listings 2021.
LIVE REVIEW GROOVE ARMADA
Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union Fri 15 Apr
As Groove Armada descended on Cardiff, the electronic duo ensured Good Friday lived up to its name for Twenty Five: their final live UK tour, and a farewell after a quarter-century of inspirational music that has set the dance scene alight.
Energy electrified the room from the moment the headliners – Tom Findlay and Andy Cato – arrived on stage and delivered a mix of classics which even those who haven’t followed the dance duo closely would likely recognise: I See You Baby, At The River (featuring a brilliant solo trombone interlude), Paper Romance and My Friend. The mix of vocalists, combined with laser-beam lighting effects, set the tone and included some extreme energy from Saint Saviour for many of the tracks.
As the evening wore on, each new track was greeted with even more excitement until hitting a crescendo for Groove Armada’s encore: MC M.A.D’s superb vocals for Superstylin’ whipped the mature crowd into a frenzy and encapsulated the vibe for the evening. Having watched them at this very venue many years ago, on a personal level this felt bittersweet – the thought that this is set to be the last chance to witness a live Groove Armada performance. However, Findlay and Cato did previously retire 10 years ago before returning to the music scene, so there may still be hope.
The upcoming release of their 25th anniversary collection later this year seems a fitting end after such an immense tour, and we can always hope that the live band may feel the pull and return to live performances in the future. There are some gigs you wish you could experience over again, and this is definitely one of mine: an epic and fitting end to live performance for Groove Armada.
words RHIANON HOLLEY photos ARABELLA ITANI
The Ultimate Classic Rock Show Congress Theatre, Cwmbran. 7.30pm, £22. Info 01633 868239. Covers. Tomberlin + Maia Friedman Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7-10pm, £10. Info 029 2023 2199. Indieish singer with an album out just before this. Tredegar House Folk Festival Tredegar House, Newport. £75 weekend ticket. Info
tredegarhousefestival.org.uk. Annual folk weekender in plush setting, bigger than ever this year I’d say. The timetable is on the website but highlights include Show Of Hands, The Trials Of Cato, Avanc, Rusty Shackle, ceilidh band Juice, Mair Thomas, Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman and Boo Hewerdine. Plus plenty of workshops, masterclasses and open mics. (Until Sun 8 May) Twisted Skye + SpünDay + Black Wesker Jac’s, Aberdare. 7pm, £3. Info 01685 882198. Eclectic trio of local bands. You Win Again The Riverfront, Newport. 7.30pm, £26.50. Info 01633 656757. Bee Gees tribute show. Zac & The New Men + Root Zero + In Which It Burns + Collapse The Void Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff. 7pm, £5. Info 029 2064 4176. Heat 4 of South Wales Metal 2 The Masses, the winner of which plays the Bloodstock festival in the summer..
SATURDAY 7 MAY
4th Avenue The Drill Hall, Chepstow. 7pm, £18. Info 01291 627122. Al Lewis Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £14/£12. Info 01970 623232 Anne-Marie Motorpoint Arena Cardiff. 7pm, £47.30. Info 029 2022 4488. Tween- friendly pop icon. Bon Jovi Experience The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £17. Info 07590 471888. Tribute band.
Brian Karrot & Susanna Warren Pontardawe Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £7. Info 01792 863722. Seasoned local rock and jazz musicians. Thinking about telling people Brian Karrot is the Welsh Robert Pollard. He sort of looks like him even.
Catfish Cwmbran Rugby Football Club. 7.30pm, £12. Info
boroughblues.com Blues-rock band play a Borough Blues Club night.
Centre, Newtown. 7.30pm, £15. Info 01686 688369. Two folk-rockish singer- songwriters. Mr. Hate Jac’s, Aberdare. 7pm, £3. Info 01685 882198. Rock covers. Nick Hart The Muse, Brecon. 8pm, £14. Info 07791 654799. Folk. Panic Shack Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7-10pm, £8. Info 029 2023 2199. Cardiff indiepunk quintet, also this issue’s Ones To Watch.
Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons Redhouse, Merthyr Tydfil. 7-10pm, £23. Info 01685 727475. Welsh rock/metal guitarist with his familial band. Pwer Festival Fuel Rock Club, The Moon & Tiny Rebel, Cardiff. 2-11pm, £16. Info 029 2064 4176. This indie/math-rock/emo alldayer will feature Dream Nails, Dude Trips, The Oozes, Beach Riot, Squiggles, Ellie Thomas, Bears In Trees, Sienna, Stay Voiceless, Treehouse, Nigel, Orchards, Lakes, Sleep Outside, Fort, Salt The Snail, Shtepi and Husband Material. There’s also an afterparty in Metros. Rhys Meirion A Ffrindiau Galeri, Caernarfon. 7.30pm, £15. Info 01286 685222. Local tenor. Ryan Mark Elliott Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 8.30pm, £5. Info 029 2039 1391. Launching a solo album, Head Above Water, as part of the Atmospheres Festival. Synaesthesia Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £5. Info 029 2039 1391. Atmospheres 2022 performance devised by Zack Wilkins. The Foos The Patriot, Crumllin. 7.30pm, free. Info 01495 247178. Foo Fighters tribute band.
The Pompatus Of Love The Cellar, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £10. Info 07818 056599. Steve Miller tribute band with an actual member of Steve’s band, namely Greg Douglass, in them. Says here he was in Big Brother & The Holding Company too. The Ultimate Classic Rock Show Miners Institute, Blackwood. 7.30pm, £20. Info 01495 227206. Rescheduled from February, then October 2021. T’ir Fairge Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5. Info 029 2039 1391. Atmospheres 2022 performance devised by Oliver Breslin.
SUNDAY 8 MAY
Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea. 7.30pm, £22. Info 01792 602060. Daoirí Farrell The Welfare, Ystradgynlais. 7pm, £15. Info 01639 843163. Irish folk.
Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 8pm, free. Info 029 2039 1391. Mixed voice choir perform in the foyer as part of the Atmospheres Festival. Gower Soundclash + Ophelia Xerri + Danyela Noromalala + Hannah Osfosky + Joan Jones Elysium Gallery. 8pm, free. Info 07980 925449. Presented by The Coda Humm. Gower Soundclash might be the name of a band or a description of the night in some way. Grace Petrie Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 7.30pm, £15. Info 01239 621200. Hugh Pascall Quartet The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 7.30pm, £10. Info 01497 821762. UK jazzer. Ion Maiden Bunkhouse, Swansea. 8pm, £8. Info 07716 767651. Tribute band. I saw these guys loading in to a gig the other day and most of them were wearing Maiden shirts even while off the clock. Good stuff. Jake Thorpe Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 3.40pm, £5. Info 029 2039 1391. Atmospheres 2022 performance of Don’t Touch This Selfish Mind, a new album by Thorpe. Just My Imagination The Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen. 7pm, £23. Info 0345 2263510. Temptations tribute act. Rescheduled from October 2021. Maet Live The Neon, Newport. 7pm, £17. Info 01633 533666. Meat Loaf tribute. Not a typo, it’s spelled Maet. To… avoid lawsuits from… Big Meat? Maybe? Michael Weston King + Oliver James Lomax Mid Wales Arts
El Camino Real 54
Chainska Brassika + Junior Bill Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7-10pm, £13. Info 029 2023 2199. Upbeat ska/reggae band. Chapter Four Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8.30pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400. Jazz quartet play in Chapter’s bar area. Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux Theatr Clwyd, Mold. 7.30pm, £10. Info 01352 344101. Violin recital. Elegantly Destroy Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 6.30pm, £5. Info 029 2039 1391. Multimedia show devised by Ella Roberts as part of the Atmospheres Festival. Gaudy Orde + Cool Beans Jac’s, Aberdare. 3-7pm, £3. Info 01685 882198. Folk-punk type stuff round teatime. Geoff Tate + Kim Jennett + Pearler Patti Pavilion, Swansea. 7pm, £20. Info 01792 477710. Singer from Queensryche performs songs from two of their albums. Matthew Harrison + Simran Singh Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 3.30pm, £5. Info 029 2039 1391. New work by two musicians as part of the Atmospheres Festival. Mr Tea & The Minions Acapela, Cardiff. 8pm, £15. Info 029 2089 0862. Jiggery pokery festivaly band. Rescheduled from June 2021.
The Whiskey River Boys The Queens Head, Monmouth. 8pm, free. Info 01600 712767. Americana of various stripes.
TUESDAY 10 MAY
Itoldyouiwouldeatyou + The Deadnotes + Tales In The Shade The Moon, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6. Info info@
themooncardiff.com. Indie/emo stuff. JP Cooper The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £25. Info 07590 471888. UK soul fella. Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama Big Band Whiteheads Sports
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