Listings August 2023

Edited by Mick Tems

THE FOLKWALES LISTINGS is an absolutely crucial service: it’s an up-to-date All-Wales Diary of Roots/Folk Events, which covers the borders with England, too – folkophiles will find it essential! The Diary below is as immediate as our latest information allows, but please phone or email to confirm details before travelling to an event. Many professional music places, theatres, agents and publicists do tell us, but last-minute alterations do happen. If you see an incorrect listing, please let us know by posting at the bottom of the page below. 

Online links:

CELTIC HEARTBEAT: Frank Hennessy, BBC Radio Wales, Sundays, 7pm – 9pm

TRAC: MUSIC TRADITIONS WALES: All-Wales folk development organisation

TASC: Traditional Arts Support In The Community for Powys and beyond

CASBAR FOLK: South Wales folk/roots listings

CWLWM CELTAIDD – Wales’ Celtic festival, the Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl

GOWER FOLK FESTIVAL: June festival, stunning artists, stunning scenery

TREDEGAR HOUSE FOLK FESTIVAL: May festival which celebrates international music & dance

GŴYL IFAN: Cardiff dance festival celebrating the longest day

FOLKLIFE QUARTERLY: online & printed listings & articles

ACOUSTIC ROUTES: Jacs Radio (broadcasting from Toronto): Every Monday night with Dave Chamberlain (8pm – 10pm) repeated on Saturday (2pm – 4pm). BLUES AND ROOTS RADIO: (Thursday, 7pm, repeated Friday, 1.30pm). These times may occasionally change by an hour in March and October as Canadian Daylight saving time starts and ends on different dates to the UK.

