£20 million WAG cash for North Wales resorts

THE announcement of a £20 million investment for the North Wales coast has been welcomed by Denbighshire County Council.

The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) announced the windfall today and it follows a £38 million WAG investment across the region.

Leighton Andrews, Deputy Minister for Regeneration, said the £20 million spend would be spread over three years and help lever cash from other public and private sources.


He said: “This is a substantial investment in Rhyl and Colwyn Bay, building on the investment already awarded under Convergence programme in North Wales a few months ago. It is vital that all organisations – public, private and third sector – work together to co-ordinate the necessary interventions to bring about change."
The Strategic Regeneration Area has a population of 100,000 in the area from Prestatyn to Mochdre.

Denbighshire County Council welcomed the money, some of which has already been earmarked for regeneration projects in Rhyl. The county council will now to buy dilapidated properties at 1 Aquarium Street and 38 Abbey Street, initially the land will provide car parking while a new use is discussed.

Councillor David Thomas, Denbighshire's Cabinet Lead Member for Regeneration, said: "Today is an important milestone in the regeneration of Rhyl. These major announcements signal a significant development in efforts to regenerate Rhyl by improving the quality of life for local residents, improving the landscape, tackling dereliction and efforts to boost the local economy through numerous employment and development initiatives.”


PHOTOGRAPH Action Stations At Rhyl Lifeboat Station © Darren Williams Photography

read more... “£20 million WAG cash for North Wales resorts”

Denbighshire council by text

Denbighshire residents can use text messages to contact their county council with enquiries or complaints 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week.
The magic number is 07800 140088 and you'll get an immediate bilingual automated response before your query is dealt with in full, normally within 10 days.
To use the service you need to include your name and address in the text with a brief question about council services - don't use images or video.
Councillor Sharon Frobisher, Cabinet Lead Member for Communities, said:

"Contacting the Council has never been easier and we need to move with the times, so that people can contact us in a convenient way that meets their needs."
"We would urge people to save the text number onto their mobile phones - the service can be used to report faults or enquiries whilst people are out and about their business.”

read more... “Denbighshire council by text”

How broad was my broadband?

HOW did this page load? Having trouble with all the videos or are you listening to an internet radio station and watching the i-player at the same time? There's been some concern recently that very few British customers are reaching the up in the 'up to' speeds their providers are selling them and The Welsh Affairs Committee is piping up for better Broadband in Wales.

The Westminster committee has just reported on broadband and while admitting digital exclusion is no worse in Wales than England or Scotland, it's worried that may not stay the case.

The report says: "Some of those challenges are particularly acute in Wales, and there is a need for the findings of Digital Britain to be focused into a plan for 'Digital Wales in a Digital Britain'. We call on the Secretary of State for Wales to ensure that the next stage of Digital Britain fully reflects the needs of Wales, that Welsh MPs are fully informed about the stages of implementation and that there is a joined up approach, which involves the Welsh Assembly and the private and third sectors."

Low population density and our famous landscape are challenges to even meet the minimum rate - everyone should be able to watch the i-player is the measure. The first priority is to remove so called notspots. In particular, it welcomed the proposal to create an independent Next Generation Fund to subsidise work in less commercially viable areas.

"Digital inclusion is not an issue which can be delivered by any single government department or agency; progress can only be made if there is effective participation from many different organisations and if these contributions are effectively coordinated. Good coordination between the UK Government and the Welsh Assembly Government is also essential, given that many, but not all, of the most relevant policy areas are devolved," the report concluded.

read more... “How broad was my broadband?”

