music live WESTIVAL


Shipping Hill Farm, near Tenby Thurs 21-Sun 24 July


Located in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park on a south- westerly extremity of Wales, there have certainly been bouncing outdoor rave assemblies in this part of the world before Westival made its full debut in 2018 – the main difference is that this one’s fully licenced. Joe Worley, co-founder of this club music weekender, observed later that year: “We had a really good response to the festival from people outside of Wales, not so much inside.”


Although there’s only been one further Westival since then, its 2022 edition brings a notably expanded lineup, with some heavy hitters from the house and techno folds otherwise rarely if ever booked inside Wales. They’ve also reached out to Pembrokeshire residents by offering them day tickets for £30 – in practise, rural fests like this are nearly always awaydays first and foremost, but it’s a useful gesture. They’re even


running a shuttle bus from the farm where Westival happens to Manorbier Beach, because if you were that close to the area’s golden sands and didn’t pop down you’d have simply mugged yourself.


With close on 100 names billed, there’s a bit of Welsh representation (Afro Cluster stand out, as the sort of Afrofunk-influenced live act largely eschewed this year) but most hail from England or beyond. Berlin-based Londoner and techno leftfielder Call Super is a coup, likewise minimal prince Voigtmann. Should you prefer DJ sets without a set genre, Bristol’s Shanti Celeste is essential, and Local Group’s 90s revivalism and a UK garage-rooted b2b between Dr Banana and Lucas Wigflex should be hoedown central.


Tickets: £120/£45 per day/£30 per day for locals. Info: westival.wales NOEL GARDNER


BURUM Flute & Tankard, Cardiff, Tue 19 July Queens Head, Monmouth, Wed 20 July


Eneidiau is the first album in six years by Cardiff jazz group Burum, and time away from the project seems only to have sharpened their innovation as instrumentalists. Of members’ auxiliary musical projects, trumpeter and de facto bandleader Tomos Williams is notable for two fine suites under the Cwmwl Tystion name. Here, Burum again integrate Welsh/ Celtic folk and exploratory jazz, with Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders among the stated influences on Eneidiau’s five compositions.


The group, also featuring Williams’ brother Daniel and south Wales jazz mainstays Dave Jones, Aidan Thorne and Mark O’Connor, are joined by Patrick Rimes, also of chamber-folk band Vrï. A bagpiper among other attributes, Rimes’ pipes star on opener Cariad Cywir; later, he switches to flute for the title track and album centrepiece, which takes influence from trad Jewish and French music. The sextet play two south Wales gigs in July, and will also feature at the Tregaron Eisteddfod in early August.


Admission: Cardiff £10 / Monmouth FREE Info: thefluteandtankard.com / queensheadmonmouth.co.uk NOEL GARDNER


32


CELEBRATING 40


YEARS OF FFLACH Cardigan Castle Fri 22 July


Fflach Records’ 40th anniversary was actually in 2021, but this month Cardigan venue Theatr Mwldan include an evening of delayed merriment – with sets by four Welsh language acts from the label’s roster of yore – among their crop of July events in the town’s castle. Fflach began as a means of releasing music by co-founders Richard and Wyn Jones’ new wave band Ail Symudiad; Wyn, sadly, died last year aged 61, so this evening will doubtless serve as a tribute to him too.


Cardigan four-piece Jess’ folkily earnest ‘big coat’ indie briefly led Mike Peters to enlist them as a backing band in the early 90s. Crys, from Resolven, emerged during the 80s NWOBHM boom and only signed to Fflach the following decade, but have some primal heavy rock jams in their discography. Cardiffians Catsgam [pictured] emerged in the late 90s with an accessible jangly powerpop sound and Einir Dafydd is notable for winning both of Wales’ televised singing contests, Wawffactor and Cân I Gymru.


Tickets: £15. Info: mwldan.co.uk NOEL GARDNER


CRO-MAGS Sin City, Swansea Mon 8 Aug


One of hardcore punk’s bona fide originals, and one of the most divisive characters in the scene’s history, hits Swansea in early August. Harley Flanagan was there in the early days of NYC punk, joining his first band in 1979 aged 12; a few years later he formed seminal hardcore band Cro-Mags, who released their hugely influential debut The Age Of Quarrel in 1986.


Legal battles, and indeed physical ones, have tainted the band’s legacy somewhat over the years, but Flanagan has put together a steadfast group of musicians and, with 2020’s In The Beginning gaining positive reviews, are in arguably the most productive period in their history. There are currently two versions of the Cro-Mags in circulation, but having won the rights to the name in 2019, this incarnation is the real deal.


With support from Cage Fight – UK hardcore’s newest hopes, as noted on this page in June when they opened for Sepultura – and Swansea punks State Of Decay, this promises to be an unmissable show.


Tickets: £25. Info: sincityclub.co.uk CHRIS ANDREWS


HAIM


Motorpoint Arena Cardiff Wed 20 July


American pop rock sisters Haim started out young, forming their band as kids playing for fun in their parent’s living room in California. Releasing their third studio album Women In Music Part III in 2021, the release’s expanded edition included features from the likes of Thundercat and Taylor Swift; the latter even dubbed herself “the fourth Haim sister” on the occasion of that teamup.


The upcoming tour will mark the first time the band have performed the album live: the band were set to bring their One More Haim tour to the UK back in 2021, but were unable to play their scheduled seven dates last September due to the old COVID travel restriction business.


As such, their return has been a long-awaited one. Wed 20 July will see the sibling trio headline Cardiff Motorpoint for their biggest tour to date – and if their recent US shows are anything to go by, we’ll be seeing plenty of synchronised dance moves and matching outfit moments.


Tickets: £35. Info:


motorpointarenacardiff.co.uk EMMA WAY


L Flanagan


Reto Schmid


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