Brecon Beacons + A Music Festival = Perfection.
Correct equation.
Green Man, set in the stunning scenery of the Brecon Beacons, celebrated it's 15th Anniversary this year and it brought a whole weeks worth of great music, comedy, talks and all round bouncing atmosphere. The festival this year, as always, hosted some of the most sought out and highly tipped bands of the year alongside those big names in the music industry.
It was an eclectic lineup boasting a huge amount of talent of bands that have been on my radar for a while. Here are some of the musical highlights from artists I have grabbed interviews with and Michael Kiwanuka just because he just boss'd it!
The finale was also captivating and the fireworks with the burning of the Green Man at 12am was blazing to watch! Wonderful festival and here's to another five years till the 20th Anniversary!
The finale was also captivating and the fireworks with the burning of the Green Man at 12am was blazing to watch! Wonderful festival and here's to another five years till the 20th Anniversary!
MICHAEL KIWANUKA
Dimmed lights, an incredible backing band and that goose-bump enforcing voice, is Michael's set in a nutshell. The gorgeous tones to his vocals just absolutely resonated between the slight gaps of a packed out audience. Silence, as the audience were captivated by his demand on the stage. Playing tracks from both debut, Home Again and Love & Hate. His band absolutely uplifted the gravity of the set, especially during 'Black Man In A White World' and 'Tell Me A Tale'.
As title track from his first album 'Home Again' appeared, it was a wonderful sound to hear the audience singing along at great levity. 'Cold Little Heart' stole it for me, the guitar solo was effortlessly intertwined with that velvety inflection. He was a sure crowd pleaser in the run up to final Saturday Headliner on the Mountain Stage, Ryan Adams.
THE ORIELLES
The Orielles are ones to keep you're peepers well and truly on! With only a handful of tracks out so far, they are already causing a stir on everyones lips. Sid, Esmae and Henry anchor very 90's inspired grooves that put you in mind of the likes of Sonic Youth mulched in with similar vocal feels to that of the Pixies. Recent releases this year saw Sugar Tastes Like Salt & I Only Bought It For The Bottle which translated amazingly infectious in a live setting. They lit up the Walled Garden Stage and even had many of the punters singing along lyric by lyric. Very exciting young band, I had a chat with them backstage at the festival which you will be able to catch very soon!
SHAME
Shame were on my list of artists to definitely make sure I catch and I am so glad I did! It was a set fuelled with big instrumentals and lyrics charged with angst. Front man, Charlie Steen, is an incredible performer. Engaging with the crowd and clearly connecting strongly with his lyricism, sustained and heightened by the incredible musicianship within the band from Eddie, Charlie, Josh and Sean. The Lick is fully drenched in that Post-Punk vibe but still holding onto a 70's inspired Punk-edge. Another one to keep the ol' eyes on, they are all over everyones radar and they NEED to be on yours too. They absolutely hyped the Far Out Tent and encouraged, of course, a well deserved mosh pit.
HAPPYNESS
Innovative trio, Happyness, are a live band you need to see. Following on from their debut album 'Weird Little Birthday' that was full of heady college rock feels and lackadaisical vocals, we were met with brand new album Write In this year that brought in a slightly more dreamy and uplifted sound but still holding onto those nasally raw melodies. They brought in a great crowd at just early afternoon and were the band on a lot of punters discussions! When chatting to bands at the festival and asking about 'supergroups' (which you can check out in the full interviews soon) Happyness came up in couple. A lot of bands are looking up to this talented trio and too right too. A great live act and definitely one to watch grow and grow.
SIOBHAN WILSON
Siobhan has wonderful blend of orchestral classical tones to her music mixed in with intricate songwriting ability. Siobhan also beat 900 other artists in a competition to play and open up the Mountain Stage. An incredible feat but her music really has something unique and enticing about it which is why she undoubtedly won. Siobhan has a background in French and has lived in France which is why she bilingually intertwines this into her music and on her new album There Are No Saints. Catching her on the Rising Stage and The Mountain Stage, she filled up both so wonderfully and angelically with the audience intently captivated by her soft vocals and carefully collated lyricism. An admirable artist to catch.
BOY AZOOGA
Cardiff based four piece and immensely talented musicians, Boy Azooga, kicked off the weekend and Far Out Tent perfectly. Drawing in a big crowd, this hotly tipped band brought grooves layered in psych-pop infused goodness. Only currently having 'Face Behind Her Cigarette' out there for all to hear made it all the more intriguing to catch their set. Face, in particular, is an absolutely cracking debut single and ridiculously addictive. If you went to see Boy Azooga and were unsure who they are, you would have left with that bass and psyc-pop riff well and truly fermented onto the brain. The energy of the band just alluded of the stage and brought us right into the heart of their sound. I spoke to Dave from the band and there is a tease of new music on the way from this talented quartet. Watch. This. Space.
So many more captivating performances from, Sunflower Bean, Ryan Adams, The Oh Sees. The list is endless.
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