Lots and lots and lots and lots of bands

THE Swn Festival, curated by Radio 1's Huw Stephens, doesn't take over Cardiff until October, but the list of bands lined up is already huge, I mean look at it:

Los Campesinos!, Dananananaykroyd, Copy Haho, Sparky Deathcap, Gold Panda, Daedelus, Munch Munch, The Leisure Society, Sweet Baboo, Lucky Soul, Sons of Noel And Adrian, Cymdeithas Yr Hobos Unig, Hail! The Planes, Martin Carr, Son Capson, Cat Mouse Cat, Islet, Huw M, Minotaur Shock, Girls, Broken Family Band, Science Bastard, Three Trapped Tigers, Them Squirrels, Gaggle, Exit International, Hafaliadu = Equations, Strange News From Another Star, John Grindell, Pencadlys, Anchorsong, Evils, Nos Sadwrn Bach, Unicorn Kid, Mary Anne Hobbs, Johnny Foreigner, Talons, Dimbley and Capper, Al Lewis, Fredrick Stanley Star, Decimals, Denuo, Gareth Pearson, Donde Stars, Mitchell Museum, Threatmantics, Silver Gospel Runners, Vito, Wet Dog, Supertennis, Tim And Sam's Band with Tim and Sam, The Victorian English Gentlemen's Club, Zissou, Y Pencadlys, Goldheart Assembly, Marina And The Diamonds, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. Moshi Moshi DJs, Midwife Crisis DJs, Vinyl Vendettas DJs.

See!

The Swn organisation also promote gigs around the city full time and you can keep up with the latest pie they have their finger in on their bright pink website or by joining their Facebook group.

And, one day soon Welsh Icons News Blog will take the time to find out how to put circumflexes where they belong. While you wait, here's one from the list, Victorian English Gentlemens Club.

read more... “Lots and lots and lots and lots of bands”

Chapels call for alcohol free Urdd Eisteddfod

The Union of Welsh Indpendent Chapels has asked Eisteddfod authorities to think again about selling drink at their youth event and called for action on alcohol abuse in Wales.

A press statement issued at the Eisteddfod in Bala, says: "We respectfully ask Urdd Gobaith Cymru to change its mind about allowing alcohol to be sold on its Eisteddfod field in future. At a time when alcohol is a particularly serious problem among so many 11-15 year-olds in Wales (worse than in any other country in Europe) we believe that providing alcohol at the children and young people’s Eisteddfod is totally irresponsible."

Speaking as well for the Presbyterian Church of Wales and the Baptist Union of Wales the Union has also called for, a stop to supermarket booze bargains; a minimum price of 50p per unit of alcohol and support for the campaign by the Welsh Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs for a ban on alcohol ads.

read more... “Chapels call for alcohol free Urdd Eisteddfod”

Eisteddfod 2009 - more winners

Here are the latest winners from the Eisteddfod, sitting this year near Bala.

• Haf Morris has been awarded the Syr T H Parry Williams medal in honour of her contribution to Welsh culture. A teacher, Morris, is a renowned arranger of cerdd-dant, and a great teacher of individuals and choirs. She has adjudicated at many Eisteddfodau and done a great deal to ensure the art of cerdd-dant stays alive, particularly with her annual workshop in Pencerrig.
  


• Fflur Dafydd has won the Daniel Owen Memorial Prize for a novel set entirely in the National Library at Aberystwyth. The prize is awarded each year to an unpublished novel and the 2009 judges were John Rowlands, Geraint Vaughan Jones and Rhiannon Lloyd. Dafydd's novel, Y Llyfrgell is set in 2020 with armed librarians occupying the iconic building, and brings her the latest in a line of awards, including the Prose Medal at Swansea and District Eisteddfod 2006, the National Eisteddfod's short story prize and Emyr Feddyg scholarship as well as the Oxfam Hay Prize for Emerging Writers. A lecturer in Englis at Swansea, Dafydd also excels as a singer-songwriter soon to release her third album.

Here's the almost upsettingly talented Fflur, who's also just got married, singing with Brigyn on Wedi 7.

Fflur and Brigyn on Wedi 7, S4C

read more... “Eisteddfod 2009 - more winners”

Txt Cmrg with first Welsh language mobile phone

THE world’s first Welsh language phone has been unveiled at the Eisteddfod by Samsung and Orange.

The phone features a 44,000 word Welsh dictionary to run its menus and predictive texts.

