Music Festivals...they're everywhere these days. The once ubiquitous summer event now seems to have taken over every season of the year. From the gigantic corporate bashes such as Reading & Leeds and Glastonbury through to more esoteric events like Beautiful Days or ATP there is something for everyone. Whatever your taste in music, the annual hunt for luminous wellies and camping utensils has become a rite of passage for any discerning music fan. One could even accuse it of becoming the ultimate setting for the middle class scenester, but that debate is for another day. A more positive direction to take the discussion in arose recently, when I met up with Neal Thompson, organiser of FOCUS Wales, a festival on the fringes which is slowly growing into one of the premier events in the welsh music calendar.
The event takes place in Wrexham on the North Wales border, where there has been something of a local scene renaissance in recent years. Various promoters have worked hard to bring a sense of community to the musicians, as well as offering an increasing number of gigging opportunities. The upshot of this is that some attention has drifted over from the music business with bands like Gallops and Golden Fable grabbing headlines. It was, perhaps, only a matter of time until a festival arrived...
(((o))): Can you give me a bit of background behind Focus Wales. What was the initial impetus? What has happened in previous years?
Our first FOCUS Wales took place in May 2011, was held in two venues and had approximately 700 visitors over two days. In 2012 over 90 acts performed across eight stages. There were two days of conference events took place and the event was attended by 1500 people!
The original, and ongoing idea, was to create a national showcase for contemporary music from Wales. This year we have over 100 acts performing, 50 + delegates attending from around the world and we are aiming to attract 2-3000 visitors.”
(((o))): How does the festival fit in with others? Was there a specific purpose?
We wanted this event to have more of a practical purpose for the performers involved, as opposed to it just being lots of fun for everyone attending for a weekend; which I am reliably informed it is, by the way! We wanted to create and develop a high profile showcase for Welsh music makers to perform in front of the world’s music industry.
(((o))): This idea of a showcase for the music business is further extrapolated by one of the more original features of the festival, its “focus” for want of a better word on the conference aspect...
Yes, the conference element has always been an integral part of the plan for FOCUS Wales. We want these events to be of practical use and benefit for all those taking part and also to create an environment where key music industry folk are accessible and available to the performers and business owners in one place over the three days.
These conferences take place over the Festival programme and this year features guest speakers such as Michael Rother (Can, Neu) and John Robb (Louder than War). It is an integral part of the experience as it closes the third wall between artist and suit with hopefully, contacts being made and then built upon.
(((o))): It has a similar sort of set up as SWN and SXSW, in that it takes place in multiple venues rather than one big outdoor place. Were these the model for you? SWN obviously also takes place in Wales so do you see yourself trying to compete with SWN in particular or would you look at it as a sort of sister festival?
By the nature of FOCUS Wales, we’re set up to provide a platform that all aspects of the industry can use and share as well as the bands. Our position in the annual events calendar means we’re set up ideally to promote the rest of the events happening in the year. We have certainly taken influence from other events such as SXSW, NXNE in Canada and Liverpool Sound City, which are all industry focused festivals – but we also offer a platform to cooperate with other events like this. This year for example we are hosting a SWN stage at FOCUS Wales on Saturday afternoon.
(((o))): This year’s line-up has plenty of Echoes and Dust favourites like Gallops and Golden Fable, as well as appearances from some of premier Welsh musicians such as John Lawrence, Gulp and even Charlotte Church! It’s quite an eclectic line-up this year. Do you have a specific audience in mind when choosing artists?
We want to be as representative as possible and have as broad an appeal as possible within what we do. Music is for everyone and we want this festival to be as inclusive as possible so hopefully we’ve catered for a wide variety of tastes with this year’s line-up.
(((o))): Do you ever worry about the possibility of over saturation in the festival market place?
I guess there is saturation of certain kinds of festival. We’re quite happy to be the only dedicated, industry focused showcase in Wales and that is what sets us apart and also allows us to offer a platform to promote the other great events happening in Wales throughout the year.
(((o))): What are your hopes for the future of Focus Wales?
We’re supported by Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Government through Major Events Unit and PRS for Music Foundation, which means we are definitely going to be around for the next few years. The plan, and our job, is to make FOCUS Wales bigger and better every year.
Good news then, check out the website. Buy yourself a ticket and try something a bit different this festival season. Echoes and Dust will be there bringing in reviews and interviews with the bands and people behind the event has it happens but there can be nothing like experiencing the real thing. In these days of failing businesses, just maybe this is one that has found a winning formula and can thrive.
