Gŵyl Tawe makes a welcome return this summer

Gŵyl Tawe has announced its welcome return this summer, sharing its eagerly awaited line-up of some of the most exciting artists working in the Welsh language today.

One of the highlights of Swansea’s summer events, the festival will take place at the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea on Saturday 8 June.

Cymraeg

Following a successful first year at its new home in 2023, the festival will once again see performances by a whole host of alternative, contemporary artists who use the Welsh language in varied and exciting ways.

Amongst the names performing this year will be N’famady Kouyaté and HMS Morris. 

N’famady Kouyaté is a young energetic master musician from Guinea (Conakry), who relocated to Cardiff (Wales) in 2019.

A talented multi-instrumentalist who wowed audiences across the UK and Ireland with his modern interpretations of traditional West African Mandingue songs and rhythms supporting Gruff Rhys on the Pang! album tour.

N’famady’s primary instrument is the balafon – the traditional wooden xylophone, sacred to West African culture and his family heritage of the griot/djeli.

Talent

N’famady won the 2023 Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition, and he will be bringing his full band set to Gŵyl Tawe this summer, returning to Swansea for the first time since his sold-out show at Elysium in June 2022.  

Bill Cummings, God Is In The TV, described his performances as “a kaleidoscope of vibrant sounds and colours, a mesmerizing and joyous introduction to a truly international artist.”

HMS Morris are a bilingual, award-winning, female-fronted art-rock four-piece from Cardiff, Wales.

Supported by the esteemed Bubblewrap Collective (Georgia Ruth, Boy Azooga, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzzard, Sweet Baboo), they have now released three critically acclaimed albums, ‘Interior Design’, ‘Inspirational Talks,’ and 2023’s ‘Dollar Lizard Money Zombie’.

They’ve earned a reputation for their innovative and multi-dimensional sound that pushes boundaries and explores uncharted territories. 

Also performing across the festival’s main open-air stage and the second stage in the heart of the museum will be Bitw, Breichiau Hir, Ci Gofod, KIM HON, Mellt, Parisa Fouladi, and Worldcub, with more names still to be announced. 

Free event

The event is completely free to attend, with the museum opening at 10am and the entertainment running until 9PM.

As well as the live music, there will also be interactive theatre shows for families, performances from local schools, and a variety of creative workshop activities delivered from Menter Iaith Abertawe’s partners’ stalls in the museum foyer. 

Tomos Jones; Head Officer, Menter Iaith Abertawe / Gŵyl Tawe, Creative Director said: “We are excited to share the first names for Gŵyl Tawe 2024 with everyone.

“The feedback from our first year at the museum was brilliant, and we are very glad that we’re able to return this June.

“We are all looking forward to another fantastic day of Welsh language culture and music, all for free in the heart of Swansea city centre.”

For the first time this year, the festival will also expand to two days with a special closing party with Melin Melyn at The Bunkhouse on Sunday 9 June to round off the weekend’s celebrations.

Melin Melyn have constantly confounded listeners with their unique blend of psychedelic surf-rock, folk and pop that set them apart from almost all other modern contemporaries and have drawn deserved comparisons to Super Furry Animals and Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci.

Their last show at The Bunkhouse was a sell-out, so advance booking is advised for this one-off ticketed show – tickets are now available here.  

Gŵyl Tawe 2024 is delivered by Menter Iaith Abertawe in partnership with Museum Wales, with further support from Swansea Council, Gower College Swansea, and The Bunkhouse Swansea.