There must have been some sort of arrangement made at a crossroads somewhere and several years ago at that, because FOCUS Wales once again bathed under sunshine and the bluest of skies the entire weekend. God Is In The TV were not there to top up a non existent tan, however. Bill Cummings (BC) and Cath Holland (CH) hit the venues and clubs of Wrexham to check out the top talent at this year’s extravaganza to hand you an overwhelming sense of FOMO.
THURSDAY
We Hate You Please Die – Ty Pawb
We Hate You Please Die are a whirling dervish three piece, led by bassist Chloé Barabé, this visceral French trio fired up a packed Ty Pawb with songs that are bristling with urgency and energy, like the seething throb of early P J Harvey colliding with elements of the righteous riot grrl of Bikini Kill. Playing songs from their brilliant album Chamber Songs came out in the Autumn of last year. The standout is the fantastic ‘Adrenaline’ that spikes an assault of clattering post-punk and scurrying riffing and scorched feminist polemic, into your veins. Their songs uncover powerful feminist sentiments including ‘Stronger Than Ever‘, a song which advocates freedom; ‘Control,’ an anthem for the right to abortion; or even ‘Sorority’ which is a call to sisterhood. They make an indelible mark as the first band I witnessed at this year’s Focus. (BC)
Diary – Penny Black .The Parish
Make a note of the name, I fell in love with Diary at Focus Wales. Over two bristling and hook laden sets the New Yorkers who look a bit like the B-52s in a way that they are a bunch of individuals thatshouldn’t fit together but they do, they performed with gusto and sieze the moment abandon, the first tonight at the Penny Black and on the Saturday day in the Parish, they beguiled and wow’d us with superlative songs that surf the lines between jangle pop, shoegaze and 80s New Wave. Brought to the festival by the same fertile partnership with New York festival New Colossus that saw Punchlove appear at Focus last year, I chatted with singer Kevin on Friday and I can confirm he has great music taste!
These New Yorkers wear their love of English music on their sleeve but its all moulded through their own personalities and influences that they sound like they are nodding to their heroes rather than just simply recreating them. ‘Stevie’ carves a plaece in our with jangling guitars and swooning vocals pregnant unrequieted love, hitting that bitter sweet spot between R.E.M and the bittersweet dreamy pop sounds of Postcard records. Elsewhere they reference Jesus and Mary Chain, early Happy Mondays and even the new wave hooks of Psychdelic Furs, what sets them apart from the dreamy/shoegaze pack is that each excellent song takes a different shape, tack and influence and is still just as good, inscribed with the words of Diary, remember the name. (BC)
Half Happy – Rockin Chair
Last year Half Happy beguiled in the smaller Penny Black venue, tonight they show off just how far they have come as a live band with a muscular and expansive set at the Rockin Chair. Standouts include the swooning ‘Runaway Girl‘ ripe with dreamy wistfulness and Rose’s fantastic vocals. While ‘Well Done Honey‘ takes us on a traumatic trip with shifting percussion and crushing guitars, Half Happy have come a long way and they just keep getting better and better.(BC)
Rona Mac – The Fat Boar
Rona Mac is a fantastic singer of words, her ability to unfold her heart tugging songs with a voice that is far beyond her years and song writing that is outstanding is genuinely moving. West Walian Mac has a charm and a personality and never fails to deliver every time I see her. Tonight she is on rare form performing songs from her superb album of last year Honeymilk & Heavy Weather, building evocative layers of guitar and daubing them with all her wistful, conflicted and bittersweet feelings of grief. (BC)
Mace the great – Ty Pawb
Alongside the likes of Lemfreck, Mace the Great is one of the most vital voices in Welsh hip hop today, His album of a few years back Sploit World rightly got nominated . Tonight he is in his element, energectic, witty charming and graced us with his flow that is addictive, playful and prescient. Mace the Great is one of the artists putting Welsh hip hop on the map! He lives up to his lofty monniker and then some. (BC)
Morn – The Parish
Oh my word, these lot stripped the paint from the walls. The South Wales four piece, made of two sets of siblings sounded HUGE. Not afraid to wear hearts on sleeves, how that the gorgeous rawness and post-punk power manages to remain personal is quite brilliant. Loved the humour between songs too, camping on a motorway layby sounds suitably rock n roll. Luxurious hotel suites beckon, however. (CH)
FRIDAY
Tara Bandito – nghtclb
With Tara we always expect and get drama, and there was no disappointment at Focus this year. She gave a masterclass on how to fill a room at daylight teatime and have it full-on bouncing. Entering the stage in a massive wide brimmed hat with long body covering tassels created specially for the woman herself, it was wonderful to hear brand new single ‘Marginally Mad’ disturb and entertain in equal measure, and the always inspirational ‘Woman‘ was as empowering as hell. (CH)