Alun Ffred Jones, the Welsh Assembly Government's heritage minsiter said: "It’s important to be able to have services and technology available in the language so that people can live their lives through the medium of Welsh."
Chair of the Welsh Language Board, Meri Huws, saw the phone as a, 'big step forward for Welsh and for mobile phones'. Menna Machreth of Cymdeithas yr Iaith wants to see other manufacturers following suit.

read more... “Txt Cmrg with first Welsh language mobile phone”

Five musical highlights from Welshtube

A collection of photos of Cardiff's nightlife has become a Youtube hit and even sparked debate about Britain's drinking culture - 'Welcome to binge Britain' was the Daily Mail's headline. The extraordinary images were taken by Polish photographer Maciej Dakowicz, have a look and make your own mind up.





Cardiff-formed Future of the Left are building a following and getting great press for their powerful, idiosyncratic rock. There's some great stuff on Youtube here. This video for The House That Hope Built was shot in The Vulcan in Cardiff, the historic pub recently saved by a local campaign.

The Laugharne Weekend has not long finished and they've made a very nice video of this year's events, featuring some very rare actual real Welsh sunshine!

If you're not at the Eisteddfod you won't see Cate Le Bon. The West Wales singer songwriter is winning plaudits on the strength of her own work and as a contributor to on Gruff Rhys's Neon Neon project.




Harpist Catrin Finch recently travelled to America for the Smithsonian Institutes Welsh festival in Washington. She played there with Colombian band Cimarron.

read more... “Five musical highlights from Welshtube”

Autumn 2009 at the Welsh National Opera

Autumn 2009 sees the arrival of Welsh National Opera’s new Music Director Lothar Koenigs. Other highlights of the season include the WNO debut of outstanding opera director David McVicar and performances from Christopher Purves, Amanda Roocroft and Alfie Boe as the Company visits Cardiff, Swansea, Llandudno, Liverpool, Oxford, Bristol, Birmingham and Southampton.

Cough drop - A sumptuous new production of Verdi’s classic La traviata sees internationally acclaimed director David McVicar work with WNO for the first time. Also making his debut with WNO is Alfie Boe as Alfredo, while Myrto Papatanasiu will make both her Company and UK debut this season as the tragic Violetta. Dario Solari makes a welcome return as Giorgo Germont following his performances as Prince Yeletsky in this summer’s revival of The Queen of Spades. La traviata is conducted by Andrea Licata, it is a co-production with Scottish Opera and Gran Teatre del Liceu Barcelona.

Spilling the beans – Lothar Koenigs conducts his first opera as WNO Music Director in this first revival of Richard Jones’ stunning production of Berg’s Wozzeck since it was first premiered at Wales Millennium Centre four years ago. This interpretation sees the setting moved from an army base to a baked bean-canning factory winning the Royal Philharmonic Opera Award in 2005. Christopher Purves re-creates the title role Wozzeck with Wioletta Chodowicz as his doomed lover, Marie. Peter Hoare also returns to the cast as Captain in Cardiff and Swansea, with Graham Clark performing the role in Oxford, Bristol, Birmingham and Southampton.

Waiting game – WNO’s ever-popular production of Madam Butterfly returns with American tenor Russell Thomas as Pinkerton. Amanda Roocroft returns to this production as Cio-Cio-San, a role she won critical acclaim for in 2007. Judith Howarth will perform Cio-Cio-San in Oxford, Bristol, Birmingham and Southampton. Also praised by the critics was Claire Bradshaw who returns as Suzuki. Former WNO Music Director Carlo Rizzi returns to conduct at Wales Millennium Centre and will hand the baton to Simon Phillippo for one Cardiff performance and the rest of the tour.

