Wales has always been a hotbed of talented artists, performers and musicians; after all, it is the land of song, so it comes as no surprise when we hear that BBC Wales and the Arts Council Wales have teamed up to bring us HORIZONS. The Horizons scheme’s sole purpose is to showcase the sheer variety of talent emerging from the bustling Welsh new music scene by taking a selection of artists on a 7-date tour of the UK, allowing for the opportunity for more people to appreciate and discover new music they otherwise may not hear, with a series of free and somewhat intimate shows. Tonight that tour rolls into Merthyr Tydfil, where four acts are set to play the REDHOUSE. Converted from the old town hall and having had some serious renovation work, it’s a beautiful building and the perfect setting for tonight’s gig, so let’s get started…
First to take the stage tonight is a young lady by the name of GABRIELLE MURPHY [8]. The 18-year old vocalist from Treherbert is to some extent the odd one out on tonight’s line up (with three bands to come, a stripped-back acoustic set sounds like a tame start) but where she and her guitarist, Sam, lack in physical stage presence, they sure as hell make up for it in a heartfelt emotional performance that was simply a pleasure to behold. Performing tracks from her “Lockdown” EP, such as “Sweetest Taste”, “Bad” and of course, the title track itself, the early crowd is treated to some beautifully soulful tones of what is an incredibly strong and impressive vocal display. Currently unsigned, you can put money on that changing soon, a remarkable talent.
Next up we have Pontypridd based 4-piece CLIMBING TREES [7] who present us with a lovely little set of piano-lead, ambient, indie inspired gospel, which they themselves casually describe as “Cymrucana”, taking songs off their critically acclaimed debut album; “Hebron”. It’s a tight performance and a well delivered set, with tracks such as “Under The Lindens” and “River Home” perfectly accompanying newer offerings from their forthcoming second album, they manage to keep things blissfully mellow without becoming mournful and the set simply becomes all about an appreciation of music.
Tonight’s main support if you will, comes in the form of Cardiff based trio HOUDINI DAX [8] who treat everyone to a fine dose of energetic modern nostalgia. They find themselves, musically, somewhere between the classic rock ‘n’ roll style of THE BEATLES, with a touch of cheeky, indie-driven swagger a la FRANZ FERDINAND. Kicking off with their new single “Apple Tree” and playing through an entertaining set of tracks such as “I Found Love At The Dole Office” and “Get Your Goo On”, the young lads have no trouble lifting the mood, readying the crowd for tonight’s final act with ease, with a slick and solid performance.
Finally then, the crowd are ready for tonight’s headliners, THE PEOPLE THE POET [8] who certainly don’t disappoint. Fresh from their shows stateside at SXSW, they return home to South Wales and treat the eager crowd to a collection of tracks from their Welsh Music Prize nominated album “The Narrator”. The songs are powerful; the story telling within each is a rich tapestry of feelings and emotions, with vocalist Leon Stanford’s heart firmly embedded in his sleeve. His anecdotes of their time in America, his tongue-in-cheek look on happiness and depression and the sneaky inclusion of some CHER make the set a truly entertaining one, and the night ends triumphantly. Horizons have done a superb job championing the Welsh music scene, and with any luck, it won’t take long for these artists to get the recognition they deserve. Welsh music is, as always, in safe hands.
Photography by Questionmark Photography
First to take the stage tonight is a young lady by the name of GABRIELLE MURPHY [8]. The 18-year old vocalist from Treherbert is to some extent the odd one out on tonight’s line up (with three bands to come, a stripped-back acoustic set sounds like a tame start) but where she and her guitarist, Sam, lack in physical stage presence, they sure as hell make up for it in a heartfelt emotional performance that was simply a pleasure to behold. Performing tracks from her “Lockdown” EP, such as “Sweetest Taste”, “Bad” and of course, the title track itself, the early crowd is treated to some beautifully soulful tones of what is an incredibly strong and impressive vocal display. Currently unsigned, you can put money on that changing soon, a remarkable talent.
Next up we have Pontypridd based 4-piece CLIMBING TREES [7] who present us with a lovely little set of piano-lead, ambient, indie inspired gospel, which they themselves casually describe as “Cymrucana”, taking songs off their critically acclaimed debut album; “Hebron”. It’s a tight performance and a well delivered set, with tracks such as “Under The Lindens” and “River Home” perfectly accompanying newer offerings from their forthcoming second album, they manage to keep things blissfully mellow without becoming mournful and the set simply becomes all about an appreciation of music.
Tonight’s main support if you will, comes in the form of Cardiff based trio HOUDINI DAX [8] who treat everyone to a fine dose of energetic modern nostalgia. They find themselves, musically, somewhere between the classic rock ‘n’ roll style of THE BEATLES, with a touch of cheeky, indie-driven swagger a la FRANZ FERDINAND. Kicking off with their new single “Apple Tree” and playing through an entertaining set of tracks such as “I Found Love At The Dole Office” and “Get Your Goo On”, the young lads have no trouble lifting the mood, readying the crowd for tonight’s final act with ease, with a slick and solid performance.
Finally then, the crowd are ready for tonight’s headliners, THE PEOPLE THE POET [8] who certainly don’t disappoint. Fresh from their shows stateside at SXSW, they return home to South Wales and treat the eager crowd to a collection of tracks from their Welsh Music Prize nominated album “The Narrator”. The songs are powerful; the story telling within each is a rich tapestry of feelings and emotions, with vocalist Leon Stanford’s heart firmly embedded in his sleeve. His anecdotes of their time in America, his tongue-in-cheek look on happiness and depression and the sneaky inclusion of some CHER make the set a truly entertaining one, and the night ends triumphantly. Horizons have done a superb job championing the Welsh music scene, and with any luck, it won’t take long for these artists to get the recognition they deserve. Welsh music is, as always, in safe hands.
Photography by Questionmark Photography
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