Olive Grinter – The Royal Oak
We are pulled into the Royal Oak by Kaptin ,to witness the gorgeous vocals of Olive Grinter, a Welsh star in the making who transfixes and silences the patronage at the bar(which is no mean feat) with just her trusty acoustic and a vocal that is flecked with elements of Jazz and a tone that marks her out as one to watch. (BC)
Shale – nightclb
We hot foot it to nightclb and the Forte/Beacons showcase, for sight of youthful Cardiff risers Shale, who have a real knack for a melody, ‘Fuzzy Identities’ in particular has looping lysergic melodies and hooky majesty that is ripe for a singalong, whilst new material has the charm and wiit of a impish young Supergrass. Shale are destined for big things. (BC)
AS Fanning – Ty Pawb
Sound checking his vocals by singing excerpts of Fred Neil’s ‘The Dolphins’ gave those new to Berlin-based Irishman AS Fanning a mouth watering taster of what to expect. With his warm deep baritone, Fanning showcased a selection of his very finest songwriting skills, the dark side of life laid out between songs gorgeously delivered. ‘Abandoned’ , the sobering ‘I Feel Bad’ and true heartbreaker ‘All Time’ threw fresh light on how much of a class act this man and his international band from all over the globe, is. There is a new AS Fanning album recorded in Sweden, on its way and we are so here for it. (CH)
Papa Jupe’s TC – nghtclb
A Welsh B-52s with a punk squeeze and twist, what’s not to like about Papa Jupe’s T.C.? The onstage call and response between vocalists Harry Willicombe and Nashville-import Gemini Anderson is electric and fresh and sharp. Excellent microphone technique from Harry, cheeky Carry On fun the exact and the perfect move. (CH)
Ynys (Island) – Rockin’ Chair
Ynys keep getting better and better. They really do. What a trip it is to see a packed room en masse dance like no one’s watching in response to the pop, northern soul infused and cinematic tunes. Manic Street Preachers are fans of the double Welsh Music Prize-shortlisted Dylan Hughes and his band, and it’s easy to work out why. Akin to AS Fanning earlier in the evening, the big guns were brought out, all killer no filler from both albums. The title song from latest record Dosbarth Nos sounded especially bright and brilliant. Sparkling gems abound. (CH)
SATURDAY
Wrexham charity shops
A stroll around the charity shops of Wrexham seemed in order before official festival activities of the day. A crime scene in one shop which shall remain nameless, caused extreme distress. Record album covers hung from coat hangers, really? We resisted instincts to call the police. God Is In The TV grass on no-one. But we will write – and talk – about you. At length.
Wales Cancer Research however was another matter entirely. They had a 1964 print of Tina by JH Lynch, famously used by Edwyn Collins as cover art of his 1994 smash hit ‘A Girl Like You‘ . After much discussion and debate, the decision was made to leave Tina in the shop ‘for someone else to buy and enjoy’ – what were we thinking? – before rushing back and rescuing her. One small bugbear in that the Tina was stored on the floor, instead on the safety of a shelf. (CH)
Gruff Rhys’ American Interior documentary – Coleg Cambria
In the afternoon as part of the festival’s film strand, Gruff Rhys rocked up for an pre-screening discussion about the now eleven-year-old American Interior documentary. In the film, he travels across North America to follow the late 1700s journey of his relative John Evans. Evans’ search for a rumoured Welsh-speaking lost tribe stateside was notoriously unsuccessful, and he met a sad and premature demise at the age of 29. Viewing the film through 2025 eyes however emphasised the positive shift in attitude towards the Welsh language spoken – and sung – openly in more contemporary times. Evans in Gruff’s own words was a victim of fake news, before it was even a thing. It wasn’t a term when the doc was made. A sobering thought. (CH)
Bethan Lloyd – HMS
A bit of a surprise, this. A couple of years ago Bethan was an edgy electronic artist. In 2025 the eyeshadow is washed off and on comes natural printed fabric and a passionate authentic delivery of Welsh folk. The switch isn’t the stretch it may seem on paper, her new creative space gives her freedom to expand her tantric vocal expanses and techniques. (CH)
TJE – St Giles Church
TJE are from Belgium and varve out bracing atmospheres that envelop, with instrumentals that brood and simmer like early Portishead or mid period Radiohead, over flowing with the vocals of Lindy Versyck like molten lava, dramatic, bracing and elemental, there are echoes of Bjork’s Homogenic era as her notes spirall into the chapel’s spires, like a prayer for calm and peace on an earth riven with descruction and war. The Belgium trio alread made a mark with a debut EP ‘IDOLS‘ and have also been impressing live accross the continent building up to a new album. “Day by day/all we do is hate” sings Versyck on recent single ‘Always Hardening,’ it sums up the uneasy feeling of division spreading the world, a call for humanity and empathy in dark times. (BC)
