Charlotte Church (c) Kirsten McTernan
From Friday 20 – Sunday 22 June, the Dinefwr Literature Festival will showcase some of the music industry’s hottest talent in a celebration of words, music and landscape.
FRIDAY 20 JUNE Charlotte Church - Huw Stephens - Sweet Baboo – David R Edwards – Geraint Jarman - Polarbear - Hard Côr SATURDAY 21 JUNE Cate Le Bon – Adrian Edmondson & the Bad Shepherds – Dan Bettridge – Trwbador – Alex Dingley Band – Chris Jones –Baby Queens – Climbing Trees SUNDAY 22 JUNE Alexis Taylor – Gruff Rhys – Richard Dawson – Kizzy Crawford – Gabrielle Murphy - Plu
Once again the festival proves it is more than just literature, with an eclectic programme featuring spoken word, comedy, art and a music strand curated by the team behind Cardiff’s Sŵn Festival, which won the 2014 NME award for Best Small Festival. Featuring the best of emerging Welsh talent alongside well-known favourites, the festival offers a scintillating selection of musical performances and talks over three days.
In an exciting addition this year, the festival has joined up with the BBC Horizons/Gorwelion project to showcase six artists selected by BBC Cymru Wales and Arts Council of Wales as part of a project recognising emerging Welsh talent. Dinefwr is exceptionally proud to welcome to the Gorwelion stage: The Baby Queens, Chris Jones, Climbing Trees, Gabrielle Murphy, Kizzy Crawford and Plu.
Charlotte Church will headline on Friday 20 June with her first live appearance since the release of her new album, Four, this March.
The singer-songwriter and former John Peel Lecturer will also appear on Saturday to talk about feminism in conversation with UK Feminista founder, Kat Banyard. Feminism and influential women form a strand of the festival which includes appearances from #EveryDaySexism’s Laura Bates and the legendary Viv Albertine, guitarist in the hugely influential female punk band The Slits.
Renowned BBC Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens will also appear on the festival’s opening day with his personally curated show, Lyricism. Featuring musicians and poets discussing their lyrics, influences and inspirations, Huw will talk to legendary Welsh music figures David R Edwards and Geraint Jarman, as well as spoken word artist Stephen Camden, aka Polarbear. The event will feature a special set from bilingual pop artist and BBC 6 Music favourite Sweet Baboo.
Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Cate Le Bon, who hails from Carmarthenshire, will perform on Saturday 21 June, ahead of the mischievous Adrian Edmondson & the Bad Shepherds. Saturday will see the largest number of music performances, with Welsh acts including singer-songwriter Dan Bettridge, pop-duo Trwbador and the Alex Dingley Band.
Sunday 22 June will see headline performances from Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor, who has recently released his second solo album, and festival favourite and all-round music legend, Gruff Rhys. Gruff will present American Interior, his unique telling of the true story of the 18th century Welsh explorer John Evans through a multisensory experience. Rising star Richard Dawson will also take the stage that day; his last album, The Glass Trunk, was named Leftfield Album of the Year by The Sunday Times’ Stewart Lee, and appeared at number 4 in The Wire’s albums of 2013.
This year’s music programme will take place against a backdrop of spoken word events from writers and poets to comedians. Highlights include a comedy programme, curated by the Junket Club, which includes: award-winning comedian Bridget Christie, who’ll be performing her hit show ‘A Bic for Her’ and trying out new material ahead of the Edinburgh Festival; Mike Wozniak, whose ‘Take The Hit’ show was nominated for the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award 2013; Clare Ferguson-Walker, who Phil Jupitus describes as ‘absurdly talented’; BBC Radio 4 regular Jeremy Hardy; and Elis James, one of Wales’ hottest young comedians.
With other highlights including a discussion with the producers of Welsh detective hit, Hinterland, a talk by Costa Award Winning novelist Nathan Filer, Shaun Usher presenting the hugely popular Letters of Note and an appearance from Owen Sheers, one of Wales’ best-loved modern poets, the 2014 Dinefwr Literature Festival promises the best in high quality contemporary literature, comedy, visual arts and music.
For the full line-up of music, literature, comedy and events for children visit the festival website: www.dinefwrliteraturefestival.co.uk
Tickets
Both weekend and day tickets are available for the festival. Adult Weekend passes are £65, with a discount for National Trust, Literature Wales and Cadw members and University of Wales Trinity Saint David students and staff. Discounted tickets are also available for Local Residents (see website for applicable local postcodes); and an Older Persons Weekend Ticket (60+) is also available. Adult Day Tickets start at £25; children under 5 go free, and weekend and day tickets for children aged 6-16 are £10 and £5 respectively. Camping tickets are an additional £20 per tent for a maximum of four people sharing. For full ticket information visit: www.dinefwrliteraturefestival.co.uk