Beyond the main stage

WNO continues its groundbreaking work in the community with a number of workshops and projects planned:

• A specially created community choir will join WNO Chorus and Orchestra to perform Ode to Joy – Beethoven’s Choral Symphony No 9 conducted by Lothar Koenigs as part of Wales Millennium Centre’s fifth birthday celebrations.
• Following its performances at the Washington Smithsonian in Summer 2009, The Boy Who Went to the West Wind will be touring schools this autumn. The daylong project will introduce 8-11 year olds to the world of wind instruments and voice through the adventures of a boy carried off by the wind to mythical lands. Three members of WNO Orchestra, a soprano and a children’s group will be performing the work written by Jane Buckler with music by John O’Hara which will use eight instruments including a flute, piccolo, clarinet, and bassoon.
• A music man arrives in Cardiff Bay bringing with him special sounds – the Butetown Film Project will follow his journey in a 25-minute film featuring WNO singers, schools and community groups in a mix of live action and animation. Working with the Butetown based production company CHI, the film will also feature Bay Women Singing, Rapper Clayton Georges, Butetown Harmony Singers and WNO Singing Club.
• No Strings is the last of the successful Street Songs Valleys songwriting projects and involve 100 pupils from Glenboie Primary School in Mountain Ash. The 4-10 year olds will create an opera based on their hopes and dreams for the future, telling the stories through puppets and a children’s chorus. A team of professional writers and musicians and Puppet Theatre Wales will work with the children who will be taught filmmaking skills to turn the finished opera into a DVD.

read more... “Autumn 2009 at the Welsh National Opera”

Swansea Al Akbar as Twin Town rides again

THE Twin Town team are back together for a sequel which sees the 'twins' - played by Rhys Ifans and brother Llyr - returning from Morocco to their beloved Swansea.

The 'Welsh Train Spotting', set fire to a fair few picture-postcard stereotypes in launching Ifans on his way to the top and remains a cult classic with a particularly rabid following in its native land. A very strong and largely Welsh ensemble also featured Welsh Icons like Brian Hibbard.

Director Kevin Allen - brother of Keith, Uncle of Lily and father of rising Swansea City start Joe - hopes the screenplay will be well on the way by this Autumn and explained that interesting title.

"It just means Swansea is great. They love Swansea. They have converted to Islam and they love Swansea City. They are not fundamentalists at all. They have just converted to Islam," he said.

Much of the original cast will be back in action as the brothers come home for the funeral of Mr Mort - Ronnie Williams who played him in the original tragically took his own life soon after the film's release.





Title sequence from the Twin Town, 1997.

read more... “Swansea Al Akbar as Twin Town rides again”

Wrexham E-coli, Merthyr measles and Swine Flu advice

FURTHER to our last update and with public health very much in the news at the moment.

The best place to visit for public health advice is still currently The National Public Health Service for Wales.

They issue a daily update on the Swine Flu situation in Wales and currently have statements on the Wrexham E.coli outbreak, the measles outbreak in Merthyr Tydfil and blue-green algae in Anglesey and Gwynedd.

read more... “Wrexham E-coli, Merthyr measles and Swine Flu advice”

New chief for Public Health Wales

THE Welsh Assembly Government has today announced the appointment of Bob Hudson as Chief Executive of Public Health Wales.

Public Health Wales will go live on October 1, 2009, taking on the roles of National Public Health Service for Wales, the Wales Centre for Health, the Welsh Cancer and Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, the Congenital Anomaly Register and Information Service and Screening Services Wales.

Mr Hudson said:

“I am delighted to have been appointed as the Chief Executive of the new Public Health Wales NHS Trust. The new organisation has a critical role to play in both protecting and improving the health of the people of Wales.

“I am very much looking forward to working with the staff of the new organisation and key partners in facing the challenges ahead.”

Professor Mansel Aylward, Chair of Public Health Wales, added:

“I am sure that Bob Hudson, with his great strengths in the management of change within complex organisations and strategic development of the NHS, will greatly assist us in Public Health Wales in taking forward this new organisation to unbounded success.”

The organisation will work in partnership with the seven Local Health Boards and with Local Authorities, to bring public health to the citizen and to the community.

In order to deliver its remit, Public Health Wales will benefit from having its own Board comprising seven non-executive directors (including the Chair) and five executive directors.

read more... “New chief for Public Health Wales”

He doesn't want to change the world. Oh, maybe he does.

