Ah, it’s that time of year again when the sunny (and it really is always sunny here these days) surroundings of Wrexham get taken over once again by a horde of up-and-coming bands. A whiff of hope in the air as each one plies for our eyes, ears, and soul. On its day it’s an unbeatable festival, and it just so happens that “day” is right now, right here. What delights are in store for us this year?
Day One gets off to a tumultuous start for this here reviewer. Most times, you just want to ease yourself in with some crappy support act, supping a pint and catch up with old friends. Not here, FOCUS Wales is unrelenting and you are thrust right into the heart of the action. At least that’s what We Hate You Please Die do to you. A full on blast of tectonic riot grrrl noise destined to crush your ears into submission. It’s barely a breath into the festival and you already feel like you’ve been here for days.
We Hate You Please Die. Photo: Martyn Coppack
A dash over to the next venue, Rockin’ Chair reminds you of all the hard yards you are about to put in over the coming days. By the end of it you almost feel like a venue-hopping Olympic champion although an excellent app does allow you to schedule your festival. Impossible to see everything, you just have to go on instinct and it’s a no brainer to finally see Eye, the new band featuring MWWB’s Jess. Unlike the doom metal of that band, Eye are the distracted sister act of The Cure. Haunting and powerful. Pained. Cold glacial synths washing over you.
In stark contrast, The Gilberts‘ lush three-part harmonies and 70’s-inspired folk rock is the much needed combination of Fleetwood Mac and early Heart. Hailing from Canada, they won’t be the first from that country to grace the stages this weekend. Indeed, next act Dump Babes are from Saskatoon, and a quick chat with them reveals that one member is the brother of Christopher Laramee of E&D psych faves Shooting Guns. Small fucking world. They also turn out to be one of the stand-out bands of the festival. A whirligig psych noise, an insolent blare forged from the relics of Blondie. Your new favourite band starts here.
Dump Babes. Photo: Martyn Coppack
Also aiming for the giddy heights of new fave band are Red Telephone whose description in the Focus Wales app couldn’t really be more removed. Instead we get a sound forged from 80’s new romanticism embellished with Killers-type synths. Add in a bit of Blancmange and you are almost there. They turn the humdrum into spectacular flights of Factory-inspired indie dance. Fabulous stuff.
After a brief scurry to the other room of the same venue (hopping done for now) to get shouted at by the singer of Truck Violence, a terrifyingly tattooed hardcore folk band, it’s on to the band of the night for this reviewer, the rather fantastic Worldcub. A much darker prospect recently, they lock into grooves evoking Can and transform the dance floor into a mass of flailing bodies, all nodding and locked into that metronomic beat.
Yaang. Photo: Martyn Coppack
There’s nothing left to do after that than forego Mclusky to investigate Marvin’s Revenge after a tip off. Alt-rock behemoths laying waste to The Parish with crunching harmonies. Life affirming. Life endorsing. Just life. Much more real than some soul crushing club venue, this is music from the grassroots. Urgent, powerful, meaningful.
By now the die has been cast and whisky is downed leaving Yaang to impress us, and oh boy, they sure do. Like a bastardised Primal Scream in sunglasses. the discovery of the festival so far. Sweat dripping. Agony, ecstasy, joy. Day One completed.
Anna Mcluckie. Photo: Martyn Coppack
The Friday at FOCUS is traditionally a throw the schedule out to the winds and see what happens day, with added whisky. That’s the evening part, and for a nice easing in, the afternoon is spent watching the wonderfully transcendent Anna Mcluckie, a Scottish folk singer who had previously appeared on The Voice. Playing a traditional Clarsach, and accompanied by double bass and cello, the environs of Hwb become a mystical, magical place. A stunning start to the day.
Things get even more transcendent with Cushla whose mix of ambient electronic and sean-nos singing style pulls in a large afternoon crowd. It’s then back to Hwb for some trad country from Lucy Grubb. Mellow, chilled. . . yet soon to go up several tempos. A tactical break to eat food and back out for the heavy session. Where to start? Well, with full on heavy-psych groovers Groom The Giant. Neolithic riffs, sublime heavy jazz drumming, wizard hats, and all taking place in a tiny sweaty venue. What more could you ask for!
Lucy Grubb. Photo: Martyn Coppack
Well, how about interactive, part Daft Punk, part Flaming Lips, Rich Aucoin who gets everyone raving at 7:30pm before bringing out a multicoloured parachute to cover a crowd who are now fully immersed in the rainbow cult (probably). We’re not making this up. FOCUS has some of the most eclectic scheduling around.
