Catch Wilson Noir at Castle Arcade on 16 and 17th October 1-3.30pm
CARDIFF, WALES — You can hear the history in the beat, but the energy is brand new. Wilson Noir isn’t just an emerging talent; he’s the direct, dynamic inheritor of South Wales club culture, and he’s lighting up dancefloors across the region.
Blending family legacy with a fresh underground edge, Wilson Noir is bringing new energy to the South Wales DJ scene — bridging the golden era of Catapult Records with the forward-thinking sounds that define his dancefloors today. Emerging from the heart of South Wales’ vibrant underground, Wilson Noir is fast becoming one of the region’s most exciting new DJ talents. Known for his playful, crowd-focused sets, Noir delivers a distinctive blend of vintage rhythms and modern electronic production, bridging old-school UK dance culture with today’s underground energy. Noir’s sound is the definition of New Old Cool — it’s a signature style that’s quickly making him one of the most talked-about names in the scene.
DEEP ROOTS IN THE UNDERGROUND
The store’s infamous in-store sessions became the stuff of local legend, hosting acts like Bonobo, Netsky, LTJ Bukem, Blame, Vibes, Nic Fanciulli, Drop Music, and High Contrast — who famously worked there and was discovered by Hospital Records in the basement. Known for its expert curation, Catapult helped shape the identity of Welsh club culture and nurtured countless local talents. Though its doors closed in 2014, its influence still echoes through South Wales’ dancefloors — celebrated in reunion events, online communities, and in the next generation of DJs like Wilson Noir, who carries forward that same DIY ethos, crate-digger curiosity, and commitment to keeping the dancefloor alive.
FULL CIRCLE: ARCADE RESIDENCY
Building on this legacy, this October, Wilson Noir returns to Catapult’s very first home in the Castle Arcade with a two-day residency for the City of Arcades Project, as part of the Cardiff Music City Festival. The festival — a two-week celebration of Cardiff’s thriving music scene — fills venues, clubs, and hidden corners with gigs, talks, installations, and pop-up performances. Designed to champion both international names and emerging local talent, it blends performance, education, and innovation to strengthen Cardiff’s live music ecosystem.
In collaboration, the City of Arcades Project shines a spotlight on the city’s Victorian and Edwardian arcades — once shopping streets, now cultural landmarks filled with independent shops, cafés, and creative spaces.
For Wilson Noir, performing within the Castle Arcade, where Catapult Records first took root, is a full-circle moment — a chance to bring his signature sound to the very heart of Cardiff’s musical heritage. The residency aligns perfectly with the festival’s spirit: connecting past and present, heritage and innovation, while celebrating the enduring energy that continues to drive South Wales’ electronic music scene.
Wilson Noir said:
“Growing up around Catapult Records, I could feel how music brought people together. Every set I play is about capturing that energy and creating something new on the dancefloor. To play in the Castle Arcade—where it all began—is surreal.”
Ruth Cayford, Head of Creative Industries and Culture Development at Cardiff Council, added:
“Wilson Noir embodies the spirit of Cardiff’s evolving music scene. His deep-rooted connection to the city’s musical heritage, combined with his innovative approach, makes him a perfect fit for this year’s festival. We’re thrilled to see the next generation, supported by groups like Sound Progression, taking the lead.”
SUPPORTING THE SCENE
Noir’s journey is championed by Valé, the popular South Wales streetwear label, a partnership that underscores the connection between local music, fashion, and creative culture. As a member of Sound Progression, Cardiff’s youth music development organisation supported by the Ed Sheeran Foundation, Noir is an integral part of the next generation — shaping Cardiff’s electronic music scene with bold creativity and unstoppable energy.
Catch Wilson Noir at Castle Arcade on 16 and 17th October 1-3.30pm For more information about Cardiff Music City Festival, go to cardiffmusiccity.wales
Immersed Festival 2025: Cardiff’s month-long celebration of creativity and sustainability
By Tamana Ahmad
A celebration of music, film, art and sustainability is the promise from the seventh edition of Cardiff’s Immersed Festival, which has its main event at Tramshed TONIGHT (Saturday 22 March 2025).
The night’s main attraction is Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn, a rap and production pair making their Wales debut. Electronic DJ/producer Douvelle19 and Manchester electro-pop group Porij are two more noteworthy performers. The festival’s dedication to presenting new and varied talent is demonstrated by the lineup, which features a blend of rock, rap, punk, hyperpop, grime, and dance.
The month-long student-led festival, organized by over 500 students from the University of South Wales (USW), runs until April 3. The festival’s main event, which features over 30 acts on four themed stages, will take place at Tramshed Cardiff from 3pm to 11pm on Saturday (March 22).
