Sŵn
| Sŵn festival | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Alternative rock, punk rock, indie rock |
| Dates | Early-Mid November |
| Location(s) | Cardiff, Wales |
| Years active | 2007-present |
| Website | |
| www.swnfest.com | |
Sŵn Festival (sŵn is Welsh for "sound, noise", Welsh pronunciation: [suːn]) is a music festival curated by BBC Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens and Cardiff-based promoter John Rostron. The festival takes place annually in Stephens' hometown of Cardiff, Wales. The first Sŵn Festival took place in November 2007.[1] Bands playing included The Cribs, Beirut, David Holmes, Edwyn Collins and Cherry Ghost.
Music is the festival's core medium, although arts and crafts, bakery masterclasses and 5-a-side football tournaments are incorporated into the schedule. Stephens' eclectic musical taste is reflected in the diversity of the artists performing, and Welsh language bands are well represented on the line-up.
The 2008 festival took place on 14–16 November 2008. Bands playing included Golden Silvers, Truckers of Husk, Micachu And The Shapes, Little Comets, Young Marble Giants, Euros Childs, Colorama, Sweet Baboo and Rob Da Bank.
The 2009 festival took place on 22–24 October 2009. Dananananaykroyd, Johnny Foreigner, Copy Haho, Munch Munch, the Drums, Longcut, Girls, Gaggle, the Twilight Sad, Cate Le Bon, Talons, Sweet Baboo, and Cardiff-based band Los Campesinos! played.[2] Venues used in 2009 were Chapter Arts Centre, Barfly, City Arms, Clwb Ifor Bach, Dempseys, Y Fuwch Goch, The Model Inn, The Toucan, Cardiff University Students Union, The Gate, The Vulcan and the National Museum Cardiff.
In its seventh year Sŵn festival 2013 took place in October in Cardiff City Centre with new venues added including the Sherman Theatre & the Angel Hotel. This edition of the event won the "Best Small Festival" accolade at the NME awards in 2014.[3] The 2015 edition of Swn Festival was also nominated for "Best Small Festival" at the NME Awards, but did not win.
The next edition of the festival will take place on 21-22–23 October, and will be the 10th time Swn Festival has taken place. The smaller DimSwn event, also curated and delivered by Swn, will take place on April 9.
References
- ↑ "Beirut: inspiration is an old piano". Drowned in Sound. 20 November 2007. Retrieved 2015-05-10.
- ↑ Burnett, Steve (25 October 2009). "Swn Festival 2009 - Cardiff - 22nd-24th October 2009". Review. The Music Fix. Retrieved 2010-06-25.
- ↑ "Swn wins NME's best small festival award for first time". BBC News. 27 February 2014.
