FFRACAS : OCHR 1 VIDEO
There's more about Ffracas further down the page - but this recent video from Ochr 1 showcases the drifting, scuffed elegance of their sound to brilliant effect. [ For more see : Facebook I SoundCloud I Twitter ]
[22.08.17]
FESTIVAL No. 6 : 7-10 SEPTEMBER : LOST IN THE WOODS STAGE
Outside of a few notables (including Gulp, Yucatan, Charlotte Church, and the irrepressible Band Pres Llareggub) much of the Welsh artist presence at Portmeirion's Festival No 6 is on the Lost in the Woods stage. This serves to demonstrate an impressive depth of curation; there is enough creativity and energy on this shaded platform to programme a standalone festival - with Candelas, Sweet Baboo, Yr Eira, Lastig Band, Climbing Trees, Alys Williams, Plu, the exceptional guitarist Toby Hay and Libertino Records' Adwaith and Argrph all definitely worth straying from the headline programme for. Unsigned North Wales talent can also be found on the Woodcutter / CEG stage - where Sera, Courteous Thief, and Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles deserve special attention. At the time of writing weekend and day tickets for the whole event are still available. The rest of the bill is here.
[21.08.17]
GIG OF THE YEAR (SO FAR) : THE GOAT ROPER RODEO BAND
It might be that they have been touring festivals all summer honing their set, the imminent tour of Holland, the sleek, luxury vehicle they have travelled between the gigs in, or even that they already have half their third album recorded
- but there is a new dash of confidence in Rhuddlan'sThe Goat Roper Rodeo Band. Their latest local show at the 3rd Space, Llandudno (18.08.17) was a devastatingly good hour of high octane musical exhilaration. The venue was full, with the audience witnessing country, blues and soul played with the sort of joie de vivre usually only seen in primary school children spilling out of the gates on the last day of summer term; a fusion of The Band, The Everly Brothers and Hank Williams musically directed by the early 90s spirit of Miles Hunt from The Wonderstuff. Support act Lee Southall (see below) was none too shabby either. There are more Goat Roper dates here - they are next in North Wales on October 12th, at Blue Sky, Bangor. [20.08.17]
LIVE REVIEW : LEE SOUTHALL
Until they went on hiatus in 2012 Lee Southall played guitar in The Coral. He is now a fine contemporary singer songwriter - with a slow burning debut album, Iron in the Fire, released earlier this year; on stage his folk guitar influences come to the fore - and he is a compelling performer, as his recent appearance at the 3rd Space in Llandudno confirmed. [20.08.17]
AUGUST GIG OF THE MONTH PART III : KIDSMOKE / THE IMMEDIATE / CULL : THU 24 AUGUST
So far in 2017 Mold's The Immediate have released an EP, a heady album of power pop and a live collection that demonstrates perfectly how to be raucous and melodic at the same time. Kidsmoke are a four piece from Wrexham who sit somewhere between Joy Division and The Byrds on the musical spectrum - making soaring, uplifting music on record and on stage. Cull make up the final element of a remarkable trio, another local band with a rapidly burgeoning reputation - you can listen to them here. The gig is at Alexander's, Chester on Thursday 24th August - starting at 8pm; the cost is £3 if you buy a ticket in advance. Honestly, that's absurd - although last time we went to see The Immediate (at a fundraiser) they were squeezed out by an over running raffle; there's always risk in rock. Details & tickets. [16.08.17]
POLITICS : DOES PLAID CYMRU HAVE THE ANSWER TO THE NORTH WALES HEALTHCARE CRISIS? : AN INTERVIEW WITH SIÂN GWENLLIAN, AM
Recognised as a campaigner for Welsh language access rights in healthcare, Arfon AM Siân Gwenllian also has a much broader interest in North Wales' health services. She has proposed a new North Wales Medical School to solve the persistent NHS crisis in the region, training much needed doctors in the area where they will then build their careers, and is not backing down despite an initial rebuff from WAG Health Minister Vaughan Gething. Since this article was originally posted (08.08.17) local GP leader Dr Eamonn Jessup has written to all the region's AMs to outline his escalating concerns, and a report on the BBC website has confirmed that four more surgeries are due to terminate their contracts in coming months - Criccieth, Rysseldene in Colwyn Bay, and Wrexham's Borras and Forge Road practices. Read the interview with Siân Gwenllian. [Reposted : 15.08.17]