The Festival is more than just music
Immersed Festival provides a varied cultural programme all through March in addition to live acts. Film screenings, art exhibits, and fringe performances are available to attendees. The festival is more than just a music gathering thanks to these activities, which foster artistic exploration and teamwork.
“Immersed has grown into a major event in the UK music calendar and is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team at USW and the students.” Lewis Jamieson, Music Declares Emergency, the industry’s campaigning climate change charity.
Education and Industry Networking
Immersed Festival also acts as a centre for education and professional growth. Digital storytelling, lighting design, and sustainability in the music industry are just a few of the subjects that will be covered in a series of free seminars taught by masters in the field. More than 40 exhibitors will be present at the Creative Industries Careers & Network Fair on Thursday March 20, offering networking possibilities to professionals and students wishing to enter the field.
“Immersed 2025 is a powerful testament to the creativity, innovation and commitment of our students to address the biggest challenge of our time. Thorough the lens of Regeneration, this year festival is not just a celebration of music, art, and fashion – it’s a call to action.” Adam Williams: Dean of the faculty of business & creative industries at the University of South Wales.
At the heart of sustainability
Immersed Festival is distinguished by its dedication to environmental stewardship. Through its partnership with Music Declares Emergency, the event encourages the creative sectors to adopt sustainable practices. A commitment to reconsidering, repairing, and reconstructing for a more environmentally friendly future is shown in the concept of “Regeneration.”
A success story driven by students
Immersed Festival is a stellar example of experiential learning and creativity. It gives students a chance to contribute to Cardiff’s cultural landscape while gaining practical experience.
Get involved
Tickets for the March 22 event at Tramshed are available on the festival’s official website. For the full schedule and updates, visit immersedfestival.co.uk.
Dear friends, please do enjoy this photoblog from the co-headliner show with Trivium (from Orlando) and Bullet For My Valentine (from sunny Bridgend!).
The Stylistics brought their timeless soulful charm to the New Theatre on 12 November as part of their Greatest Hits Tour. The iconic Philly Soul group – who have been through a number of line-up changes during their 56 years of performing – delivered a glorious evening of greatest hits and plenty of nostalgia.
It was evident from the average age of the crowd that I was a couple of decades too young to be a real Stylistics fan (almost everyone else there that I spotted who were under the age of 50 seemed to be accompanying parents or grandparents). And it’s true – I only discovered Philly Soul at all during an extended virtual YouTube crate dig during lockdown. The lush string arrangements and comforting harmonies were a real balm for me during lockdown (which already feels like a lifetime ago). While I might not have been harking back to discos in the 1970s, seeing the Stylistics live was still a bit of a nostalgic experience for me.
Before we get to the band, I want to mention the support act – an “El-Tom John project” fronted by Tom Cridland. Tom apparently learned to play the piano during lockdown, specifically to play Elton John songs and tour them around the world. He’s also the presenter of The Greatest Music of All Time podcast (and fashion designer with his own sustainable fashion label?). He’s unfathomably tall and wearing a suit covered in sparkly stars, and warms the crowd playing a series of early Elton classics on a keyboard.
My 70 year old mother (who is my date for this outing) comments, rather unkindly, I think, “don’t give up the day job”. But she’s lucky enough to have enjoyed Elton as a performer throughout her whole life (I really only got him from the second outing of Candle in the Wind onwards). I still don’t like Candle in the Wind, but I do listen to Tiny Dancer on repeat for the whole of the next day.
Then it’s time for the main event. Advertised as a Greatest Hits Tour, the group doesn’t disappoint, with a show packed full of “old school disco bangers”, as the lady from Ebbw Vale sat behind me calls them.
Formed of two members of the original line up (Airrion Love and Herb Murrell) and two “newer” members (Bo Henderson and Jason Sharp), the group shoops, boops, and sways gently through 85 minutes of classics. Their choreographed dance moves are impeccably timed (although having been performing as a band for 56 years, you’d hope they’d have got the timings down for these). They bring the house down with You Are Everything, along with other classics I’m Stone In Love With You and Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love) (which was a hit single in the UK back in 1975).
My personal favourite is Betcha by Golly Wow, which follows a little preamble with the band talking about how long they’ve been performing and touring, and how old they are now (and how, with the help of “that little blue pill”, everything still works – just not the way it did when they were 50. There are screams and whoops of laughter and delight that ring around the venue, as you might imagine).
