Sŵn Festival announces first wave of artists for 2019

The Comet Is Coming, Gruff Rhys, Nilüfer Yanya, Self Esteem, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Easy Life, Bill Ryder-Jones and She Drew The Gun are all amongst the line-up

Sŵn festival has announced the first round of artists joining its annual roster, for three days of the finest music and performance in the Welsh capital. The festival will take place on 18^th, 19^th and 20^th October 2019 and features a carefully curated, diverse line up of upcoming and established acts.

Gruff Rhys will share melodic thoughts about the state of our modern world. Rhys will be circulating the UK festival scene this summer before bringing the wit and humour back to his native homeland.

London based trio, The Comet Is Coming will bring their mind-bending, psychedelic jazz from the cosmos and back down to earth with their unique, experimental ‘soundtrack to an imagined apocalypse’.

Adding to the action is Nilüfer Yanya, who’s sound unites dark guitar pop, laid back indie undertones and up upbeat synth-y electronica. Lyrically, she delves in to complex but relevant themes around mental health and soul experiences.

After a successful 2018 which included signing to Island Records, playing Reading & Leeds and performing on Jools Holland, Easy Life will no doubt deliver northern charisma and clever rhymes. Their lyrics explore a simpler existence, layered with a dreamy fusion of synth-heavy R&B and jazz.

Following an already promising line-up Self Esteem will perform her bubbly, experimental pop from her first solo album, Compliments Please. Not one to disappoint, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs (or PIGSx7 for short) will be sure to bring the speaker blowing noise with their blend of dark acid rock and psych metal.

Among those joining the roster is the raw and effortless, Bill Ryder-Jones, darkly hypnotic, She Drew The Gun, the charming We Were Promised Jetpacks, enigmatic Black Country, New Road and the bluesy soul of Rozi Plain.

Full announcement
Bloxx, Cruelty, Easy Life, Flamingods, Gruff Rhys, Himalayas, Nilüfer Yanya, The Comet Is Coming, Jockstrap, 3 Hwr Doeth, Big Thing, Bilge Pump, Black Country, New Road, Bodyhacker, Bryde, Chroma, Darren Eedens & The Slim Pickin’s, Do Nothing, Feet, Fuzz Clwb, Gwilym, Haze, Hotel Lux, Housewives, Indian Queens, Jack Perrett, Jockstrap, Kidsmoke, Lice, Lunar Bird, MR, Orchards, Papur Wal, Penshui, Pigsx7, Porridge Radio, Rosehip Teahouse, Self Esteem, Skinny Pelembe, The Howl & The Hum, Threatmantics, Thyla, Tiny Deaths, Trudy and The Romance, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Amber Arcades, Saint Agnes, Alffa, Ani Glass, Bess Atwell, Bill Ryder-Jones, Dry Cleaning, False Hope For The Savage, Heavy Lungs, Rozi Plain, Scalping, Seazoo, She Drew The Gun, Twin Peaks, Wych Elm, Vistas.

Guto Brychan, Chief Executive of Clwb Ifor Bach said: “Taking on Sŵn last year was the first time Clwb had put on an event of its type. This year, we’re taking it back to its originality and keeping it to the weekend with three full days of the best music and performances. No headline acts, just great artists at all levels around the city.”

“So far, 2019 looks promising for the Cardiff music scene, with the new music strategy coming in to place we should see the music potential reach new heights and it’s great that both Clwb and Sŵn will be a part of that.”

For more information and to get your tickets, go to swnfest.com. Follow @SwnFestival on Twitter