Swansea Fringe Festival showcases a hundred performers across the city

Amelia Jones 

For one autumn weekend each year, Swansea’s city centre pulses with creative surge: gigs, open-mic poetry, art exhibitions, comedy sets and chance encounters in intimate venues big and small.

The Swansea Fringe, taking place November 27–29, isn’t just a weekend of live shows, it’s a citywide takeover. 

Much like larger festivals, the Fringe transforms pubs, galleries and unexpected corners of the city into stages for emerging and established artists.

Re-established in 2017 after a twenty-year pause, the festival champions local music while inviting guests from across the UK. A spokesperson for Swansea Fringe said the festival is exclusively about: “profiling and platforming the unique, and truly wonderful, grassroots community in Swansea and South Wales.”

Why Horses? 

Playing on the Friday were Why Horses?  Vocalist Gabriel, bassist Les and violinist Will were full of  energy ahead of their debut appearance at Swansea Fringe.

The band got their name from noticing how many bands had “horse” in their names and simply asking themselves, “Why?”

They are often labelled post-punk or post-disco, though their newer material leans into more experimental territory. “We’re adding a bit of slow-core in there,” Gabriel said, “but it’s subtle — just something we’re moving toward.”

It was their first proper trip to Swansea, though Les grew up there. Will joked that even the stormy weather seemed to be warming up for the gig:“We’re all running on a bit of fire and brimstone.”

With many Fringe-goers stumbling into sets without knowing the acts, Why Horses offered a sense of what newcomers could expect. They’re testing new sounds, blending samba, swing and psychobilly into their set. “Just something to get your head bopping.”

Their crowd favourite is “I’ve Got Fever.” “It’s got a lot of energy,” Les said. “Playing the bass on that one is fun, a bit of head-bobbing. I get a bit possessed.” Gabriel added with a laugh, “Sometimes I end up taking my shirt off, but no promises tonight.”

The band recommended catching Casual Smart, Spirited Followers and Grey FLX over the weekend, noting the festival’s importance for emerging artists.

“It might be smaller than something like Sŵn or FOCUS Wales,” Gabriel said, “but it helps build your profile and shows you’re part of the local scene.” Les added, “Someone knows someone, you get a gig, or artwork, or a music video. It all helps you get to bigger things.”

Casual Smart  

Cardiff-based indie band Casual Smart also played on Friday night. Vocalist and keyboard player Peter Martin told me the band were invited after organisers reached out over the summer following a Bunkhouse show.

Martin said they’ve developed a real appreciation for the city’s small, close-knit music venues. They “feel busy even when they’re not,” he said. That intimacy allows the band to connect with the crowd.

He laughed as he recalled a recent gig they played in a church where the lights bright they couldn’t see the audience. “It felt like we were performing to no one. Every time people clapped we jumped because we forgot there were about sixty or seventy people there,” he said. 

Smaller spaces give them the freedom to actually talk to audience and create a “communal” atmosphere.

Their pre-show rituals reinforce that closeness. “It always involves a takeaway – usually burgers. A communal band meal helps morale,” he said.

Martin is especially excited to play their latest single “Cranes,” a song rooted in celebrating Wales. “We couldn’t play it at Bunkhouse last time, because my keyboard actually broke mid-set,” he laughed.   

He stressed the Fringe’s value for emerging acts. “For a lot of bands, especially from west Wales, sharing the bill with acts from Brighton and London gives them valuable exposure.”

The musician also credited festivals such as Sŵn with helping raise Casual Smart’s visibility and confidence in their early days.