Even with the two original members performing at the ripe age of 75, the band are still oozing charisma and charm (and can we talk about the vocals? It’s like having double cream poured into your ears). I’m guessing the dance moves are probably a little less enthusiastic than they were 40 years ago, but they’re still delivered with style. By the end of the show, pretty much the entire crowd is on their feet, clicking their fingers, clapping, swaying, and singing along. It’s a feel-good show that proves The Stylistics are still one of the greatest soul groups of all time. For soul fans of all ages, if you get the chance to catch them on tour, I recommend it.
Hello friends. We were wandering through the Cardiff indoor market the other day (aren’t all the new food places WONDERFUL??) when we came across a young man who described himself as a public typist – improvising stories for people on a little typewriter.
We were most taken with this idea, so here’s a little feature on Adam of Found Out There.
My name is Adam. I am a public typist. I travel the island improvising stories on a typewriter for people in public. I’ve made a little cabin of wonder in Cardiff Market where I’ll be typing stories until Christmas.
You are welcome to give me three random words, the name for a character and I’ll type you a unique story as you wait. Lovely as gifts for children, adults, friends, family or for yourself.
Between now and the end of the year, my opening hours will be:
Monday – Thursday 11 – 5 Saturday 11 – 5
I’ll be participating in the Night of The Arcades on the 15th November and my hours will change in December to include the extras Sundays the market will be open.
People can also order stories via my website if they can’t attend the market in person: Found Out There.
YOU GUYS Sŵn Festival is COMINGGGGG – it takes place this coming week, Thursday, October 17th – Saturday, October 19th (and honestly we’re grateful for having Sunday to recover!). Tickets are RUNNING LOW so this is your casual weekend reminder to get over to the Sŵn Festival tickets page and get yours nowwww.
This years venues include; Clwb Ifor Bach, Tramshed, Jacobs Antiques Market, Tiny Rebel, The Moon, Fuel, Mad Dog Brewery, and Cornerstone. We’d be insane to try and pick out the best gigs of the festival (although we will be pingponging between the ground and top floors of Clŵb for Mari Mathias / Half Happy / Wu-Lu etc etc) on Thursday, Tramshed on Friday for BuzzardBuzzardBuzzzard, Das Koolies and Jane Weaver) , and Jacob’s basement on Saturday for the DIY showcase and Fuel for IAmDrug.
Check the day splits here:
This year Sŵn is part of Cardiff Music City Festival, supported by Welsh Government and Cardiff Council – more info at the Cardiff Music City website.
As well as the main festival, Sŵn is also running their reimagined conference, Sŵn Connect. A two-day music industry conference offering bespoke networking opportunities that will run alongside Sŵn Festival. More on that in the next post …. STAY TUNED!
Cardiff friends! Our exploration of Cardiff’s cultural scene continues today with a peek inside CULTVR. Genuinely one of my favourite venues in the city, CULTVR is one of the only spaces of its kind IN EUROPE (never mind Wales / the UK), and it celebrates its fifth anniversary this year. Big thanks to the team at CULTVR for taking time to chat with us about their amazing venue.
Q. For those who have never heard of CULTVR Lab, can you describe it to us please?
We are a test bed to research and develop immersive art projects and XR live performances. We deliver our activities through three platforms, with CULTVR Lab bringing together producers, technologists, film, theatre makers, artists, academics and performers to explore the limitless potential of immersive storytelling through the digital arts. Our educational platform CULTVR Academy facilitates workshops, lectures and curriculum based activity to advance the knowledge of emerging technologies and skill transfer. And finally, we have created CULTVR Portal, an immersive digital archive for future generations capturing the creativity of Wales and showcasing the best of contemporary Welsh culture in a free for all online platform.
We never anticipated that we would be the first immersive arts lab to open in Europe focused on fulldome cinema, XR live performances and digital arts. We were hosting live immersive events four years before the Sphere in Las Vegas opened its doors! And we did this totally independently of public funds and corporate investors, which is incredible. We have the largest screen in Wales with 225 sq mt of surface area, which makes our arts centre quite unique.
💎Cardiff’s hidden gem💎
We've realised that so many locals still don’t know about us! So here's a quick 30-second video to give you a glimpse into who we are and what we do in one of the most unique venues in Cardiff!
We have been creating immersive films for the last 10 years and making XR live performances since 2017. We had to travel to the other side of the pond to create and present our work, as simply we could not showcase it anywhere in the UK as the infrastructure was not in place yet. Additionally, we had experience touring portable domes across Wales and internationally so we decided to create CULTVR to be able to showcase our own XR projects and also to facilitate the presentation of immersive art creations from fellow artists working in this medium.
