| We’re excited to be presenting a showcase at Reeperbahn Festival, Germany on 21st September 2023 with performances from Adwaith, Mace The Great, and Gillie. Join the team behind the FOCUS Wales festival at Sommersalon, Spielbudenpl. 22, Hamburg, from 1pm for complimentary drinks and networking (arrive early to avoid missing out), followed by music from Wales from 2:00pm. |
| MORE INFO HERE |
This year I had the pleasure of being invited to the Focus Wales International Showcase Festival 2023 in Wrexham, to open up the festival with my band Holy Coves and to represent our label Yr Wyddfa Records and Music Scene Wales.
Focus Wales is a fantastic, well thought out music festival which utilises the whole of Wrexham to show you the town in all it’s glory. Between Focus Wales and everything that is happening with Wrexham AFC this place is really thriving and the music scene is so vibrant.
What Andy Jones and his team have created is really something special. The network available there for bands, musicians, artists, managers, promoters and anyone working in the music industry is second to none. It reminds me of the South By Southwest festival in Texas. It really is a brilliant festival.
On the Thursday we had the honour of opening up the festival at The Parish with my band Holy Coves, playing to a packed out venue which blew me away. The Parish is such an important venue, the grassroots of music and is used regularly on the tour circuit by bands and musicians all across the UK.
Our top picks in no particular order were South Wales’ Tom Emlyn, Wales’ HourGlvss, Canadas Pillow Fite, Wrexhams very own The Columbians, Brighton’s Squid and our brand new signing Sister Envy from North Wales, who played their final gig as The Pastimes and announced they have signed to Yr Wyddfa Records and have changed their name to Sister Envy.
I managed to get over to The Parish early hours of Sunday morning to watch the Declan Swans play to a packed out, bouncing venue singing along to every word. Being a Wrexham AFC fan this was a very special moment for me. It was the perfect ending to a fantastic Festival.
Scott Marsden
#MusicSceneWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com
FOCUS Wales has become Wales’ biggest music industry event, with three days of panels, keynote talks, and industry advice.
The full programme of panels and keynote talks has been announced today! See the full list of sessions and speakers announced here.
Emily Marsden – Editor
#MusicSceneWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com
 The full line-up for the 2023 FOCUS Wales Film Festival has been revealed, featuring 21 films competing for awards, industry panels with the biggest names in Welsh media, plus a feature film programme with new releases from Welsh and Cornish directors. See More |
 “The 21 films that make up our official selection this year are some of the best we’ve ever seen. When we started the film festival at FOCUS, we wanted to become a go-to destination for the best of Welsh and international film, so it’s great to see it happening in our 4th year, thanks to the amazing filmmakers and support from Ffilm Cymru, the film agency for Wales.”This year the festival will feature an expanded series of industry panels, featuring – Ffilm Cymru’s BFI Film Development team. – Media Cymru (the new £50 million to develop a hub for innovation across TV, film, and the wider media industry in Wales). – Creative Wales (Welsh Government agency providing support to the creative industries). – Film Hub Wales (Wales’ BFI Film Hub). – IRIS Prize (BAFTA-qualifying queer film festival ). – Watch Africa (Wales’ annual African film festival). – Off Y Grid (collective of Welsh cinema venues).Plus S4C’s Young Audiences Commissioner and others will join a special conversation on the future of digital commissioning, at a pivotal time for the industry, grappling with Tiktok, ai and the ever changing world of ‘content creation.’ Tickets Here |
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Emily Marsden – Editor
#MusicSceneWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com
Hey Texas! FOCUS Wales returns to SXSW 2023! We’re showcasing exciting artists from Wales on 16th March at The Creek & The Cave, East 7th Street, Austin.
Featuring CHROMA, Edie Bens, The Trials of Cato, N’Famady Kouyate, Alaskalaska, Adwaith, and Panic Shack. There will also be a pre-show mixer from 7:30pm.
Emily Marsden – Editor
#MusicSceneWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com
FOCUS Wales festival will welcome 20,000 attendees, and see over 250+ acts from Wales and around the world descend upon Wrexham across 4th–6th May. Today FOCUS Wales are thrilled to reveal the first 60 new music acts for their 2023 edition.
Among the first acts announced, there is… The fierce, funny, post-punk soloist BILLY NOMATES who headlines Llwyn Isaf on Thursday 4th May, hot on the heels of their national TV debut on the BBC’s Later with… Jools. This will be followed up by a show from North Wales own critically acclaimed band THE JOY FORMIDABLE at The Rockin’ Chair. Friday 5th May will see SQUID headline Llwyn Isaf, following the release of their top 10 debut album Bright Green Field (WARP records), and a string of worldwide festival performances in 2022 including Primavera Sound, and Glastonbury. NEUE GRAFIK ENSEMBLE bring an explosive show featuring the UK’s finest musicians in new jazz. Also that night will be dance music pioneer, A GUY CALLED GERALD, best known for his hit single ‘Voodoo Ray’, which became a touchstone of Manchester’s acid house scene. Closing the festival on Saturday 6th May 2023 will be the multi-award-winning band THE CORAL, headlining Llwyn Isaf, followed by a show from DREAM WIFE whose new single LEECH has earned rave reviews from NME, and The Guardian, amongst many others.
More artists announced today include: Acid Klaus | Adwaith | Afro Cluster | Al Lewis | Band Pres Llareggub | Ben Ottewell | Camera | Cerys Hafana | Dafydd Iwan | DEIJUVHS | Delta Radio | Dilletante | Dresden Wolves | Edie Bens | Gallops | George Boomsma | Go Go Machine Orchestra | Grubb & Eedens | Gwenifer Raymond | Hannah Grae | Hannah Scott | Heather Ferrier | HMS Morris | IMMERSE | ISLET | Juice Menace | Katherine Priddy | Kidsmoke | LEMFRECK | Maddie Morris | Mantaraybryn | MINAS | MOJA | Mooi | N’famady Kouyate | NoGood Boyo | Opus Kink | Paddy Hanna | Parisa Fouladi | Prima Queen | Sad Boys Club | Sage Todz | Shelf Lives | Skunkadelic | Sophie Jamieson | Sophie McKeand | SUN | TVAM | VRï | Walt Disco | Will Joseph Cook | Ynys | To see the full list of 60 acts, visit http://www.focuswales.com + plus 200 more still to be announced!
With circa 500 international industry professionals due to attend the 2023 festival, FOCUS Wales has become Wales’ biggest music industry event, with three days of panels, keynote talks, and industry advice. First industry announced includes: Lauren Down (End of The Road Festival), Cecilia Soojeong Yi (DMZ Peace Train Festival, South Korea), Claudia Ferigo (Suns Europe, Italy), David Silbaugh (Summerfest, USA), John Kerridge (Glastonbury Festival), A Guy Called Gerald, plus lots more.
FOCUS Wales 2023 takes places 4th, 5th, 6th May across various venues in Wrexham, North Wales. Full 3-day wristbands for admission to all FOCUS Wales events are available now at http://www.focuswales.com/tickets FOCUS Wales is supported by Arts Council of Wales, PRS Foundation, and Welsh Government
Emily Marsden – Editor
#MusicSceneWales
@MusicSceneWales
musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com
Indie Revolution 