Stereo Brain // Cardiff Awards Longlist

Best Band

CHROMA

• Released an EP featured in Stereo Brain EP of the year list
• New single to be released 29th December
• A series of headline shows at Clwb & Gwdihw & notable support slots at Clwb Ifor Bach
• Secured BBC Horizons / Gorwelion funding

Estrons

•  Released an EP featured in Stereo Brain EP of the year list
• Supported Slaves on their 'Back In The Van Tour'
• Co-headline tour with The Bay Rays
• Impressive headline show upstairs in Clwb
• Secured BBC Horizons / Gorwelion funding

The Fused

• Debut single release
• Impressive headline shows at Undertone
• Perfromances at HUBfest & Hoyfest

Himalayas

• Released Ecstacy EP
• Established performances at HUBfest, Swn fest an Xpresstival
• Headlined Fireball Whiskey stage at HOYfest
• Secured BBC Horizons / Gorwelion funding

Upbeat Sneakers

• Released two strong singles
• Supported Madness amongst other notable support/headline slots
• Secured BBC Horizons / Gorwelion funding

The Broadcasts

• An excellent debut album release
• A series of notable support/headline slots around the city
• A european tour

Local Enemy

• Headlined a stage at Cardiff's legendary Swn fest and had Huw Stephens turn up for good measure
• Performance at half time at the Cardiff City Stadium
• Charity single

Best Promoter

Fuelled By Jealous Lovers

• Bringing excellent overseas bands such as Modern Baseball, Into It. Over It & Pinegrove amongst other UK acts

Orchard Entertainment

• Put on one of my favourite gigs of the year - Black Peaks & Heck at Clwb Ifor Bach
• Supporting up 'n' coming & local acts including Fickle Friends, Sundara Karma, VANT, Chroma, Parcs and so many more!

Luckyman Records

• Put on the best festival nominated HOYfest
• Brought This Feeling gigs & club night to Cardiff
• A lot of support for local bands at all of their gigs

Young Promoters Network

• Designed specifically to support acts from the South Wales area
• Booked one of the most anticipated acts of Swn festival - Betsy
• Presence at both HUBfest, Swn & Dim Swn festivals
• Continued partneship with Forte Project and their artists

Imperial Music

• Put on Cardiff's only metal festival - Throwfest
• Booked some of the best hardcore/rock/metal bands from around the UK
• Continued support for the heavier music scene in Cardiff

Review: HUB Festival // Cardiff // 26-28.08.16

Fire Fences @ HUB festival

Sometimes a festival is more than just a collection of artists playing music. Occasionally they become a real experience  and the atmosphere at HUB festival caused it to become exactly that. A local showcase highlighting brilliant artists and promoters from Cardiff and South Wales, HUB festival is everything that is good about the Cardiff music scene. With variety and quality running right through the heart of the line up coupled with the atmosphere of a street party come carnival, HUB fest was really unmissable this year

Wetpainttt @ HUB festival

A great place to start looking for those brilliant local artists in the festival was the Moon Club stage. With part of the Saturday run by the local Young Promoters Network and Sunday's promoters including Luckyman Records the stage was packed with the best up and coming indie bands. At the moment this is the real highlight in the Cardiff scene. Welsh indie rock old timers like Stereophonics, Feeder and Manic Street Preachers still hold influence in this scene but with the rise of Catfish & The Bottlemen and Pretty Vicious there has been a subtle shift in welsh indie. Two brilliant examples of this over the two days were Himalayas and The Fused.

Crinkle Cuts @ HUB festival

Fresh off of their first headline show in July The Fused brought their usual energy to the festival. With catchy songs like 'Are You Ready For Dance?' and 'Buskers and Beggers' already in their arsenal they are quickly growing a reputation as one of the best local live bands in Cardiff.

Having released their EP midweek, Himalayas showed off their new material brilliantly live. Think rock and roll infused indie rock with slight punk influences and that's Himalayas. With a massive sound similar to that of Pretty Vicious the band, rightly so, carry a confidence and swagger comparable to a band that have been touring for years.

Mike Dennis @ HUB festival

However this festival isn't just about the mainstream and indie, its about the slightly obscure stuff you wouldn't otherwise see but are a pleasant surprise. One of the highlights in this area was Crinkle Cuts.

Playing late on the outside Courtyard stage, Crinkle Cuts and their blend of funk and ska had the late night crowd off their feat and jigging along, With a great energy and engaging onstage personality they had the Saturday night crowd wrapped around their fingers and baying for more. Their set finished with a cover of The White Stripes 'Seven Nation Army' in a ska style, Crinkle Cuts hit the nail on the head.


Another exercise in the diversity in the festival came on Sunday night with the City Arms stage headlined by Mike Dennis. One man, a loop machine and a violin is apparently all you need now to create a brilliant and different sound. Occasionally political hip-hop styled rapping contrasted the technical and layered violin while somehow working brilliantly.

Himalayas @ HUB festival

This was the real story of HUB fest. From the street party filled with freestyle MC's and DJ's to the venues packed with every weird and wonderful genre - HUB fest celebrates diversity and once a year creates a little blissful bubble in the heart of the capital.

Preview: HOYfest // The Gate Arts Centre, Cardiff // 18 - 19.11.16

Cardiff festival HOYfest is taking place in November this year and even with only 11 bands announced at this early stage HOYfest 2016 is looking like must for any Cardiff-based music fans this November.

Cwmbran based A/M/B/E/R and Cardiff based Himalayas bring the local youth to the lower end of the line up with Himalayas recently gracing top local venue Clwb Ifor Bach as part of the line up for Xpresstival. Bringing cracking bass-lines and stunning indie rock to the ground floor of the venue, there's no doubt they'll tear apart the stage at HOYfest too.

Cardiff band Tibet headlined Xpresstival on the same day and are also appearing at HOYfest and with a EP ready to launch and upcoming dates which include supporting Kaiser Chiefs, they're a band ready to just take off.

More welsh talent comes in the forms of Bandicoot and Rainbow Maniac, both bringing their own very different sounds to the stage. Bandicoot's distinctive vocals add substance to a well travelled indie sound and could be compared to Swindon based Nudybronque. Swansea band Rainbow Maniac bring some thumping blues rock to the festival, with funky riffs and dancy tunes, they'll have the whole festival off their feet.

The Cradles bring a melancholy indie rock that echoes of bands such as The Big Moon; certainly a style which is popular in the current musical climate. The band have a highly anticipated single out later this year and it'll definitely be one to catch on the stage of HOYfest.

Judas from London bring chilled-out indie to the stage and are definitely for fans of bands like Coasts and Catfish & The Bottlemen. Along the same lines we have Cupid who released catchy single 'Kickin' In' in March and will be another act not to miss in November.

The Bulletproof Bomb are a Sutton based band that reek of indie bands old and new combining a mish mash of sounds. Imagine somewhere between The Clash and The Courteeners and you'll arrive at The Bulletproof Bomb. With such a big sound, they deserve a place high up the line up and will grace the main stage at HOYfest just below the headliners.

Friday Headliners - The Milk

The Milk are the Friday headliners for HOYfest and it's a seriously good capture. Their second album 'Favourite Worry' was released in 2015 to high critical acclaim including being runner up in Stereo Brain's Album of 2015 award as well as being chosen as one of BBC Radio 6 Music's albums of the year.

Their funky, soulful style incorporates catchy hooks and pop beats as well as excellent song writing and indie elements. While being excellent on record, The Milk also have a formidable live reputation which means they are a must see in November.