Without experiencing the transformative power of immersive spaces it’s difficult to be inspired enough to commit to the hurdles needed to be overcome to produce for the medium. It’s even harder, if when you are hooked you have no way of testing out and learning as you create. Domes and immersive rooms need to be more accessible and greater in number, and luckily the overall excitement towards immersive technologies is helping significantly in lowering the price of entry into this arena. So for us to be able to produce content, we soon realised that we also needed to create the physical infrastructure to be able to R&D and present immersive work to audiences.
Please introduce us to your team!
Our team consists of six talented artists, designers, producers, engineers, and creators at the forefront of technology. We believe in cross-disciplinary practice and collaborate with a team of specialised freelancers for specific projects when we need to expand the team in a certain direction.
Our directors, Matt Wright and Janire Najera focus on the creative and artistic aspects of CULTVR while working with organisations, artists, and technical teams to produce immersive experiences. Lauren manages CULTVR’s daily operations, ensuring the smooth functioning and alignment with our mission. Mauricio Martin leads the creative aspects of our XR programs, while Rhys Davies oversees immersive filming and live event activations. Jamie Wilson specialises in 3D design and animation supporting the delivery of digital art experiences.
Exciting News! Three of our immersive productions are on tour! 🌍✨
Polydomous – House of Digital Art 📍 Mauritius From the Shadow of the Stone – RAM Festival 📍 Italy The Voyage of Arka Kinari – Astra Film Festival 📍 Romania#fulldome#immersivefilmpic.twitter.com/z5KBzsQh9I
Since we opened our doors, we have presented film screenings, dance, theatre, live music performances and have hosted conferences, networking events, training sessions and brand activations to name a few!
We delivered the first programme of immersive art residencies in Wales back in 2021, supporting 12 artists to create their own XR (Extended Reality) projects. And we continuously receive visits from schools, college and university students from Wales and beyond to get an introduction to immersive media and learn about the opportunities and the skills needed to produce for this medium.
We have also established international partnerships with other immersive centres presenting the work of international artists at the Lab and have hosted international festivals that attract delegates from around the world. We also regularly host visiting Delegations of International visitors (from Norway to Quebec and the Basque Country to Hong Kong) to showcase the space as a best in class European facility that helps to drive forward a creative medium by lowering the barriers of entry to all.
🚨 DJ Yoda is BACK at CULTVR to present the XR live performance: 50 Years of Hip-Hop! 🚨 DJ Yoda will feature some of the genre’s most iconic tracks under our immersive dome.
Often people tell us when they come that it feels like they have travelled to Berlin, which we take as a great compliment.
You have had a bit of a bumpy journey opening just before the covid pandemic started – can you talk a bit about that, and how it’s affected what your vision was for the venue?
We never anticipated that we would have to close our doors a few months after opening our arts centre. Although we could not bring audiences together under the physical space of the dome, during the pandemic we expanded our team as many organisations all of a sudden realised the value of interactive and immersive experiences as a way to engage with their audiences. We came together during this period and the team concentrated on expanding our spaces and creating new areas within the Lab for when we reopened. It was an incredibly rocky and challenging first few months and we couldn’t quite believe our luck, but eventually we rose above the challenges and ironically ended up being one of our most productive periods. Needless to say we haven’t looked back since and continue to slowly grow however we won’t lie, the current post pandemic climate and general cost of living places huge pressures on the smaller independent grassroots venues.
Are there any frustrations or difficulties you face running the venue?
A colleague once mentioned that being a pioneer often means struggling to get the support you need at crucial moments, as you need to wait for the sector to catch up. It was very hard to explain to funders and other organisations the potential of immersive arts as it is an ‘experiential’ medium (you need to be in the space to fully get it) so we created the space in the hope it would be easier to showcase what we had envisioned. In other cities we’ve worked in, projects like this are embraced from the start, as they recognise the value for the local community and the international exposure it brings. However, here in Wales, it has been challenging to navigate the existing frameworks that primarily support established organisations, as we’ve emerged as a new arts venue with a different vision. It is in our DNA to embrace multidisciplinary practice and operate across sectors, so we fall through the funding gaps as we are a cinema, a theatre, a live music venue, a research centre, a gallery and an immersive arts lab at the same time.
Are there any events coming up over the next 12 months that you’re really excited about?
We are incredibly proud to be hosting FDUK for the second year in a row. Fulldome UK is the UK’s longest running immersive arts festival and fulldome artists and filmmakers from around the world will be descending on Cardiff to experience a curated programme of the world’s best fulldome films alongside a packed schedule of talks, presentations and immersive live performances.
