saturday line up:
AMHEUS ,
BAMO ,
GARETH PEARSON ,
HELEN ADAM ,
JUDITH SILVER ,
LONDON BULGARIAN CHOIR ,
LOWRI EVANS ,
MY GAMBINO ,
N'FALY KOUYATE ,
POT BOILERS ,
RADIO LUXEMBOURG ,
SIAN JAMES ,
SICKNOTE ,
STONE FREE ,
SWCI BOSCAWEN ,
TERNE ČHAVE ,
YUCATAN
last update:02/05/2008 
friday |
saturday |
sunday |
workshops
Saturday is the big day for workshops, and starts at 11:00am with a voice workshop in the Cilycwm Stage area. The Oak Tree Stage kicks off with techno punk band Stone Free, followed by local rockers Amheus on the Barn Stage. International bands include the wonderful Terne Chave coming specially from the Czech Republic and the glorious London Bulgarian Choir. There's new composed music from the Helen Adam ensemble, young guitar virtuoso Gareth Pearson, some well known names - Radio Luxemburg, Sian James, the club session with Sicknote, and the big name of the evening, Afro-Celt Sound System star N'Faly Kouyate with his band Dunyakan.
AMHEUS
Details will follow.
BAMO (Kurdistan)
Hailing from all the regions of the unofficial country of Kurdistan,
this 12 piece band take their moniker from the affectionate name of one of their greatest mountains.
They dazzle with their music, dance and costumes,
and want to share their small nations' unique culture, unlike anything else found in the Middle East.
Bamo belong to a Midlands-based collective, promoting cultural diversity and political
awareness of less represented cultures.
Look out for their workshop participation!
Gareth Pearson is an acoustic guitar player and composer from Cwmbran, South Wales.
Gareth has toured with Tommy Emmanuel, Jan Akkerman, played at the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society Convention in Nashville USA and was personally invited to open for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes at their New Year Party in New York.
He has also opened for Ray Davies, founder member of the legendary 60's band The Kinks, John Renbourn, Woody Mann and others.
Gareth's influences are wide, ranging from guitarists such as Tommy Emmanuel, Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Jerry Reed and others but his own distinctive voice is clearly audible in his own compositions, some of which appear on his new release "Adrenaline Rush" which is available to order online or at his concerts.
In performance, his "Exuberance of Youth" as one fellow musician put it, is clearly evident.
"A teenage guitar prodigy from Wales, there was seemingly nothing he couldn't do with his acoustic guitar (
including playing it with his nose), prompting one six-stringer in the audience to shout:
'I'm going to take up the penny whistle, I'm giving up.'"
Live review, Isle of Man
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Merch y Felin – The Maid of the Mill, New Music for 2008
’a deft weaving of melody, history, love, water, and machines!’
’Merch y Felin’ is a specially commissioned work for this year’s festival, written for Celtic band, percussion orchestra and narrator. It is a love story set against the conflict between the old country folk of the Welsh hills, and the pioneers of the textile industry in the mid–nineteenth century.
Composer Helen Adam creates a unique, multi–layered tone world, with haunting and uplifting melodies, and energising rhythms. This is her second full–length piece in a year; ’Gwyl Nos’ had its first performance last September. She is a life–long practitioner of traditional music, and draws on this source material for inspiration as well as composers such as Messiaen, Martinu, and Bartok to explore her passion for the sounds of moving water and moving machinery.
Percussionist Justin Fellows with Helen Adam will take an afternoon workshop in which they will teach the rhythms of the spinning mule, devil, teaser, waterwheel and looms. Participants will then be welcome to join in sections of the performance and to experience drumming at the centre of this historic machinery!
Helen Adam and Small Nations would like to thank the Arts Council of Wales for support with this project.
Judith is a singer/songwriter in the evolving tradition of people writing from the heart. She moves from soft and tender to big and burly, visiting all sorts of other places on the way including some of the dark places of her Yiddish speaking ancestors.
No two gigs are ever the same - expect jokes, passion, spontaneity, audience participateion, foreign languages and more
"Considered and emotive songs of love, peace, heart and soul delivered with delicacy, authority, grace and style.
'The Day Will Dawn Again' is an enjoyable and warmly accomplished work."
Ross Fortune, Time Out
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Led by native Bulgarian singer Dessislava Stefanova, former member of the Philip Koutev Bulgarian Folk Ensemble, the London Bulgarian Choir takes us on a journey around Bulgaria, exploring the landscapes of the voice and the creative traditions of this land.
Dessi and the rest of the choir invite you to join them in finding that ancient resonance in the depth of the human heart:
We're currently "BBC Radio 3 Open Choir of the Year". We've worked on other people's recordings - including the award-winning Virgin Queen soundtrack - and have a professionally-recorded CD, Alyana Galyana. However, we're primarily a performing choir. We've sung in nightclubs, churches, festivals, embassies, village squares and a barge on the Thames. Have a look at our 'calendar' page to see a history of our concerts, and to find out about future engagements. Michael Church of The Independent gave us a five-star review:
" find the highlight of the week in an urban wasteland.
