listings * – recommended u – repeated
Roots Round Up November 2021
South Wales folk fans are in for a real treat this month as one of the genre’s finest musicians stops off at Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on Tue 30 Nov. Thanks in no small part to his role as a member of the mighty Bellowhead, award-winning fiddle player Sam Sweeney [pictured] is one of the most recognisable musicians on the current British folk scene and is also one of the most in demand. Having lent his considerable talents to almost 50 albums by everyone from Fay Hield and Eliza Carthy to Jim Moray, Rosie Doonan, Emily Portman and Fisherman’s Friends, he’s also toured with the likes of Fay Hield’s Hurricane Party, Jon Boden And The Remnant Kings and The Full English ensemble.
Add to that his role as a founding member (with Andy Cutting and Rob Harbron) of folk supergroup Leveret and you have to wonder how he’s found the time to launch the critically acclaimed solo career that’s led to appearances on BBC Radios, 2, 3, 4 and 6Music and even BBC Breakfast and The Antiques Roadshow.
Not bad going for someone who’s still in his early 30s, but hardly surprising for anyone who’s followed a career that began when Sweeney played his first public gig at the age of just 12 and formed his first band, Kerfuffle, a year later with his brother Tom (bass), Hannah James (accordion) and Chris Thornton-Smith (guitar).
The aforementioned TV appearances came about due to the interest generated by Sam’s multimedia project The Unfinished Violin: the story of music hall performer Richard Howard, who was halfway through building a fiddle when called away to fight during WWI. His death on the battlefield meant the fiddle wasn’t completed until many years later, eventually ending up in Sweeney’s hands, who traced its history.
Sam’s latest release Unearth Repeat moves away from his connection to the First World War with a sound that’s very different to The Unfinished Violin. The string sections, piano and harmonium have been discarded as Sam’s new band – Jack Rutter on acoustic guitar, Ben Nicholls on double bass and Louis Campbell on electric guitar – bring a fresh approach to add an energy, swagger and groove that’s rarely found in English folk music.
Buzz also recommends:
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. Uniquely entertaining. St David’s Hall, Cardiff (Fri 5 Nov)
Georgia Ruth & Gareth Bonello (The Gentle Good). Two of Wales’ finest. Tŷ Tawe, Swansea (Fri 12 Nov)
Daoiri Farrell.
Highly rated Irish troubadour plays Llantrisant Folk Club. Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club (Wed 17 Nov)
Please email your folk and roots listings to
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themooncardiff.com. The thin line between ‘so bad it’s good’ and ‘just plain bad’ in the band name world ably demonstrated with this bill. Dead Sheeran is a spoken word project by Paul Catten who has been in various heavy UK bands. Rozelle + Hvnter + Foxxglove Tiny Rebel Cardiff. 7.30pm, £5. Info 07377 414204. Solana The Globe At Hay, Hay-On-Wye. 8pm, £8. Info 01497 821762. World/folk stuff, this venue’s bread and butter I guess. The Best Of Broadway & West End Gwyn Hall, Neath 7pm, £12. Info 0300 3656677. Songs from the musicals. The Best Of Queen Memo Arts Centre, Barry. 7.30pm, £25.50. Info 01446 738622. Tribute show. Vega + Everyday Heroes + Joanovark Tivoli, Buckley. 7pm, £15. Info 01244 546201. Hard rock. Whole Lotta Led The Globe, Cardiff 7pm, £18. Info 07950 471888. Led Zep tribute band.
SATURDAY 13 NOVEMBER
Calan The Gate, Cardiff. 7pm, £16. Info 029 2048 3344. Welsh folkies. Clwb Fuzz + Fiasco + Live, Do Nothing Tiny Rebel Cardiff. 7.30pm, £6. Info 07377 414204. Local psych/indie type band headline; Tone Deaf Creatures present. Equinox + Where Oceans Burn + Rosen Bridge + Wen Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff. 7pm, £5. Info 029 2064 4176. Ion Maiden The Rhondda Hotel, Porth. 7-11.30pm, £6. Info 01443 551581. Tribute band.
Kiki Dee & Carmelo Luggeri Acapela, Cardiff. 8pm, £22. Info 029 2089 0862. Carmelo may not be Elton John, in fact I know nothing about him frankly, but Kiki Dee is Kiki Dee and that ain’t gonna change baby. Rescheduled from November 2020. Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs + Obey Cobra Sin City, Swansea. 7pm, £16.50. Info 01792 468892. To (comprehensively) paraphrase Leslie Neilsen in the TV advert for long forgotten cider brand Red Rocks, there aren’t seven of them and they aren’t pigs. They are a fine band, though, debuting in Swansea too. Pongo Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30- 10.30pm, £12.50. Info 029 2023 2199. This is described as a mix of African music with dancehall and pop among other things. Sounds potentially good. I might even go and listen to it actually. Repent Fest Le Public Space, Newport. 2-10.30pm, £22.50. Info 01633 221477. Punk, metal and hardcore. Sets from Knuckledust, The Oppressed, Ironed Out, Grand Collapse, Street Soldier, Burning Flag, Pizzatramp, Vendetta, Migraines, Mantlet, Kold War, XL Life, Going Off, El Chapo and Inerrant. Sold out months in advance.