In addition, to celebrate our 5th anniversary, we are presenting a new collaboration we have been making with the incredible Slowly Rolling Camera (performance at the Lab on 6 December 2024) . SRC was the first live XR performance we programmed at the Lab in 2019 when we made an immersive visual score for their album ‘Juniper’, and we are very much looking forward to this show. 4Pi are creating the visuals in house and can not wait to present the outcomes live on the 6th of December. It’s sure to be an amazing night and those lucky enough to get hold of a ticket (which are selling fast) will no doubt have a night they won’t forget.
Next March, we are hosting the Best of Earth Awards Ceremony, a coalition of some of the most prestigious and respected fulldome film festivals from around the world, including FullDome Festival in Jena, (Germany), Dome Fest West in Los Angeles, (USA), Dome Under Festival in Melbourne, (Australia), SAT Fest in Montréal, (Canada), and Brno Fulldome Festival (Czech Republic) and FDUK. Audiences in Cardiff would be the only ones that would have access to watch all of the selected immersive films.
We will continue to throw all of our efforts and resources to support the wider Welsh community in embracing and engaging with the transformative possibilities of cultural immersion and we are always on the lookout for collaborations that facilitate this. Our aim is to create a permanent facility with one of the world’s first LED domes in Cardiff, so currently we are looking at various opportunities that can facilitate this.
Also, finally, HOW DO WE PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME! Is it Cult – VR, or “culture” … or is it up to us to decide? 🙂
It is a play on the word culture and what we do at the Lab, shared virtual reality experiences. Both pronunciations work well and we enjoy having a playful name that can be interpreted by audiences. Ultimately, we promote cultural immersion so hopefully our name transmits this connection.
Pink Floyd’s iconic album ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’, originally released in March 1973, turns 50, and what more fitting a place to celebrate it and experience it than in a 360º cinema, through the music set to visuals. With the help of modern technology, the idea of a show combining breathtaking views of the solar system and beyond, played out to 42 minutes of The Dark Side Of The Moon in surround sound, has been embraced by the band. NSC Creative have led the visual production efforts, working closely with Pink Floyd’s long time creative collaborator Aubrey Powell from Hipgnosis.
Mesmerica is a visual music journey presenting music of Grammy-nominated composer and percussionist James Hood together with visually-hypnotic, 3D animated art curated from artists around the world.
FDUK 2024 will take place on Friday 11th and Saturday 12th of October and will feature the work of leading fulldome artists and producers from the UK and around the world. The event is a great opportunity to experience fulldome creativity in all its diversity, and to meet and learn from fellow immersive creatives.
Prepare for a night like no other, with the multi-talented Beardyman and the captivating Teddy Hunter, alongside DJs and VJs sets featuring João Saramago and Andrew Wagstaff. Presented by Cardiff Music City Festival.
Immersive documentary film about the extraordinary journey aboard the 70-ton sailing ship, Arka Kinari, ingeniously transformed into a cultural platform to amplify the urgent call for action on the climate crisis. Delve into the inspiring voyage across oceans of musicians Filastine & Nova, connecting distant shores through the unifying language of music and art to raise awareness about climate resilience on a global scale.
Devil’s Flower by Black Mantis is a new project from South Wales based producer Deri Roberts. His latest album Devil’s Flower sees him delve into his darker electronic side fusing together his love for sound sculpture, electronica, and jazz, resulting in an ever changing world of sound with a visual score produced by the award winning immersive studio 4Pi.
Join us for a special live performance with Slowly Rolling Camera celebrating 10 years since their first album. With their sixth studio album ‘Silver Shadow’ being released this summer this performance will envelop audiences in the dynamic interplay of magnetic melodies and cinematic visuals. Accompanied by an immersive visual score created by award winning studio 4Pi Productions, this XR performance pushes the possibilities of storytelling within shared immersive spaces inspired by the visual and musical interplay found in moving images.
DJ Yoda returns to CULTVR to present the XR live performance: 50 Years of Hip-Hop. This event is not just any club night; it’s an immersive experience that combines the best of hip-hop music with 360º visuals. DJ Yoda will feature some of the genre’s most iconic tracks presenting for the first time a fully immersive AV set dedicated to hip-hop in the UK.
If We Disappear is an immersive acoustic-visual journey crafted by Berlin multimedia artist and sound designer, Emika. Set against the backdrop of her latest album, Falling In Love With Sadness, this unique live show is designed for the planetarium, combining Emika’s distinctive voice, piano melodies, and hypnotic beats with 360º visuals. The performance delves into themes of love, loss, and the search for meaning in chaotic times, inviting the audience to reflect on where love goes when everything else is falling apart.