YOU'VE probably seen Martin Davies's work. Working as The Red Dragonhood his coolly ironic bilingual Welsh-centric designs are popular with patriotic musicians, artists, writers, and assorted movers and shakers among others.

Martin's quite the renaissance man (without all the poisoning of rivals and sexually transmitted diseases) and used the recent Laugharne weekend to launch his 'apolitical party' Newid; Welsh for change.

It's good timing, with MPs currently lurking somewhere between tabloid journalists and necrotising fasciitis in the popularity stakes his battle cry is: 'Politics is dead. Here’s something better.'

You can see what's going on (and get a head start on Red Dragonhood designs and offers) by following Martin on Facebook.

Jeremy Paxman said he's, "Either a visonary or a Taff timewaster," what do you reckon?

read more... “He doesn't want to change the world. Oh, maybe he does.”

Journey for Journeys, the depression charity

JOURNEYS is Wales's depression charity, pioneering new approaches to a debilitating condition the effects of which will I'm sure have touched many of you.

As part of the never-ending effort to fund their work Journeys' director Tim Watkins and friends of the charity are pedalling 55 miles on the Taff Trail from Brecon to Cardiff on September 5.

You can support this important cause - and an award-winning organisation Wales can be proud of - by visiting Tim's page at everyclick.

Journeys has also just launched on Facebook, join them for the latest news on their work, visit their website, or contact them on info@journeysonline.org.uk, 029 2069 2891.

read more... “Journey for Journeys, the depression charity”

Calling Welsh writers

DO you write? Were you born in the greatest country on earth? Even if you just live here, you can enter the Rhys Davies Short Story Competition for glory, a thousand notes, a spot in an anthology of winners and a slot for your deathless prose on BBC Radio Cymru.

The competition, named in honour of the Rhondda-born writer (pictured right), about whom you can read more on his Welsh Icons page, is run by Academi , the Welsh literary society currently helmed by Peter Finch (about whom you can read more here here on Welsh Icons).

The Welsh Icons (last one, I promise) writers section is already jam-packed with talented wordsmiths, but we want even more Welsh talent to celebrate.

Entry forms are scattered round the nation's libraries and bookshops and you can download a form here - and while you're at it you might consider it politic to check out some detail on the judges who include Welsh Icons subject Stevie Davies (that's definitely it now).

So, pick up your pens in Pontypridd, fire up your word processors in your Aberystwyth attics, Bangor bedsits and Gabalfa garrets and get weaving. It's only 2,500 words (I double checked that it seemed so few); that's about the length of a Sunday newspaper feature, most people speak at least 150 words per minute, so that's just 17 minutes chatting with your mates - you can do it!

So, perhaps after using Welsh Icons (couldn't help it) to find some historical inspiration, get typing.

read more... “Calling Welsh writers”

No, that's an underwater mammal you captioning loon

BY no means everyone in Wales is delighted with those who hold and who will hold the title of Prince, but this is just wrong, wrong and wrong. So wrong I even bothered to find out who was responsible, so, take a bow Baltimore's NBC affiliated WBALTV - his dad's not even dead or the king yet.

read more... “No, that's an underwater mammal you captioning loon”

England too small for Rugby World Cup - calls in Welsh help

THE 2015 Rugby World Cup has been awarded to England and the RFU are promising a money spinning bonanza taking rugby into the citadels of the round ball game with matches at Old Trafford and The Emirates.

There's plenty for fans in Wales to look forward to as well. There's the short drive to Twickenham to watch us lift the trophy to start with, and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium looks likely to further cement its status as one of the great stadiums of world rugby if matches are staged on this side of the Severn Crossing.

The plan for pool games and two quarter-finals to come to Wales has yet to be approved by the IRB and Wales could be forced to play away from their fortress and the home advantage it gives them.

No doubt red shirts will fill the stands wherever they play. The Millennium hosted four games for the French-hosted 2007 tournament.