THE RECORD JOURNAL: Promoting Folk Music In North Wales

DATE	LOCATION	WHAT’S HAPPENING – WHO’S ORGANISING – CONTACTS GLOSSARY:(E) England; (NW) North Wales.
TUE 1
WED 2	Pontyclun	Beach Party with Jackdawgs: Llantrisant Folk Club, Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club, Castan Road, Pontyclun CF72 9EH, 8.30pm. Admission: £8 (members £5)
THU 3	Newport / Casnewydd	Spotlight with Roy Zeal: Newport Folk Club, Newport Fugitives Athletic Club, High Cross Road, Rogerstone NP10 9AE, 8pm
THU 3	Cardiff / Caerdydd	Galician Music Session: The Flute and Tankard, 4 Windsor Place CF10 3BX, Cardiff, 8.30pm. Contact Jorge Bellón
THU 3	Bristol (E)	Cole & Ward: The Bristol Fringe, 32 Princess Victoria Street, Bristol BS8 4BZ, 8pm
FRI 4
SAT 5	Gwynedd	Eisteddfod Llŷn Ac Eifionydd: Pedair, Côr Gwerin Yr Eisteddfod, Gwilym Bowen Rhys, Elydir Glyn, Einir Humphreys, Twm Morys, Tudur Phillips, Patrick Rimes & Band Gwerin: Y Pafiliwn, Boduan, Llŷn, 8pm
SAT 5	Bristol (E)	The Liam Ward Band: The Old Duke, 45 King Street, Bristol, United Kingdom, BS1 4ER, 9pm
SUN 6	Gwynedd	Eisteddfod Llŷn Ac Eifionydd: Boduan, Llŷn
SUN 6	Llandeilo	Old Strafford: The White Horse, 125 Rhosmaen Street, Llandeilo SA19 6EN, 2pm
SUN 6	Glos (E)	Harp & A Monkey: Forest Folk Club, Orepool Inn, Chepstow Road, Sling GL16 8LH, 8pm
MON 7	Gwynedd	Eisteddfod Llŷn Ac Eifionydd: Boduan, Llŷn
TUE 8	Gwynedd	Eisteddfod Llŷn Ac Eifionydd: Boduan, Llŷn
TUE 8	Cardiff / Caerdydd	Second Tuesday Club: Whitchurch Rugby Club, Samuels Crescent, Cardiff CF14 2TH, 8pm. Entry £3
WED 9	Pembs / Sir Penfro	Faith i Branko Trio: The Snooty Fox, Martletwy SA67 8AD, 7.30pm – CANCELLED
WED 9	Cardiff / Caerdydd	Ukulele Death Squad: Acapela Studio, Heol Y Pentre, Pentyrch CF15 9QD, 8pm
WED 9	Pontyclun	Les Barker Tribute Night: Llantrisant Folk Club, Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club, Palalwyf Avenue / Castan Road, Pontyclun CF72 9EH, 8.30pm. Admission: £3 – the whacky, crazy poems of the late much-loved Les – much mirth will be had!
WED 9	Gwynedd	Eisteddfod Llŷn Ac Eifionydd: Boduan, Llŷn
THU 10	Aberystwyth	The Gentle Good: Bank Vault, 1 New Street, Aberystwyth SY23 2AT, 7.30pm
THU 10	Newport /Casnewydd	Newport Folk Club: Newport Fugitives Athletics Club, High Cross Road, Newport NP10 9AE, 8pm
THU 10	Newport /Casnewydd	Lyceum Folk & Acoustic Club: Crindau Constitutional Club, Malpas Road, Newport, South Wales, NP20 5PJ, 8.30pm
THU 10	Gwynedd	Eisteddfod Llŷn Ac Eifionydd: Boduan, Llŷn
FRI 11	Gwynedd	Eisteddfod Llŷn Ac Eifionydd: Boduan, Llŷn
FRI 11	Aberystwyth	Brian Nabney, Katy & Mike West: Bank Vault, 1 New Street, Aberystwyth SY23 2AT, 7.30pm
SAT 12	Gwynedd	Eisteddfod Llŷn Ac Eifionydd: Boduan, Llŷn (ends today)
SAT 12	Pembs / Sir Benfro	Faith i Branko Trio: Burnett’s Hill Chapel, Martletwy SA67 8AX, 7.30pm. Tickets: £12
SAT 12	Conwy	Phil Okwedy – The Gods Are All Here: Shiloh Community Centre, Cwm Penmachno, Conwy, 8pm
SUN 13	Swansea / Abertawe	The Backroom Bluegrass Band: Gower Heritage Centre, Parkmill, Gower SA3 2EH, 2-4pm
MON 14
TUE 15	Barry / Y Barri	Rob Barratt: Barry Folk Club, 12 Market Street, Barry CF62 7AS, 8pm
WED 16	Pontyclun	Song & Music Night: Llantrisant Folk Club, 8.30pm, Admission: £3. NEW TEMPORARY VENUE: The Boar’s Head dining room, Coedcae Lane, Tyla Garw CF72 9EZ
THU 17	Powys	Green Man Festival – Lankum, Lady Maisery, The Gentle Good, This Is The Kit, Kanda Bongo Man, Sarah Jarosz & more: Brecon Beacons (Until Sunday August 20)
THU 17	Cardiff / Caerdydd	The Jake Leg Jug Band: The Bootlegger, 5A Womanby Street, Cardiff CF10 1BR, 9pm
FRI 18	Caerphilly / Caerffili	Lauford Cripps: Coffi Vista, Caerphilly Visitor Centre, The Twyn, Caerphilly CF83 1JL, 6pm
FRI 18	Oswestry / Croesoswallt	Washboard Resonators: Hermon Arts Centre, Chapel Street, Oswestry SY11 1LF, 8pm
SAT 19	Powys	The Jigantics: The Globe at Hay, Newport Street, Hay on Wye, Hereford, HR3 5BG, 8pm
SAT 19	Pembs / Sir Benfro	Twmpath with Caper Ceilidh Band: Moylegrove Old School Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets: £10.
