Now in its fifth year, Wales Goes Pop has rapidly risen to take the top spot of music festivals in Cardiff. Taking place at the wonderful converted church/arts centre The Gate, with artists staggered between a main theatre and cafe stage to avoid clashes. WGP 2017 happens this Easter Bank Holiday from Friday 14th through to Sunday 16th April 2017.
Scheduled and organized by the multitalented Liz Hunt (Full Moon, The School)this year’s event widens the lineups horizons.Moving from mainly the fun indie pop and anti-folk sound palette, comparable to the kind you would find at Indietracks, towards broader sounds in encompassing pop, gaze and psychedelic influenced acts as well. Liz told us: ‘I hope in spite of recent news we can show everyone that Cardiff is very much still open for musical business. We’ve got a huge variety of acts playing this year, I’m particularly looking forward to seeing Afro-pop-punk band Sacred Paws, Spanish shoegazers Linda Guilala, there’s a lovely band I discovered on Gideon Coe’s show called Lorna, and I can’t wait to see BC Camplight with the full band. And everyone elsue of course!
The festival has been growing since we started, but we definitely felt a boost last year having acts like Los Campesinos, Gwenno and This Is the Kit on the bill, we seemed to reach wider audiences. I do try to make it slightly different from other events and have a bit of everything (under the very general label of ‘pop’), so you’ll find punky pop bands and antifolk artists next to psychedelia, experimental
and folk acts, which somehow seems to be working so far.
It’s also really important that the event is all-ages, we get kids going to their first gigs/festivals here in a safe and friendly space, which makes it easier for parents to keep supporting live music too”.
This years other highlighted acts include Scottish duo HONEYBLOOD, cool psych-pop trio HMS MORRIS the ace harmony-drenched femme pop of GIRL RAY, wonky local art-pop of TENDER PREY and Bristol/Cardiff Art is Hard newcomers NEUROTIC FICTION on Friday.
Glorious, Super Furry Animals offshoot, GULP and swaggering garage slackers HOOTON TENNIS CLUB headline the Saturday.They are joined by Domino Records act SPINNING COIN.
Meanwhile Sunday’s events are topped by US songwriter BC CAMPLIGHT performing with his band they are backed by the dreamy of Brighton FEAR OF MEN, and nu-gaze champions TOY. Elsewhere Heavenly Halifax trio THE ORIELLES are ones to watch and respected songwriter CHRIS T-T fills out the rest of the bill. There’s yet more to be sampled that we haven’t even mentioned check out the playlist above!
Boasting a lovely unique setting, a supportive and friendly atmosphere between artists and attendees as well as a vinyl record fayre, WGP is a joy every year!
What’s more, Wales goes Pop is family friendly so don’t forget your noise canceling headphones for the little ones!
Tickets are now on sale at £16 per day and available on the door from 2pm, £42 for the entire 3-day festival, or free for under 12s (limited space for under 12s, free booking recommended). Available from Spillers Records (Cardiff), Diverse Music (Newport), Bristol Ticket Shop, and online from WeGotTickets.com SeeTickets.com and Dice.FM.