Pys Melyn – HMS
A band who are incapable of writing a bad song, Pys Melyn deliver melody and vocal harmonies which are really very special. Giving off Big Star and Byrds vibes and singing in Welsh, what a combination that is. A very keen audience for this one. If you know, you know. They are justifiably popular in Liverpool as it happens, boomeranging to the city’s English speaking audience with excellent regularity, quality cutting across any potential language barrier. (CH)
Kathryn Joseph – St Giles Church
Not to be all firsties but I was one of the first writers to pen words about Joseph when she sent out her debut album and tonight she casts a spell upon us with her brooding and heartstopping songs that are held aloft by her weaving piano motifs and her vocals that quiver with heart, empathy and a depth of experience, at the granduer of St Giles Church in the heart of Wrexham. From the stately and simmering ‘The Bird’ that wraps itself around your heart, to the spinetingling ‘The Burning Of Us’ that she dedicates to the tragedy befaling the people of Gaza. She also performs cuts from her forthcoming album including the crushing HARBOUR that is riven with pops and crackles, but at its centre trembles the voice of Joseph, her heart burning, its a stunning set and the first time I have had the honour to see Joseph perform live. (BC)
Sister Wives – HMS
What’s not to love about Sister Wives? Unique, seeing no boundaries in imagination and creativity, and why should they? Blending psych, folk, space rock thickening the atmosphere in the HMS tent, we loved the eerie mystical undercurrent. Singing drummers need to be more of a thing, bloody marvellous. Sister Wives – a cult we’d love to be a member of. (CH)
Baby Schilacci – The Penny Black
It was the first time I had managed to catch Baby Schilacci and they did not disapoint. Their songs that veer between the dark righteousness of The Melvins or the urgent, visceral vitriol of The Dead Kennedys, is delivered with a intensity and black humour, that sees two of their members deliver sermons about the state of everything falling apart: it’s a storming set that made me part with money for their new album (BC)
Otto Aday – Ty Pawb
Here at God Is In The TV we were delighted to invite songwriter and producer Otto Aday to play our stage at Focus Wales this year. Seeing him for the very first time in 2024 at Focus was a fluke and quite the shock, – we’re calling it fate – wandering into a room and there he was with the most engaging stage presence, singing infectious melodic songs with incredible pop hooks. So special, singing in that voice and openly showing vulnerabilities hit the sweet spot.
In the afternoon before his set, Otto explored Wrexham city centre and generously let us tag along on his stroll to church, before he escaped by catching the bus.
Otto is from the Rhondda Valleys in South Wales, he’s recorded in Nashville, and at Abbey Road Studios. Otto played SXSW 2024 and won best music video at the BAFTA-Accredited film festival FOCUS Wales that year. He’s supported Sir Tom Jones, James Bay, The Kooks, Billie Marten and was mentored by Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame.
That evening the moment Otto in his tremendous yellow suit opened his mouth to sing at Ty Pawb, it pulled folk into the space. A pop star version of the pied piper, if you like. His band a three-piece for tonight’s set were deceptive, the songs delivered gloriously and ambitiously. ‘Star Crossed Lovers’ is a romantic favourite, and what an honour it was to hear two new songs not played to any audience before tonight. As the 30 mins was done before anyone knew, Otto took the executive and correct decision to join the audience as the venue got the stage ready for the next artist.
‘Surround me?’ he asked. We did.
As a reward he played the dreamy ‘Incomparable You’ on acoustic guitar, circled by moist-eyed Otto Aday converts. A no-one-in-the-room-will-forget-this intimate conclusion to a very special set from a spectacularly talented artist. (CH)
Das Koolies – Rockin’ Chair
Picture this. It’s midnight. Been on two tired feet all day. For three days, as it happens. Still, it’s Das Koolies. DAS KOOLIES. The smiles everywhere are tremendous. We can multitask; while throwing shapes we enjoy their industry behind the screen, the foursome’s heads, drumsticks and guitar head bobbing. The techno-pop ‘Best Mind Fuck Yet’ is THE best to kick things off. New album Pando is hours old in the release sense; the pure bliss-out of ‘White Star’ is unexpectedly emotional. Calm after the storm. It’s been a packed few days, this gift of a song gives time to reflect. We’re going home tomorrow and do you know what? That’s ok. Peace. (CH)
Otto Aday photo credit: Beverley Craddock (church images by Cath Holland)