After a swift whisky stop in the Royal Oak, it’s back to Rockin’ Chair to catch the return of Melys. Legends of the Welsh music scene, the moment when Andrea Parker starts banging a road sign on stage which is labelled Llif (flood for you non-Welshies), you feel the potent rage that is driven from an England–Wales relationship (look up Cofiwych Dryweryn). A set mixed with new and old classics, it is up there with set of the weekend.
From here on in the randomness kicks in, and a jaunt over to see Nova Twins in the big tent proves to be a great call with plenty of audience participation and a huge mosh pit proving much love for this band. Definitely ones to watch. They are polar opposites to Gulp who are on in the Rockin’ Chair straight after, but who prove to be just as fantastic. Having seen these before, this reviewer knew what to expect and that comfort in knowing the music was a refreshing change.
Nova Twins. Photo: Martyn Coppack
Welsh music has some real gems at the moment and Ynys deliver a set which puts them up to number one for this reviewer. It’s around this point that the whisky starts to kick in and things get decidedly blurry. The music of Ynys will ring loud forever though as the final notified music before it all becomes a bit of a blur. The whisky has well and truly kicked in.
Day Three simply can’t continue in that vein although it turns out to be the most eclectic yet. After a quick dart to town, hungover and stinking of whisky, hopes of catching Signing Sensations in Hwb were dashed by a huge crowd. Nevertheless, give them a search on the net as they are well worth seeing. This reviewer was out now though, so may as well start watching some more acts. It’s a shame that Wet Iguanas set was cut short as the power went although it did result in a jam session between the drummer and a random saxophone player.
Wet Iguanas. Photo: Martyn Coppack
Embracing the new found radicalised Welshness of Melys, next stop was Saith Seren, Wrexham’s Welsh hub/pub. Having sworn off alcohol it took all of two minutes of being in there before ordering a pint of Wrexham Lager. What was not expected was the Welsh reggae of Morgan Elwy and the hangover was well and truly banished as all of us took to the dance floor. You couldn’t make this shit up. Vitamin Cymraeg for the win.
More Welshness follows with a superb set from Mali Haf who performs an entrancing show. She really is incredible and hugely recommended. Words fail to describe how good she is. We are now two-pints deep and hanging with various journos who are all fighting to make it through Day Three. Mali Haf blows us all away.
Mali Haf. Photo: Martyn Coppack
After popping to The Parish to watch a rather sweaty show from psychedelic folk horror band Georgian, a wall was fast approaching. A shame as they were rather superb but needs must and outside air was required. A decampment to the big tent to soak up some sun and eat food. The wall averted (although to make a comeback later) a combination of Mowbird’s surf pop and 9bach with their chilled electronica proves just the medicine.
Georgian. Photo: Martyn Coppack
A change of pace was needed and where better than Wrexham’s punk rock titans Stuntface. Legends of the Wrexham music scene, the brutal assault on the senses is just the kick up the backside that was needed. Wall completely obliterated and replaced by exceedingly sweaty armpits, we all walk out the venue as if we are carrying logs under our arms.
Stuntface. Photo: Martyn Coppack
With the main act Gruff Rhys due to hit the big-tent stage it’s a quick walk over there and back into chilled-out sunny festival vibes. Who better than Gruff to bring the mellow 70’s soft rock vibes, delivering one of the sets of the festival. His solo work seems to be slightly ignored due to the majesty of his SFA music, and that’s a shame as once it clicks you really are captured within his world.
Gruff Rhys. Photo: Martyn Coppack
Gruff isn’t the only Super Furry at FOCUS this year, and all eyes are on the late set from the remainder of the band in the form of Das Koolies. The wall is competing with this but onwards we must and a completely random ending-up at Vanity Fairy’s set find us all in a full-blown disco. Having to be seen to be believed, it was just the tonic to keep us all going. No-one expected that!
Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys brought a bit of Nick Cave rage to Penny Black, before we were once again swept into funky disco tunes back at Rockin’ Chair with the rather marvellous Girl Ray. Bringing smiles to everyone’s faces the road to Das Koolies is now clear as we head into the final stretch. Trying to get into the crowd for Baby Brave was entertainment in itself as they put in one of the best sets I’ve seen them do, and anyway, it isn’t really FOCUS Wales until you have seen this band. Every year they knock it out of the park.
Girl Ray. Photo: Martyn Coppack
Finally, the end is near for this reviewer and the one band, Das Koolies, he was most looking forward to. A midnight start meant several walls had to be broken through to reach them, but once their arms-aloft techno got into full flow it really was all worth it. A set for the ages, and a venue absolutely bouncing in elation. The perfect end to a perfect festival. You always come away from FOCUS Wales thinking how on earth can they top that, yet every year the organisers find new ways to keep the festival growing. It’s quite simply one of the best festivals out there right now. Until next year!
Photo: Martyn Coppack
