With the Sŵn Festival set to take over Cardiff for the weekend, we take a quick look ahead at what to expect from this year’s line up.
Returning to full force this year for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, the Sŵn Festival is an award-winning multi-venue music festival based entirely across a cluster of stages in Cardiff’s city centre. Founded in 2007 by Huw Stephens and with a commitment to championing new music, emerging artists and homegrown acts, the festival acts as an exciting showcase for the eclectic mix of talent emerging in the Welsh music scene.
This year’s festival features around 120 acts, performing over the three days and spaced across ten stages in seven different venues, including stalwart venues Fuel Rock Club, Jacob’s Market, Tiny Rebel and Clwb Ifor Bach, in addition to new and returning venues Tramshed, O’Neils and The Moon. It is this combination of close knit venues, creating a hub for the festival, and cutting-edge line up which continues to draw music fans to Cardiff for Sŵn.
Discussing this year’s line up earlier in the year, Clwb Ifor Bach and Sŵn Festival live manager, Adam Williams, described his excitement at the range of acts featuring for 2022:
“We had the privilege of hosting Sorry here earlier this year, and we’re delighted to have the chance to host them again. Joe & the Shitboys caused chaos at Green Man Festival this year; seeing them do the same in a smaller space is going to be a whole lot of fun.”
“We strengthen the local line up with our second wave too, with CVC who have had a huge summer playing Reading & Leeds, The Great Escape, Truck Festival and tons more, Sŵnami who are on the verge of releasing their highly anticipated second album and Greta Isaac, whose latest string of singles and EP has proved that she’s one of pop’s most innovative Welsh artists today.”
The festival kicks off with BC Camplight headlining a gig at Tramshed on Friday night, joined by local success story, indie band Panic Shack, alongside Lime Garden and all-female duo, Prima Queen. The packed schedule continues over the weekend, with a hefty line up including HMS Morris, Melts, The Lovely Eggs and Adwaith.
The Sŵn Festival runs from 21st-23rd October in various venues across Cardiff. Tickets are still available from the festival website and the full line up can be found here.