MARTIN CARTHY & DAVE SWARBRICK Roots Unearthed, Lefel 3 Lounge, St David’s Hall, Cardiff: September 1, 2015 The Prince Of Folk and The Demon Fiddler utterly mesmerised a delighted Roots Unearthed audience with a banquet of jaw-dropping airs, tunes, wonderful ballads and hypnotic songs which seemed to jump out and seize the packed rows by…
Maelog: Building musical bridges between Wales and Galicia Bye-bye, Marta: The former Maelog, from left to right – Dan Lawrence, Rhian Evan-Jones, Gerardo Albela, Marta Novo (who now resides in Madrid), Sam Jowett and Gareth Westacott Pubs and musical sessions have always gone together in Wales; but The Crofts pub in Roath, Cardiff boasts one special…
9bach triumph, Merêd honoured in Radio 2 Folk Awards Bethesda-based band 9bach have triumphed with their four-star album Tincian, carrying off the Album Of The Year prize at the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, which was held in the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay. They were the first Welsh band to win an…
Meredydd Evans, born December 9, 1919, died February 21, 2015 The great Welsh icon Dr Meredydd Evans – masterful folk singer, Welsh language activist who campaigned for non-violent and peaceful protests, Doctor of Philosophy, folksong collector, head of the BBC’s Welsh light entertainments, writer, editor, historian – died on February 21, 2015 after a short…
Tradition is under attack as leading lights campaign against the cuts. FolkWales Online Magazine editor MICK TEMS reports Rhondda Cynon Tâf becomes a cultural desert – flashback to happier days at The Muni Arts Centre, when Feast Of Fiddles rocked it up: Brian McNeill (ex-Battlefield), Ian Cutler (ex-Bully Wee) and Peter Knight (Steeleye Span and…
The magical mix of Mary Webb’s delightful tale, based long ago in the Welsh Marches, the fascinating history of folk tradition and the inspiring writing of Village Quire conductor, arranger and composer Dave Newell makes for a wonderful show called Precious Bane – and The Quire are taking Precious Bane around the borders of Wales…
Les Chittleburgh Isca Morris danced Caseg Eira, the Nantgarw Morris dance from Tâf Vale, as a tribute to Les Chittleburgh at Gwent Crematorium, Cwmbran. Les, who was secretary and webmaster of Isca Morris, passed away suddenly on Saturday, November 9, just as he and his widow, Carole, were about to attend the Tredegar House…
MICK TEMS reviews Helen Forder’s entertaining book about Augusta Waddington’s long-lasting campaign to raise the profile of the triple harp and Welsh cultural tradition High Hats And Harps, the fascinating and mesmerising historical biography of Lady Llanover, champion of Welsh culture and patron of the wonderful triple-harp, was published on January 10, 2013 – and,…