Rob Lamberti: A Celebration Of The Songs And Music Of George Michael Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl. 7.30pm, £33. Info 01745 332414. Tribute show. Rescheduled from May 2021.
Skinny Lister + The Longest Johns The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £15. Info 07950 471888. “Not your average, modern day, gentrified English folk group,” they claim, with an odd defensiveness. Support act The Longest Johns became briefly popular through the Tiktok sea shanty thing. The Floyd Effect Theatr Colwyn, Colwyn Bay. 7.30-10.30pm, £22.20. Info 01492 556677. Pink Floyd tribute band. The Foos + The Blink 182 Show Hobos, Bridgend. 7pm, £8. Info 01656 769576. Tribute bands.
The Music Of Hans Zimmer vs John Williams St David’s Hall , Cardiff. 7.30pm, £24.50. Info 029 2087 8444. Robert Emery conducts the London Concert Orchestra in a programme of big heaving film scores.
Think-182 + Down With The System Hangar 18 Music Venue, Swansea. 7pm, £11. Info enquiries@hangar18musicvenue.
co.uk. Tributes to Blink-182 and System Of A Down.
Whitney: Queen Of The Night 64
Aberystwyth Arts Centre. 8pm, £25.50. Info 01970 623232. Whitney Houston tribute show.
SUNDAY 14 NOVEMBER
All Together Now Dolman Theatre, Newport. 6pm, £10. Info 01633 263670. Songs from the musicals, presented by Venture Players. Chapter Four Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. 8.30pm, free. Info 029 2030 4400. In-house jazz group play in the Café Bar every second Sunday of the month. Joel Culpepper Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30-10.30pm, £12.50. Info 029 2023 2199. Jazz, funk and r’n’b in the mixer with this guy it is claimed. Sounds Of Simon Acapela, Cardiff. 8pm, £17. Info 029 2089 0862. Simon & Garfunkel tribute. Steve Steinman’s Anything For Love Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. 7.30pm, £32.50. Info 01639 763214. Tribute to Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman. Taxi Rank + Zac The Locust + Frankie Wesson The Globe, Cardiff. 7pm, £8. Info 07950 471888. South Wales bands.
TUESDAY 16 NOVEMBER
Bess Atwell + Eve Owen Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7pm, £11. Info 029 2023 2199. Solo folky stuff I think. Gabrielle St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7pm, £30.50. Info 029 2087 8444. Tour commemorating an anniversary of her hit album Rise, named Rise Again and, having been postponed a year, now renamed to Rise Again Again. Although seeing as it did not in fact rise again, it should probably still just be called Rise Again. Gnod + Codex Serafini The Moon, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £11. Info info@
themooncardiff.com. Salford psych geezers with a new album out around the time of this gig, which itself is delayed from about this time last year. Hanya Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £7. Info 029 2023 2199. Indie upcomers from Brighton. The Australian Pink Floyd Venue Cymru, Llandudno. 7.30pm, £32.50. Info 01492 872000. Tribute band, rescheduled from November 2020. The Devil’s Violin Pontardawe Arts Centre. 7.30pm, £12. Info 01792 863722. Storytelling (by Daniel Morden) over music. This show is titled The Beast In Me. The Lathums The Globe, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £14.85. Info 07950 471888. This band look like they play the very indiest indie but prove me wrong boys! If you read this. Rescheduled from May 2021.
WEDNESDAY 17 NOVEMBER
Booze & Glory + Fatal Blow + Drunken Marksman The Moon, Cardiff. 7pm, £15. Info
info@themooncardiff.com. Oiky streetpunk stuff. Gaye Bikers On Acid Le Public Space, Newport. 7.30pm, £18. Info 01633 221477. Alternative rock band from the 80s. Katherine Jenkins Venue Cymru, Llandudno. 7.30pm, £28.50. Info 01492 872000. Described here slightly awkardly as “the world’s most prolific artist in UK Classical chart history” and touring her latest album Cinema Paradiso, which is all the most obvious songs from the movies you could imagine. Rescheduled from February; in Cardiff tomorrow. Leddra Chapman Acapela, Cardiff. 8pm, £145. Info 029 2089 0862. Singer- songwriter celebrating 10 years since her debut album. Rescheduled from January. Marillion St David’s Hall, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £45.50. Info 029 2087 8444. Enduring British proggers.
Mark Pontin Group + Five Points Gang Bunkhouse, Swansea. 7.30pm, £5. Info
info@bunkhousebar.co.uk. uOpera Gala Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff. 7.30pm, £22/£20. Info 029 2039 1391. Showcase featuring Carlo Rizzi, the WNO Orchestra and the
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