St Pancras Old Church is packed for a Christmas performance by the London Bulgarian Choir:
led by the dazzling Dessislava Stefanova, this disciplined group deliver songs of love, war, hunting, and
seasonal cheer to stunning effect. Their discordant harmonies are as distinctive as those of Georgian music, but Bulgaria's
unique style of voice-production creates a very different thrill."
Michael Church, The Independent
Pembrokeshire native Lowri has seen her career blossom since she last played for us.
Her live performance on the Sunday night music show on Radio Pembrokeshire in late 2004 won her “Live Session of the Year”. Her solo EP “Any Other Day” a collection of original songs she recorded with former band mate and multi instrumentalist Howard Hedger in Newcastle was given record of the week on Radio Ceredigion’s’ breakfast show in early 2005.
It was during the recording and promotion of this charity CD that she met guitarist and studio engineer/producer Lee Mason. In March 2005 Lee produced another independent EP “Little People” for promotion and for selling at gigs. Since then they have been playing, writing and recording together regularly. They have made appearances at Broadstairs Folk Week in Kent, The Small Nations Festival in Mid Wales, The Wychwood Festival Cheltenham, Sesiwn Fawr Dolgellau to name a few, they have also made various live appearances on radio and television.
Summer 2006 saw the release of Lowri’s first Welsh language CD “Clyw Sibrydion” on Welsh record label RASP part of the Fflach recording company. Co-produced by Lee Mason and Wyn Jones and featuring a host of talented musicians, all album tracks are written by Lowri with 2 tracks co-written with Lee Mason.
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Formally "When in Rome" My Gambino are a 4 piece pop/rock band based in south wales. winners of the recent 2007megaday battle of the bands they are currently working on a new ep/music video/radio appearences/ and tour.
My Gambino are James, Rob, Chris and Adam.
The Afro from the Afro Celts
N'Faly belongs to a rare Mandingue griot family, the Konkoba from Guinea. N'Faly's father, Konkoba Kabinet Kouyate, went through
many stages of tests to gain knowledge of the Mandingue world. By explaining the Mandingue music and stories in his performances,
N'Faly has taken that legacy. into the 21sst century. Best known in Britain for his work with the AFRO CELT SOUND SYSTEM,
N'Faly set up DUNYAKAN "The Voice of the World" in 1996 and is its lead vocalist, composer and arranger.
Their music, using traditional and modern instruments, inspired by the traditional Mandingue music and
culture of Guinee-Conakry, is interpreted by a band of many nations: vocals, guitar, balafon, taman and kora from the Kouyate family of Guinee,
bass from Cameroon and the dancers from Belgium. More African than the Afro Celts, Dunyakan pack no less a punch and are stunning live.
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The biggest NEWGRASS band in the UK.
Bluegrass was developed originally in Kentucky USA and uses many Celtic folk tunes and songs such as Meysydd yr Amerig
(The Green Fields of America) and Nyth y Gwcw (Cuckoo's Nest) in its repertoire.
The PotBoilers have developed the old Bluegrass tradition, included drums and electrics into their sound, and made it into NEWGRASS -
the perfect music for all social get-togethers, halls and festivals. Performing a host of their own material, songs from film soundtracks, other artistes and the charts, the PotBoilers create a great dancing atmosphere.
On drums and percussion is Adam, who brings the band youth, enthusiasm and energy.
Playing 5-string Bluegrass and Frailing Banjos, songwriter Criss plays with an authentic Yankee sound direct from Pontarddulais.
Bob, from Llanybydder, plays Taylor guitars and is the main vocalist (only because he remembers the words better than anyone else).
Tony, from Drefach Felindre, on bass and vocal harmonies, brings maturity and depth to the band's sound.
Bill is a new member of the band and comes from Swansea I think; he definitely plays guitar and sings.
Jan plays electric fiddle and guitar and also sings harmonies (though he says it's not really singing, -
more of an "oral experience").
From Wild West Wales's seaside town of Aberystwyth come the psychedelic pop outfit Radio Luxembourg — a five-piece band of oddballs steeped in the tradition of 90s Welsh bands, following in the footsteps of Gorkys Zygotic Mynci, SFA and Murry The Hump.
Their reputation for being an exciting live band along with their catchy tunes are generating a lot of buzz throughout Wales, winning them much media acclaim.
The band have regular radio play and television appearances, and are set to do much more studio work and also gigging on a larger scale. With a fast-growing fan base the boys are set to cut through, so be sure to grab your earplugs and your 3D glasses.
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Siân is the most celebrated and modern of traditional singers in Wales. Four Albums on Sain Records, Caernarfon, one on BBC Worldwide, her first on her own label Bos Records, and a five part T.V. series by S4C (channel 4 in Wales) have been produced dedicated to her music.
