The festival, founded by Huw Stephens in 2007, has been run by the team at Clwb Ifor Bach since 2018. While this year’s edition is suitably bulked out, with all three days featuring showcases at a plethora of venues across the city, what’s not changed is Sŵn’s dedication to nurturing a diverse range of the best local, national, and international talent and offering a platform to bigger and better things. Sŵn’s dedication to showcasing local, grassroots talent will see the audience treated to the grisly garage-rock and pop sensibilities of Cardiff natives Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, the Welsh-language indie-rockers Adwaith, the harmonic pop-rave sounds of fourth-fifths of Super Furry Animals, Das Koolies, and rising stars Half Happy who walk the line between heavy and heavenly.
This year will also shine a spotlight on Pys Melyn, whose laid-back melodies and wistful psychedelia earned them a Welsh Music Prize nomination, as well as Aberystwyth-born rockers Mellt and the alt-pop wonder Hana Lili whose landslide critical support led to supporting Coldplay and Tom Grennan. Adding to the Welsh line-up already bursting at the seams, Wu-Lu, the Brixton-born punk, grunge and hip-hop artist, will be bringing his anarchic spirit to the streets of Cardiff, English Teacher’s emo-rock, dream-pop and psychedelia will grab you by the collar and demand your attention and the internet’s original pop princess and multidisciplinary artist, Hannah Diamond will be shining a lens on girlhood and stardom
For the first time since before the pandemic, this year’s festival is multi-venue for all three days promising an even more stacked itinerary for the ravenous new music lover. On Thursday 17 October, Sŵn will take over Womanby Street with five stages at Clwb Ifor Bach, Tiny Rebel, The Moon and Fuel. Meanwhile, Friday 18 October and Saturday 19 October sees the festival expand outwards across Cardiff city centre, with extra stages added at Tramshed, Jacobs Antique Market, Cornerstone and Porter’s (Saturday-only), with more venues to be announced soon.
Authoritative music publication DIY have joined the festival as a partner this year and will be taking over a stage and curating its line-up, with more exciting stage partners to be announced in the coming months.
FULL LIST OF ACTS ANNOUNCED TODAY:
Adwaith | Antony Szmierek | Art School Girlfriend | Blue Bendy | Borough Council |
Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard | Canty | Clara Mann | Cosmorat | Crinc | Dana Gavanski |
Das Koolies | Dushime | Ellie Bleach | Emyr Son | English Teacher | Freak Slug |
GANS | Gift | Griff Lynch | Half Happy | Hamish Hawk | Hana Lili | Hannah Diamond |
Jane Weaver | Johnny Loves Me | Kitty & Sorry Stacy | Lanterns On The Lake |
Malan | Manlikevision | Mared | Maruja | Mary In The Junkyard | Mellt | Mirari | Morn |
NewWaveSound.Ent | OneDa | Plantoid | Plastic Estate | Pleasing | Porij | Pys Melyn
| Quade | Rachel Lavelle | Razkid | Roddy Woomble | The Secret Jesus Factory |
Shtëpi | The Itch | The None | The Wave Pictures | Tom Vek | TWST | University |
Wrkhouse | Wu-Lu