HUGE THANKS TO THE CULTVR TEAM! If you want to follow and support, here are all the links you need
Next in our independent business profile series is Heads Above The Waves, a Cardiff-based non-profit that raises awareness of depression and self-harm in young people. Chloe Jackson-Nott catches up with them.
Where did the idea for Heads Above The Waves come from?
Funnily enough, it started with me [Si] having a rubbish time in high school. I really struggled with my mental health, and in particular, was battling self-harm. But playing drums became my coping mechanism that helped me get through that. So originally, I wanted to teach everyone to play the drums, so we could “fix” mental health. But of course, that’s not the answer. So I started speaking to other folks who’d struggled themselves, and building up a bit of a library of things that might help you keep your head above the waves. We started out as a Tumblr page and a suitcase with a couple of t-shirts in. But soon grew to a physical shop space and a full blown website. And along the way we started delivering sessions in schools, for people to actually have a go at the ideas we’re sharing online. Which feels like a really nice “full circle” moment; turning my pain in high school into a chance to help make high school a bit more manageable for folks today.
You’ve had a few stores around Cardiff over the years but where can we find you now?
Right now, we’re located in Corp Market, which is the old Corporation pub on Cowbridge Road East, in Canton, Cardiff. (Corp Market, 188 Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff, CF5 1GW).
It’s a cool space, where they’ve taken a big old building and turned it into a marketplace for a bunch of independent traders. We’re lucky enough to have a unit that faces out onto the street, so you’ll hopefully see our signage as you’re walking down Cowbridge Road East!
There are a lot of other vendors at The Corp and this might be a difficult question, but do you have any other recommendations?
I love The Barber Room! They legit do the best haircut I’ve ever had. Plus they’re super friendly. Super inclusive. Very reasonably priced. The only downside is how quickly they get booked up!
Do you have a favourite piece you sell at HATW?
My personal favourite piece tends to change as we keep on doing more stuff that I love. Right now, it’s this heavy canvas jacket. It’s thick enough to be a warm jacket, but light enough to work well as a transitional season layer.
But of course, the really iconic thing that we sell is a long sleeve tee that says “I’m glad you exist” on the inside of the sleeves, so someone reads that message if you’re about to give them a hug. It’s equal parts cheesy and cute. And funnily enough, I came up with it after having a mental breakdown. So feels very on brand, considering the journey to HATW coming into existence.
We’ve noticed you visit schools to spread awareness which is fantastic, but are there any workshops others that no longer attend school can get involved with?
This is actually something I’m looking into right now! Currently our workshops are only within schools. Which works well in terms of meeting people where they are (if they’re in school!), but leaves a bit of a gap for people not in education. So hopefully soon we’ll begin running sessions on a regular basis, where people will be able to self-refer, or get referred into. It’s exciting; but it’s not quite ready to go just yet! So watch this space
Is there anything that the local community can do to help with HATW?
Honestly, it sounds like a small thing, but sharing our content online makes a huge difference. We’re constantly making & sharing stuff that has the potential to really help someone if they’re struggling. So by sharing our content, you’re helping that message reach a wider audience, which may well include someone who really needs to hear that message today. So next time we pop up on your social feeds, please do give it a share!
And of course, if you’re in Canton, please swing by the shop, pick up some of our merch, and have a chat with us!
Join us as we dive into the first in a series of independent business profiles here on We Are Cardiff. First up is one of the most unique venues we have here in Cardiff (possibly Wales, and the world?). Porter’s has always supported grassroots talent, and provides a platform for artists to hone their talent. If that wasn’t enough, they’re also on a mission to keep the venue FREE for all who want to enjoy it. But they need your help! Chloe Jackson-Nott speaks to founder Dan Porter.
Where did the idea of Porter’s begin? Tell us your origin story
Dan. For 12 years I was a struggling actor and towards the end of my pathetic ‘Career’ I had a very well paid series of jobs. At that point I decided to quit while I was marginally ahead, and , whilst thinking about what else I loved, I came to the wild conclusion that the answer was ‘bars’, so thought opening a bar was a sensible idea. I’d never run a business or a bar so I just attempted to open the kind of place I would want to go to, one that was driven by events and the arts, and which supported artists (in the way that I had been supported).
Porter’s has free entry on most of the band nights. Why have you decided not to include an entry fee?
Dan. Simple. I wanted it to be a fun place for everyone and wanted to remove any financial barriers to entry. We estimate that we have happily spent over a million pounds on ‘free’ live music over the years and never charged a penny for people to enjoy it. It is frankly a terrible business model, but it is a philosophy we stand by and are proud of.
Porter’s needs the help of its veterans and local community more than ever right now. How can we help?