Cardiff is also in line to host games for the Great Britain Rugby League World Cup in 2013.

read more... “England too small for Rugby World Cup - calls in Welsh help”

Club rugby fixtures out

WELL it's the weather for rugby, so it seems appropriate that the fixtures for the Principality Premiership are out.

Champions Cardiff kick off their defence against old rivals Swansea on August 29. Twenty-six rounds of games culminate, for the first time this year, in a top eight play-off for the title. The winners will lift their trophy after a long hard season on Sunday, May 23.

The full fixture list is available on the WRU website.

read more... “Club rugby fixtures out”

Sounds of Cwmaman

CWMAMAN has already given the world one of Wales' most popular musical exports, The Stereophonics, and maybe the next 'Phonics will be making their first steps at the village's music festival in September.

From 7pm on September 25 there's a huge quantity and variety of acts pretty much non stop until Sunday night. The Institute is at the heart of much of the action, but venues throughout the town will be filled with noise.

You can see the full lineup and videos of last year's action at this excellent myspace and in the meantime, and with apologies to anyone in Cwmaman who's sick of it, here's The Stereophonics on a trip home because I really like it.

read more... “Sounds of Cwmaman”

Parts of Cardiff's historic infirmary will be saved

CARDIFF Royal Infirmary looms over the capital's Newport Road, still impressive despite its rather sorry state of repair.

Demolition was due to start yesterday as the site is prepared for use once again - hosting primary care, unscheduled care, community mental health, substance misuse, outpatients and diagnostics services.

Parts of the site, first used in 1837, will be saved for their historical value. The redevelopment is likely to take four years to complete.

Another health landmark in the city, the former City Asylum, now the psychiatric hospital at Whitchurch is also to be redeveloped with a £68million new facility due to open to patients in 2010.

read more... “Parts of Cardiff's historic infirmary will be saved”

Language law consultation launched at Eisteddfod

THE Welsh Assembly Government is launching a consultation on legislation about the Welsh language.

They want powers from Westminster to introduce an Assembly Measure confirming official status for both Welsh and English, providing linguistic rights in the provision of services and establishing a Language Commissioner.

There's a question and answer session on Tuesday at the Eisteddfod - one of the strongest strongholds of the language. If you're not going you can participate here.

read more... “Language law consultation launched at Eisteddfod”

Eisteddfod 2009 opens

THE Eisteddfod has grown and grown, adapted and learned (they're even going for the world record for the longest model of DNA this year) and is a magnificent vibrant celebration of Welsh language and culture, tradition and change, and it opens today.

There's far too much to say about this historical festival, held this year near Bala in Snowdonia, for this blog to do anything other than commend a visit to you - whatever your nationality or language - and to provide this link to the fabulous official website.

Good luck to all competitors, organisers and visitors and Welsh Icons sincerely hopes the weather is what July should be.

We'll try and keep you updated on what's happening here.

Picture shows a plan of the first Gorsedd revived in London in 1792 by Iolo Morganwg and in the collection of the National Museum of Wales.

read more... “Eisteddfod 2009 opens”

Gwent Pub in Finals of National Competition

The current Gwent CAMRA Town Pub of the Year, the Commercial Inn in Risca, is the regional winner in two categories in the Morning Advertiser Great British Pub Awards 2009. The Commercial has won the Welsh titles for 'Best Community Pub' and 'Best Managed Inn' and will now face other pubs from across the UK in the national championships before the announcement of the winning pubs on September 9th. The Commercial Inn is a former Gwent CAMRA Pub of the Year and is owned by local pub company Dragon Inns.

Above and below, 2 photographs of the Commercial in Pontymister, Risca,

Other Welsh Winners:

The Wales Region winner in the 'Best Cask Beer Pub' category is another CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular, the Waun Wyllt Inn at Five Roads, near Llanelli in Carmarthenshire. Owned by Great Old Inns, this pub offers an ever-changing selection of real ales and is a former Carmarthenshire CAMRA Pub of the Year. The name of the pub translates as 'Wild moor/meadow' and refers to the location of the pub in the Sylen Hills.

