Welsh rockers, The Joy Formidable, have invited several fellow Welsh artists to join them in celebrating their tenth year as a band
The Joy Formidable will host Formidable Fest/Gwyl Aruthrol, a mini festival of their own creation, on 23 November to celebrate 10 years of being a band.
The event will bring a number of musical acts to Cardiff, the majority of them Welsh. Plus live art by three Welsh artists throughout the day.
The band from North Wales have recorded an acoustic version of their first EP, sung completely in Welsh, and will be performing it in full to kick off the day at Tramshed.
As musicians, they often incorporate the Welsh language into their tracks which has been surprisingly well received by non Welsh-speaking audiences.
According to Welsh band Adwaith, more and more Welsh musicians appear to be doing the same, bringing Welsh language music to the mainstream.
Their vocalist, Hollie Singer said: “The reaction we get outside Wales never fails to amaze me. We played in Manchester and people were singing along to our Welsh songs, we were well chuffed.”
Welsh language music has blossomed in the four years the band have been together, said Hollie. In Cardiff particularly, there is a great sense of community.
Cardiff has become a hub for Welsh language music to thrive in recent years and there is definitely a place for it among Cardiff audiences, despite a lack of Welsh speakers.
It makes sense then, that The Joy Formidable have chosen the capital to host their celebrations.
Speaking to Wales247, the band said they see Formidable Fest as a lovely opportunity for them to invite some bands to play to a Welsh audience.
The band continued, “That, and having a bill that promotes Welsh language acts and bands from Wales – just a really inclusive night of great music.”