SUN 20	Pontardawe	Gellionnen Chapel Folk Service: Gellionnen Road, Pontardawe SA8 4RN, 10.45am – featuring local performers from the Pontardawe Festival
SUN 20	Pembs / Sir Benfro	Old Strafford: Melin Tregwynt Mill, Castlemorris, Haverfordwest SA62 5UX, 2pm
MON 21
TUE 22	Pembs / Sir Benfro	Twmpath with Julie Murphy: Tregwynt Mansion, nr Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, 7.30pm. Tickets: £10. Contact Fishguard Arts Society
WED 23	Pontyclun	Showcase with Rena Gertz: Llantrisant Folk Club, Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club, Palalwyf Avenue / Castan Road, Pontyclun CF72 9EH, 8.30pm. Admission: £3 – German, now living in Prestonpans, Scotland; silver pendant winner of  the National Mod, Scotland’s equivalent of our National Eisteddfod
THU 24	Newport / Casnewydd	Tony Cresci & Adam Franklin: Lyceum Folk & Acoustic Club, 45 Malpas Road, Newport NP20 5PJ, 8.30pm
FRI 25	Shrewsbury (E)	Shrewsbury Folk Festival – Eddie Reader, The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Capercaillie, The Sharon Shannon Trio, O’Hooley & Tidow, Peter Knight & John Spiers, Blue Rose Code, Simeon Hammond Dallas, Sidiki Jobarteh, Ray Cooper, Katie Spencer,  Billy Bragg, Oysterband, Breabach, Jiggy, Spiers & Boden, Talisk, Moya Brennan, The Cathy Jordan Trio, Daphne’s Flight, N’faly Kouyaté, Maddy Prior & Forgotten Lands, Leveret, N’famady Kouyaté, The Bar-steward Sons of Val Doonican, The Salts, Melrose Ceilidh Band, Topette!!, Peeping Tom, Whapweasel & more: West Midlands Showground, Shrewsbury (until Monday 28 August)
FRI 25	Bridgend /Penybont ar Ogwr	Between The Trees Festival – Seth Lakeman, The Drystones, Zervas & Pepper, Joe Kelly, Gwilym Bowen Rhys, Luke Jackson, Mari Mathias, Tarren, Filkin’s Drift:   Merthyr Mawr Nature Reserve (until Sunday August 27)
SAT 26	Carms / Sir Gâr	Ceri Rhys Matthews & Julie Murphy: Waunifor Centre, Maesycrugiau, Llandysul SA39 9LX, 7.30pm
SAT 26	Pembs / Sir Benfro	Old Strafford: Fishguard Bay Yacht Club, Quay Street, Lower Town, Fishguard SA65 9NB, 4pm – An Aberjazz event
SAT 26	Carms / Sir Gâr	Lowri Evans Band: Llanarthne Village Hall, Troed Y Bryn Llanarthney SA32 8JE, 7.30pm
SAT 26	Shrewsbury (E)	Shrewsbury Folk Festival: West Midlands Showground, Shrewsbury (until Monday 28 August)
SAT 26	Bridgend /Penybont ar Ogwr	Between The Trees Festival – Elephant Sessions, Roo Panes, The Dunwells, Megson, Climbing Trees, Harbottle & Jonas, Mishra, Cerys Hafana, Anna Wise, Ballet Cymru: Merthyr Mawr Nature Reserve (until Sunday August 27)
SAT 26	Chester (E)	Northgate Folk Festival: Brighde Chaimbeul, The Gentle Good, Shovel Dance Collective & more: Northgate Folk Festival, Alexander’s, 2 Rufus Court, Northgate Street, Chester CH1 2JW
SUN 27	Pembs / Sir Benfro	The Jake Leg Jug Band: Ffwrn, Main Street, Fishguard SA65 9HH, 2.30pm – an Aberjazz event
SUN 27	Pontypridd	Whiskey River Trio: The Bunch of Grapes, 40 Ynysangharad Road, Pontypridd CF37 4DA, 5pm
SUN 27	Shrewsbury (E)	Shrewsbury Folk Festival: West Midlands Showground, Shrewsbury (until Monday 28 August)
SUN 27	Bridgend /Penybont ar Ogwr	Between The Trees Festival – Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys, Firewoodisland, Hazleet, Al Lewis, Sylvan Weekends, Our Atlantic Roots, David Grubb, Captain Cat & The Sailors, Jess Ward, Brig-y-Don:  Merthyr Mawr Nature Reserve (ends today)
MON 28	Shrewsbury (E)	Shrewsbury Folk Festival: West Midlands Showground, Shrewsbury (ends today)
TUE 29	Newport / Casnewydd	Last Tuesday Sing: The Inn at Rhiwderyn, Caerphilly Road, Rhiwderin, Newport NP10 8RX, Organised by Newport Folk Club
WED 30	Pontyclun	Seb Stone: Llantrisant Folk Club, Pontyclun Institute Athletic Club, Palalwyf Avenue / Castan Road, Pontyclun CF72 9EH, 8.30pm. Admission: £8 (members £5) – Seb is 22, hailing from Sheffield. He’s a talented traditional singer and uilleann piper
THU 31	Cardiff / Caerdydd	The Pentyrch Session: The Lewis Arms, Heol Goch, Cardiff CF15 9PN, 8.15pm. Contact Mike Greenwood

If you see a listing which is inaccurate, or you have information about a gig for this month which is not listed, please use the Comment box below.