“ I come from a very small village in the heart of Wales, and was brought up in a Welsh speaking family steeped in the traditions of music and poetry. I have always felt passionately about the beauty and worth of Welsh traditional music. It has a unique and gentle nature that seems to touch the hearts of all who hear it. Many of the more upbeat songs were lost during the religious revivals of the last century. Many survive and are different in their style from the Irish jigs and reels and have a recognisable style of their own. The Celtic nations comprise the Irish, Scottish and Manx peoples in the north and the Welsh, Cornish and Breton peoples to the south. Strands of Celtic culture exist also in Galicia on the northwest tip of Spain. Irish and Scottish music has always been an astounding success the world over. Consequently, Welsh music always seemed to be overlooked. The fact that Welsh folk music is traditionally sung in its native language probably had some bearing on the situation. But with the dawn of the popularity of world Music, interest in Welsh culture and music is growing daily, and what with recent political changes, it is an exciting time here in Cymru."
SICKNOTE (Wales)
"Best live electronic experience I’ve had since seeing Underworld for the first time"
Ryan Heeger, Buzz Magazine
"Rampant Party Kings of the alternative scene"
Metro Weekender
"The best underground dance act we have ever booked."
Workhouse Festival
"Better than a Brick Lane bagel."
James McMahon, NME
"Epic dance-rock, like LCD Soundsystem with monstrous, gurgling vocal exhortations."
Noel Gardner, Buzz Magazine
"Deep down and dirty rhythms of a depraved Alex Harvey on E."
Peppermint Iguana
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STONE FREE
Starting to play music together in late 2006, 4-piece techno punk rock band Stone Free from Aberystwyth have won many fans throughout Mid-Wales with their exciting, energetic live performances.
Coming second place in Radio Cymru C2's national battle of the bands in 2007, they've enjoyed regular plays on Radio Cymru, been named as "band of the week" earlier this year, and appeared on popular Welsh TV show, "Uned 5".
With influences including Muse, Green Day & Enter Shikari, Stone Free are an exciting new name on the festival circuit this summer.
"Big Bombastic Epic Rock"
Gwyn "Maffia" Jones, Anrhefn, Maffia Mr Huws
"Original adventurous catchy rock tunes with plenty of dynamics and effective use of synth sounds."
Barmouth Musical Experience
"The new heroes of synthesizer music in the Welsh scene."
Owen Powell, Catatonia
Swci Boscawen is essentially the brainchild of Mared Lenny,a Carmarthenshire singer who has brought a band of experienced musicians and producers around her. She burst onto the Welsh-language scene at the age of just 12 with the pop punk band Doli. Three records later, on the Rasp label, they disbanded in 2002. Swci Boscawen stayed with Rasp, and so far have released two singles and one album,all produced by legendary artist/producer David Wrench and Gruff Meredith, aka MC Mabon. Min Nos Monterey has been a long-term fixture in the C2 Welsh-language charts. Radio and TV play has been forthcoming for the releases, and industry interest further increased with the addition of Adar Y Nefoedd to the tracklisting for Welsh Music Foundation's Dan Y Cownter 2 album, compiled by Radio 1's Huw Stephens. Earlier this year she won best welsh language female at the BBC RAP awards, and S4C & ITV Wales have both filmed Lenny's promotional visits to New York over the past year.
Gypsy Roots and Urban Grooves
TERNE ČHAVE means "Young boys" in Roma language. It was a frequently used name for gypsy band in Bohemia and Slovakia. But these "Terne Čhave" are no greenhorns! Already before 1989 in the former Czechoslovakia, when they were about 15, they were a successful band
We all are from the town of Hradec Kralove and have know each other since childhood - most of us are relatives. We basicly grew up together because we lived on the same street - played football together. One day on a street somebody brought a guitar and we began to sing. Since that time our lives changed, we were crazy about music, playing anywhere and anytime.
Our parents and granparents came to Hradec in 50' and 60' from East-Slovak gypsy settlements because of work. They brough with them lot of old songs and stories and at home we were always singing.
But at the same time we also listened to a radio, where they played all the "gadjo" music like rock, pop or jazz. We loved to play the old songs we learned at home but also tried to play like the bands on a radio
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With … string quartet
The release of the first Yucatan album early last year was greeted with enthusiastic reviews throughout the music world after it was mastered in Iceland at the Reykjavik studio of international band Sigur Rós. Front man Dilwyn Llwyd met the band members when teaching art in Catalonia some years ago and was offered the chance to visit their studio.
Yucatan has been described as “stunning music from a special place” by BBC Radio One's Huw Stephens.
"Yucatan clearly gaze with wonderment at every night sky as if it's the last they'll see,
counting the stars one by one until it's mapped to memory. It's up there that Yucatan will sound at
its most perfect, when the only object of note against an ocean of darkness is our own Earth.
Llwyd's music is that transcendental when at its finest, and we're already looking forward to
album number two and more of the same, if not just more."
Mike Diver
© 2007–2008 Small Nations Music Ltd.
