It’s a funny story how I discovered Sea Girls. I was driving along the narrow roads between Betws-y-Coed and Bala in the summer of 2021. My playlist had come to an end and there was nowhere to pull over in sight. Spotify began to play my recommended songs – which never seem to be of any interest to me – when ‘All I Want to Hear You Say’ came on. 

In the coming months, I became completely infatuated with the song – I’d listen to it in the shower; when walking around; before I went to sleep. It was like nothing I’d really heard before and I loved it. 

The London-based band sold out Cardiff Uni Great Hall on Tuesday evening, with a crowd of varied ages and genders hanging onto every word they sang and every chord they struck. 

Lauran Hibberd, whose monthly listeners on Spotify equate to 88,000 at the time of writing, opened for the band. Her charismatic approach got the crowd engaged, while her stage presence demanded the attention. ‘Average Joe’ off her 2022 album ‘Garageband Superstar’ was the standout anthem. 

The four-piece indie-rock band opened with 2019 single ‘Damage Done’ and followed up with ‘Lucky’ off their 2022 album ‘Homesick’ before addressing the crowd for the first time to the pandemonium of onlookers.  

It was the first time I’ve been to a gig and seen the majority of the crowd being loyal supporters. You couldn’t move for Sea Girls t-shirts and people screaming as they recognise the next song from the first chord played.

Captivating frontman Henry Camamile was idolised by the flock of avid supporters, who repeated most lyrics back to him. Lead guitarist Rory Young danced around the stage as though he was one of the crowd members. 

Arguably the most entertaining sequence of tracks were ‘Violent’, ‘Lonely’, ‘Sick’ and ‘Do You Really Wanna Know’, with each song gaining greater reaction than the last. 

Their encore included ‘Daisy Daisy’, ‘All I Want to Hear You Say’ and ‘Call Me Out’, ending with their two most popular songs in true indie-rock band fashion. 

If you haven’t witnessed one of their shows live, I’d really recommend you do. Their variety of melodic, dancey and mosh-pit-worthy songs is fantastic and I’m sure people of all ages would have a great time. 

Blossoms - Great Hall - 26/11/2022

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Despite the torrential downpour outside and the disappointing week for Wales at the World Cup, Blossoms reminded those who attended their gig at the Student Union that you can still have a blast with live music. 

I’m no stranger to Blossoms, having already seen them numerous times at Reading Festival and in my home city Bristol, but this gig was something beyond what I had already seen of the band. I was saying to my friend afterwards how it was more like a performance or an event rather than a gig, with a great support act from Brooke Combe beforehand, followed by a great selection of tracks from the likes of Oasis and Neil Diamond to really get the crowd in the mood.

The atmosphere was electric and when the band walked on the stage, opening with one of their signature tunes ‘At Most A Kiss’, the room was bouncing. The band were unbelievably tight, and lead singer, come guitarist, come pianist, come harmonica(ist!) Tom Ogden roamed the stage like he owned it. 

Some songs would lead blissfully into the next without mention from Ogden, reinforcing their tightness and capabilities as a band. A special mention to the three additions to the original 5 of the band, who really boosted the live sound created on the evening, making it sound just as if it was pre-recorded.

Ogden also gave some interesting insights at times as to how some of the tracks were written and the backstory to them, my favourite in particular being ‘Ode to NYC’, which he revealed was originally written for a Netflix show, only to be pushed aside once the band recorded it. Unlucky Netflix! This was also where Ogden showed off his musical prowess playing guitar, as well as singing, and then a beautiful harmonica solo to finish the song. 

Charlie Salt on bass and backing vocals, Myles Kellock on keys, Josh Dewhurst on lead guitar, and Joe Donovan on drums all put on a show as well, interacting with Ogden as he led from the front. 

If you’ve heard or indeed listen to Blossoms, you’ll be aware that their music is usually quite fast and energetic, as was evident on the night with songs like ‘I Can’t Stand It’, ‘Your Girlfriend’, and ‘How Long Will This Last?’. However, the 8-piece became a solo for one song, where Ogden slowed it down with his acoustic and piano, playing first album track ‘My Favourite Room’ which was a spectacle in its own right.

They finished the show big with arguably their most popular song and another old classic ‘Charlemagne’, which was the perfect way to close the show, with people on other’s shoulders and the room bouncing once more. 

I have to admit, I’ve seen some good gigs, including the ones I’ve seen from Blossoms in the past, but none compete with this one. If you ever get the chance to see them live, do it! You won’t regret it.