The 'Best Cellar' winner for Wales is the Britannia Inn at Horseshoe Pass, Llangollen.

The 'Best Entertainment Pub' winner for Wales is the Carne Park Hotel, Abercynon. Another Dragon Inns pub.

The 'Best Freehouse' winner is the Red Lion at Llangadog, the Carmarthenshire CAMRA Pub of the Year 2008.

The 'Best Gastropub' winner for Wales is the Pen-y-Cae Inn, Brecon Road, Pen Y Cae, Swansea Valley, Powys.

'Best Live Music' award went to O' Neil's in Cardiff. Well enough said about that.

Paul Charity, editor of the Morning Advertiser, said, "It is heartening to find such a wonderful success story when there has been little good news about pubs recently. This is proof that talented, hard-working landlords and landladies can still attract customers wanting to experience the unique atmosphere of the Great British Pub. They thoroughly deserve this public recognition of their achievement."

More details of the winners and the final can be found on the Morning Advertiser site here.


This article first appeared on the Brew Wales blog.

read more... “Gwent Pub in Finals of National Competition”

Pop goes St Fagan's

WE'RE good at pop music in Wales and St Fagan's: National History Museum has asked six guest curators to help celebrate with Pop Peth from August 1.


With the museum's own collections at their disposal alongside their own collections and creations each of the six is invited to record their own take on the pop thing.

It's all part of the museum's Music '09 season - look out for free downloads of the sounds produced by Welsh bands in response to St Fagan's collections - and will run until January 2010.



The guests curators, in no particular order, are: Gari Melville, if the Welsh music scene needed pillars then Gari - with his Archif Roc A Phop Gymraeg - would be one of them. Comparative youngsters Lowri Johnston and Leusa Fflur edit fanzine Dim Ffwdanu and contribute to BBC Radio Cymru. Cardiff's Spillers Records proudly celebrates its status as the world's oldest disc dealers so the store's Ashli Todd has a wealth of material on which to draw. John Griffiths and Kevs Ford of dance and electronica legends Llwybr Llaethog complete the set, remixers and collaborators extraordinaire (but not in the bad way) they've got a distinguished eight album 24 year history behind them, and the sadly late and very great John Peel made a damn good stab at pronouncing their name.

read more... “Pop goes St Fagan's”

Festival time by the river

THERE are plenty of competing attractions to juggle in Cardiff's Riverside Festival from August 1 to August 15.

Riverside's got culture is the message with hip hop dance, song writing, drumming, screen printing, costume design and screen printing workshops all open for business at Riverside Warehouse.

Want to show some skills in the festival parade? Then join professional Nils Gustav's Circus Skills Workshops in the Riverside adventure Play Centre on August 11 and August 13.

Everything's free and open to all ages. Call to find out more from Sheleagh (07921022597) and Steve (07814770450).

read more... “Festival time by the river”

Taff-side market reminder

EVERY Sunday is market day in the shadow of the Millenium Stadium and Riverside Market is rated in the top 50 in Britain by The Independent.

Bring your taste buds and help support Welsh producers on the Fitzhamon Embankment in the heart of Cardiff every Sunday from 10am to 2pm.

read more... “Taff-side market reminder”

Tune in tonight for focus on really wood theatre

TURN on and tune in to Radio Wales tonight for a look at the work of The Living Willow Theatre or Glôb Byw.

Built - yes, from living willow - in 2007 the open air venue is the star of a half-hour programme on The Radio Wales Arts Show at 6.30pm. The show will be repeated on Saturday, August 1 at 6.30pm and will then be available for the following seven days on the Radio Wales website.

If you want to see what the fuss is about for yourself then Living Willow Theatre's next show is Peter Searles's stand up storytelling on Saturday, August 8.