INTRODUCING : FFRACAS
Ffracas are a band from Pwllheli, comprising Jac Williams (bass and vocals), Ceiri Humphreys (guitar and synth), Owain Lloyd (drums) & Sion Adams (guitar). They have an EP out on I Ka Ching on Wednesday, 16th August, from which Pla has been released as a taster; and what a positive hint it is - a slowly unfurling indie incantation. Ffracas have already won Best New Band and Best EP at this year's Gwobrau Selar (Welsh language music magazine Y Selar's annual prize ceremony), the latter for a 2016 debut release. With influences that range eclectically over the last forty years of rock music they are all still only 16, but have been playing together regularly since primary school; those longstanding musical relationships are evident in Ffracas' sound - Pla is one of the best songs released so far in 2017. [ For more see : Facebook I SoundCloud I Twitter ]
[14.08.17]
AUGUST PLAYLIST : PART II
A new playlist that opens with four relatively recent releases: a brilliant first single from Carmarthen's The Tates, The Minerals' cinematic alt. country Road to Ruin, Yr Eira's power & purpose demonstrated in Gadael Am Yr Haf, and Pla, a small indie shoegazing masterpiece from Pwllheli's Ffracas. It closes with Cân am Gariad, a song from their February 2017 EP that showcases Bendith at their best and, looking back further to finish with a flourish, Dau Cefn's hypnotic electronic pop epic Moel Famau.
[12.08.17]
EISTEDDFOD : WELSH LANGUAGE ALBUM OF THE YEAR 2017 : WINNER : BENDITH
As almost predicted, Bendith's beautifully composed and arranged debut has been chosen at the Eisteddfod as Welsh language album of the year. There's a review of the album, an interview about its making and another review of the more recent EP already on this site. It's a well deserved accolade - mixing folk, contemporary and orchestral music, transcending any language barrier, the album is an enchanting work of art. Go on, buy a copy. [11.08.17]
Click on the month for all the posts from that period, or the article description to go straight to it.
2017
AUGUST : Welsh Language Album of the Year Shortlist, The Minerals Single, Monico Blonde video : Love is an Only Child, Politics : Housing, Gig of the Month II : The Goat Roper Rodeo Band / Lee Southall, Los Blancos : Mae'n Anodd Deffro Un, Community Music Wales Tutor Training, Names : Backs Turned, August Playlist I, Gig of the Month II : Llechi
FtM 2017 WATCHLIST
Monico Blonde and Adwaith feature in the set of 13 pre-debut album bands we think will make exactly the right noise in 2017. See the full list.
Gai Toms' seventh solo album is a triumph, from the slow dub-edged rock of title track Gwalia to the final notes of Hau / Chwyldro mawr pawb. Read the album review - buy Gwalia here.
Coming Soon ...
15-16 SEP : GORJYS SECRETS [Conwy]
FtM Supports ....
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FtM SITE REBOOT
After a brief hiatus From the Margins has been
jolted back to life with a renewed focus - which will become much clearer as new content is added over the next few months.
The site is uploaded weekly on Friday - if you have something you would like to submit please read the About page and then use the contact form here.
FFRACAS : OCHR 1 VIDEO
FESTIVAL No. 6 : 7-10 SEPTEMBER : LOST IN THE WOODS STAGE
GIG OF THE YEAR (SO FAR) : THE GOAT ROPER RODEO BAND
LIVE REVIEW : LEE SOUTHALL
AUGUST GIG OF THE MONTH PART III : KIDSMOKE / THE IMMEDIATE / CULL : THU 24 AUGUST
POLITICS : DOES PLAID CYMRU HAVE THE ANSWER TO THE NORTH WALES HEALTHCARE CRISIS? : AN INTERVIEW WITH SIÂN GWENLLIAN, AM 
AUGUST PLAYLIST : PART II 
EISTEDDFOD : WELSH LANGUAGE ALBUM OF THE YEAR 2017 : WINNER : BENDITH
BRYTHON SHAG : NEW SINGLE : POBOL GORLLEWINOL HAPUS
FtM 2017 WATCHLIST