Dan. O. M. G. We really do. We are in dire financial difficulty. We never make a profit (see above) and everything we take on the bar goes into running Porter’s and making it what it is. We had to overstretch financially to complete the recent enforced relocation, and we REALLY need to claw back that overspend JUST to get us back on an even keel AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. We have set up a Crowdfunder for this so that we can continue to do the things we’ve always done.
I’ve always said that I want Porter’s to be a place that people come through on their way to bigger and better things and I hope people recognise the value we think places that Porter’s have. Without places like us (and the other amazing independent Cardiff venues) I think the future is bleak for the arts and future generations of artists. Where else are they going to come through?
Help us and use us (and all the venues) before it’s too late.
If you had the opportunity to open a second Porter’s anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
Dan. New York City or on a Greek Island.
Porter’s has a great range of craft beers. Do you have a favourite?
Dan. Thank you, I think we do. I think I’ve tried them all and as a consequence can’t remember any of them.
The first Thursday of every month is Jane’s Calamity night which is a musical theatre singalong. What is your favourite musical?
Dan. I can give you my top five: Fiddler on the Roof, Company, A Chorus Line, Hair, Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I could probably give you my top 10 but won’t.
HOW CAN YOU HELP PORTER’S? Here’s a message from Dan:
Follow Porter’s on all the usual social channels and share their messages asking for donations. If everyone that follows We Are Cardiff can donate just £5, that smashes their goal. Please consider helping this fine Cardiff institution stay open!
Also, are you out for drinks in Cardiff? Or going out for a gig? GO VISIT PORTER’S and enjoy yourself a night there! Porter’s has moved into its second home relatively recently, and so some of you might not know where it is. It’s on BARRACK LANE, which is the little alley that runs between the old Debenhams through to Cineworld.
Flying, bungee jumping, free falling and so much more at P!nk’s Summer Carnival! It’s a huge understatement to say the party started in Principality Stadium; the greatest show on earth began!
Kicking off the show as support acts were KidCutUp, Gayle and The Script. KidCutUp warmed up the crowd in between sets, Gayle rocked the stage in her Cymru bucket hat and scarf, and The Script made sure the crowd were ‘still alive but barely breathing!’
We knew before the show started that we were in for a treat, but from the first song P!nk really showed us how the night was going to continue. When she sang ‘I’m coming up, so you better get this party started;’’ that was not a lie. At the top of the stage, towards the roof, standing proudly singing was P!nk herself! And what an entrance she made. She threw herself off the top and bungee jumped down completing acrobatic tricks on the way whilst STILL singing.
The entire show was filled with fun. There were segway flamingos, hanging bunches of bananas, palm tree, fireworks, flames… you name it, we saw it! We even saw two couples get engaged during her set, which was absolutely adorable to witness.
Just coming up to the halfway point, P!nk started singing Cover Me In Sunshine before her 13-year old, Willow, walked out onto stage and joined her. The bravery and courage of Willow to perform in front of a stadium filled with fans at such a young age was commendable, and Willow probably had the biggest cheer of the night.
P!nk introduced a cover of What’s Up? by saying that she was once arrested for disturbing the peace by singing it when she was younger. The entire stadium definitely disturbed the peace with this song too and bystanders around Cardiff outside could probably hear every lyric as clear as day.
I’d like to take a moment to give P!nk a huge pat on the back for introducing every single person on stage individually and making sure they had their moment to shine. She introduced and named every band member, every back-up singer and every dancer and made it known that she was friends with the most talented people on the planet. A lot of bands and artists don’t take the time to give the other creatives on stage a platform and the fact that P!nk used a couple of songs to hype each one up, was fantastic to see.
Ending her set with So What! came with the most anticipated moment of the night. She flew! Strapped into a harness, P!nk was raised up into the air and launched around the stadium making sure every single fan in that venue got a chance to see her. It was so surreal that she looked like a doll being flown around!
It was an absolute pleasure to experience P!nk’s Summer Carnival and we’re so glad that she started the tour off in Cardiff!
We love it when local folks go nuclear with their talents. Today, we’re celebrating Cardiff-based contemporary artist Matthew Evans (SnowSkull), whose art plays a central role in the upcoming season of the popular series Alex Rider.
To see the artwork in Alex Rider, flick to the episode ‘Widow’, where Wells Cathedral is transformed into a fictional art museum named “Sacred and Macabre.” SnowSkull’s art is displayed in a large framed lightboxes and with a dynamic projection onto the cathedral’s facade.
The project began when production designer Tim Dickel reached out to SnowSkull with a vision to incorporate his “NoMansLand” project into the series. Over several months, SnowSkull and Dickel exchanged ideas and developed artwork specifically commissioned for the series.