Visit the Living Willow website for full programme details, bookings and how you can participate at this beautiful venue between Llandrindod Wells and Rhayader.

read more... “Tune in tonight for focus on really wood theatre”

Welsh exclusive Shakespeare opens St Donat's summer season

When American actor/director Sam Wanamaker found there was no memorial theatre for the world's greatest playwright, he set about founding one. Now well established on the artistic, tourist and educational trails for Bard lovers, the reconstructed theatre also supports a touring company who make their only visit to Wales this year to open St Donat's Arts Centre's summer season on August 31 with A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Watching this Shakespearean favourite by the sea in the shadow of St Donat's Castle with a picnic should be a great way to spend your August Bank Holiday evening.

Other highlights coming up at the centre include TV and radio's long-lived living legend Nicholas Parsons's one man show; Stranger on the Shore veteran Acker Bilk with his Paramount Jazzmen. Soft Parade founding member and acclaimed jazz and fusion guitarist John Etheridge visits in November.

It's the 40th birthday year of the Vale of Glamorgan Festival in 2009 too, with Catrin Finch and Eleanor Turner making this celebration of living composers a must for harp lovers this year.

Martyn Joseph's passion and power is recognised around the world, but seeing the Valleys-born singer-songwriter in his home country is a special experience. His visit on October 3 is a highlight of the centre's folk and roots programme.

For details on a huge variety of community and arts events to participate in or just sit back enjoy visit the centre's website. Not all tickets and offers are available through the web.

read more... “Welsh exclusive Shakespeare opens St Donat's summer season”

New from the Living Willow Theatre Company

Dear friends,

We are still celebrating the wonderful triumph of As You Like It on May 23 and 24, performed to packed houses in glorious weather in the willows - it couldn't have been better. We're hoping to sneak in another date in July, so watch this space if you missed it and want to find out what all the fuss was about!

Here's what's coming up in June, and let's hope the weather holds........although don't forget rain does not stop play here as we have the shelter of the barn:

Cymbeline on Saturday June 13 at 7pm
Internationally acclaimed professional touring company Theatre Set-Up returns with this action-packed romantic comedy written in the magical Celtic tradition, drawing us into the lives of ancient Britons and Romans and the legends surrounding them. Tickets £9 and £5.

Midsummer Sonnets Festival, from Friday June 19 to Sunday 21

Shakespeare’s Sonnets were first published in May 1609 and we’re celebrating this anniversary with an exciting festival during which we aim to explore every sonnet in words, dance, visual art, Sign, music and food. Our guest speakers include David Crystal, acclaimed author of Shakespeare’s Words, theatre director Tim Carroll (Shakespeare’s Globe, Royal Shakespeare Company) and Professor David West whose commentary on the Sonnets has recently been published to critical praise. Other highlights include a promenade performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by The Factory, one of Britain’s most exciting new theatre companies (described by Ewan McGregor as ‘brilliant … incredible’), and a dance workshop led by the inspirational Pulga Muchochoma and Dee Stott. Festival exhibitions include Sidney Nolan’s wonderful series of paintings of Shakespeare’s Sonnets together with Erzsébet Katona Szabó’s fabulous Sonnet-inspired textile works, and an installation by Georgina Barney. The full Festival timetable is available to download as a pdf from the website. Tickets: Weekend - £35, Friday eve - £10, Saturday all day - £20, Saturday eve only - £10, Sunday - £15, individual talks or workshops - £5.

But tickets online on the website, from our box office on 01597 811 487 or from our three ticket outlets:

Builth Wells, High Street - Curio and Welsh Crafts 01982 552 253
Rhayader, West Street - Arches 01597 810 921
Llandrindod Wells, Middleton Street - Verzons Bookshop and Gallery 01597 825 171

We look forward to seeing you soon!

The Living Willow Theatre

www.livingwillowtheatre.co.uk

01597 811 487

read more... “New from the Living Willow Theatre Company”

The first Really Welsh Commercial

They say

"its not exactly going to win us an Oscar – but worth a smile on a sunny Tuesday –

…..the first Really Welsh Commercial: Warning, includes close up of Cows!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWpILem2PRk

read more... “The first Really Welsh Commercial”