This was my second year at Focus Wales, and after last year’s experience, I was excited to be heading back. This international festival, showcasing emerging talent from Wales and beyond, always has a line up with acts for me to get excited about. It provides the best of both worlds, with a marquee in a field offering some of the larger more established artists and a multi-venue festival in the center of the beautiful City of Wrexham, Focus Wales offers rising talent from across genres, languages and nationalities. What’s not to love? You get a festival in a field experience, alongside indoor venues with cold beer and flushing loos, you can even get a boujee cocktail and meal at the Fat Boar if you want to. We experienced barely any queues and we were able to get into every venue without waiting, even without the press wristband. We were served fairly quickly at the bar and also able to get close to the stage for almost every act. I’ve been to many multi venue festivals in my days of loving music. This is the best-organised. It far surpasses my experience at the larger multi venue festivals I’ve been to where you’re not guaranteed to even get in to see an act.
Sprints
We were straight in on Thursday night with the Sprints, playing in the marquee in the field, to an initially rather chilled crowd. I later found out that Thursday night is industry night. Clearly lots of people who were too cool to dance were present at first but they either moved on by the end of the gig or the band energised them because the vibe changed after about three songs. A tough gig, I bet, but expertly handled. I could tell that by the time ‘Heavy’ came on, the chant from the core fans in the pit began to expand across the wider audience until a chorus of ‘Do you ever feel like the room is heavy?’ was ringing out across Wrexham.
Mid gig, Karla took some time to address the crowd, about the absolute privilege the band had touring 103 shows last year and stressing the importance of using your platform well. Speaking in support of a Free Palestine and also giving a shout-out to the trans community:
‘You’ve been here a lot longer than they have, don’t let them tell you that you don’t belong. Make a lot of noise and noise that matters.’
I haven’t even mentioned the incredible spoken-word piece she did in the middle, accompanied by some excellent fuzz and synth; this was unexpected for me and almost euphoric. She speaks with passion and authority, she commands the attention she deserves, and this band absolutely makes noise that matters. It was powerful and moving and left me hurting and nourished in equal measure. Then she played, ‘literary mind’ and I got to scream it out, thank you, I needed that!
Tramp
Speaking of using your platform well and making noise that matters, the Irish bands were clearly leading the way by owning their platforms at this festival. Shout out to another amazing, Irish, ‘genre-queer’ band, Tramp. Front person Siânna spoke about the band believing in using your platform thoughtfully, before singing in support of justice for the women who have fallen victim to the church in Ireland and for abortion rights, all whilst wearing an ‘Irish artists for Palestine’ t-shirt.
Not only are their words important, but the delivery was: dramatic and charismatic, featuring expert musicianship, loud fuzzy distorted guitars and groovy bass and drums, akin to another fav Irish band of mine called Vernon Jane. They need to be experienced live. Tramp was easily my stand-out act of the festival. You smashed it folks, I expect to see lots of you over the coming years.
Tara Bandito
Whilst on the subject of stand-out acts from the festival, I was delighted to see that my fav act of Focus Wales 2024 Tara Bandito was on the bill again. The Welsh rave goddess came with new music. Including, ‘Marginally Mad’ which is a fierce and powerful take on how women are perceived when they don’t conform. Or that’s how I chose to receive it, because that’s why I love it. It came with dance moves, always a good thing. Not only that, but it came with a groove that you simply have to move to.
I got the chance to chat with her after; she shared that earlier on she had participated in a panel discussion with other women. She had said in this discussion that she feels like she experiences imposter syndrome and initially regretted saying it out loud but then the other women agreed that this was a shared experience. I get it, the world is designed by the patriarchy to make us feel like we don’t deserve a place, we do, you have that place, it’s deserved, you’re awesome. I LOVE IT.
Debdepan
Another stand-out act for me was the accidental find of Debdepan. I had a schedule clash and almost didnt see them, but I would have missed out because they were mint. The duo from Margate, Chelsea Tolhurst and Grace Bontoft, gave an atmospheric and deeply satisfying performance. Debdepan have a nice combination of a jangly guitar, with heavy bass which moves this music away from pop and into a darker grungier sound. It was interesting and danceable, which is important, as there’s no point being interesting if people aren’t having a good time.
Panic Shack
I’m always excited to see Panic Shack, but I knew they had new music, so this was especially exciting for me. The first thing I noticed was that Em had a new very rock-star bass, it’s awesome. Then, I noticed that Sarah sported a t-shirt saying Ych-a-fi, of course, I googled it. Ych-a-fi describes how disgusting, repulsive or gross something is. Wearing that t-shirt whilst singing their new song ‘Girl Band Starter Pack’ felt on brand for the band’s fiercely authentic, take us as we are or f*ck off image.
Also the mash-up of ‘I Don’t Really Like It’ with ‘That’s Not My Name’ is a welcome new addition. Of course they’re known for mixing styles and taking inspiration from other songs – for example working Rage Against the Machine into their set on the last tour was fire. This is the new one. It’s brilliant, the crowd loved it, I loved it. Keep doing that; it’s dead exciting when it happens. So yeah, Panic Shack, an exciting band, gave an exciting performance to an excited crowd. They’re just brill.
Grab tickets for their upcoming tour here
Eyve
Eyve is a Zimbabwean singer songwriter and rapper, based in Glasgow. She fuses AfroPop, rap, jazz, electronic, Ballroom and ‘anything else that makes me feel something’. Although it’s just her and her decks, she produced a massive sound. With cool beats and gravelly, powerful vocals, she sang about losing her mind and immediately following up with a song about going to therapy. NICE!. Throughout the performance I got a total Moonchild Sanelly vibe. Then I read she toured with her last year which makes complete sense.
As always there was so much female / non binary talent at this festival but I only got to talk about my faves. Its worth checking out this festival, if not for the established artists, for the up and coming talent, if not for that then just for the atmosphere. You’ll find something you love, I guarantee it.
They’re already selling tickets for 2025 too, get on it.