Maesteg-born SnowSkull, a Goldsmiths graduate, has previously had his work featured in international exhibitions and prestigious publications like The Guardian and Vice. His diverse portfolio spans video, music, and mixed media, and his pieces are held in private collections across the UK, Europe, and America. We hassled him relentlessly for a chat (thank you Mevs!!)
What else are you working on at the moment?
‘NoMansLand – Re-constructions of the Artist as a Young Human’ is an ongoing project, so there will be lots more coming from that. I’m also particularly happy with what I have been working on for the past year with a multi-instrumentalist and composer, Josh Hill, also known as The Hillside Project. He recorded a beautiful album and gave me full artistic freedom to create a visual concept and world for the album, the singles, and reworks album. Inspired by philosopher Henri Bergson, the work portrays memory as dynamic, not passive. The painting depicts a fusion of a human and reservoir, symbolising transformation. Collages from a previous project represent the constant flow and evolution of memories.
I’ve been working closely with long-time collaborators and Welsh electronic duo Bodhi, working on the artwork for their releases on the Hotflush record label. I’m also slowly putting together a new body of work that consists entirely of paintings, taking a more physical approach in contrast to my digital work. Going back to my roots so to speak.
If you could paint a mural or do an art installation anywhere in Cardiff, what would you do and what would it be?
That’s a fun question! There are many interesting spots in Cardiff. The project revolves around themes such as, pop art, portraiture, reconstruction, deconstruction, Xiennial micro-generation, AI, and the intersection of art and technology. Although not religiously themed, at the installation in Wells, I particularly enjoyed the contrast between the cathedral and the digital light box sculptures, embracing the juxtaposition of old and new, digital and analogue. Aesthetically I have a fondness for the vast space around the barrage/docks down Cardiff Bay and would love to see an installation overlooking the water. And somewhere like Techniquest holds nostalgic significance, reflecting the project’s inspiration from the Xiennial microgeneration.
Here at We Are Cardiff, we love hearing about new businesses and ventures thriving. Tracer Booking Agency are newly in town, and we had the chance to speak to the founder. Read on!
Introduce yourself
Hi, I’m Rich, a music promoter, musician and freelance venue representative from Birmingham, living in Cardiff.
I’ve been in the music industry for around 15 years as a musician, promoter, and fan. I am the guitarist in Cardiff based Hyper-Fuzz band Death Cult Electric, and previous ticketing manager for Orchard Live, as well as working freelance for Sŵn Festival on multiple occasions.
What was your motivation to start this new venture?
I’d been out of the promoting world since January 2023, where I was running Tone Deaf Creatures promotions (along with my business partner Ethan John who now runs HMG promotions. Shout out to Ethan!) and I felt now was the time to get myself back into doing what I love, bringing my favourite bands to Cardiff and try to run the best events I can.
I was working for Orchard Live, working on the biggest and best events Wales had to offer. These included Queens Of The Stone Age and Bryan Adams in Cardiff Castle throughout 2022/23 and I’d learned a lot from my time there from everyone I came in contact with. I felt I needed to put all of this into a project of my own.
Why did you choose the name ‘Tracer Booking Agency‘?
The name had been on my mind for a while, but had recently changed its meaning. The name represents tracing over everything I have done and learned in my 15 years of being in the music industry. Start with all of that expertise and skills I have picked up and then build a bigger picture from there.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself
I have actually ‘Hassled the Hoff’ in a very bizarre situation including an angry taxi driver and a card company awards ceremony. That’s all you’re getting on that!
Any future plans for expansion?
I intend to move into artist management once I have a few more shows under my belt as Tracer Bookings, but I am always happy to offer advice to any musician or artist who needs it.
We will be expanding the team also, looking to bring in another person who has a passion for booking artists on tours and big support slots. Watch this space!
Any exciting upcoming gigs?
I’m super excited to be bringing one of my favourite bands, and good friends of mine, JOHNNY FOREIGNER to Clwb Ifor Bach on 12th June. Support comes from Cardiff favourites MY NAME IS IAN and Math-Pop newcomers GOOD THINGS (featuring members of SAMOANS, ROUGH MUSIC and MATTERS). Tickets are on sale via GIGANTIC and CLWB.NET.
We are working behind the scenes on some exciting shows at a venue I’ve been looking forward to be working with for some time, but you’ll have to wait for that!
How can people get in touch with you?
We are on Facebook and Instagram, and you can email us with you EPK or any press releases on TracerBookingAgency@gmail.com. I always love discovering new bands, so if you’re noisy, shouty, or have good riffs, please send them over!
We Are Cardiff 