New additions to the site

So there are a few new additions to the site. Firstly there is now a guides section  here. Which (as the name suggests) has guides to help bands. The first is on getting gigs and what to do with your new demo CD.

Secondly I have launced the WelshGigs API. For us geeks its a way of getting info out of WelshGigs and on to other sites and apps. Basically when you add a gig to WelshGigs that data could be spread around the web to other gig sites, mobile phone applications and even to radio and magazines. You can find more out here on how to use APIs.

Dont forget to sign up and add your gigs. If your in a band and already have info on the site let me know your email address used to sign up and I will link your band to your login details.

Thanks,
Tom

The Globes Mini Festival

The globe are still looking for bands and promoters to fill slots in their Mini Festival in January. Search facebook for "theglobe cardiff" or click http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001783518564.

Some info on the festival here:

Independent Cardiff live music venue, The Globe, are hosting twenty nights of local live music this January for only £4 per gig to help kick-start your 2011. The mini-festival is called Twenty4Eleven and aims to bring twenty nights of quality local live music to the suburb of Roath to help beat those January blues. The twenty gigs will be hosted by local promoters and will feature the cream of Cardiff's talent, from Tuesday to Saturday each week.

Contributors Wanted

Hello,

Welcome to the new look Welshgigs. A lot has changed under the bonet and I would like to open up the site to any who wants to have a voice in the Welsh scene.

I am looking for people to keep the site up to date with news, gigs, bands and every thing else that goes along with live music in Wales. Also you would have the ability to add info to gigs, bands and venues.

So if you have any news, reviews, photos or any info on the Welsh music scene please let me know and become a part of WelshGigs.

Hope you had a good christmas and have a good new year!

Thanks,
Tom :)

Best of 2010 3hr Mixtape

From the Adam Walton Show: Listen Here

This week's show is my 3 hour mixtape of the best Welsh sounds it has been my pleasure to play in 2010. I played over 1200 different pieces of music in the last 12 months -- trimming those down to less than 60 was an enormously difficult challenge… I've left things on the 

cutting room floor that I love dearly. A measure that it has been a Very Good Year Indeed.

I hope it's an intriguing snapshot of the Welsh music the show has celebrated this year. There are glaring holes: there's very little in the way of the [successful] rock from The Valleys. To my mind, Kids In Glass Houses, Straight Lines, Attack Attack! et al get a lot of support elsewhere… it's not really my thing, and it's undignified and top drawer fakery to pretend otherwise.

But what is contained therein is fascinating, imaginative and inspirational.

This being my 1st Sunday off since August (I'm not actually in studio tonight), I was planning on going to the pub and having a few cold Guinness   es… maybe needling my Australian friends about events in the cricket. But I can't wait to hear what this labour of love sounds like so I will be tweeting the playlist live from home… the difference being I'll be doing it with a couple of bottles of wine handy. I may even break into my chocolate orange if I'm feeling daring.

There are NO LINKS within the programme itself. The only speech is at the start, the end, with a short ident every half hour, or so.

I'll be at: http://twitter.com/welshmusic if you fancy following the playlist. I'll probably be on Facebook chat too. I do hope you enjoy this. I think the music is great - and in many cases - extraordinary. I hope you feel the same way. This is all about sharing great sounds.

Right - 10pm *TONIGHT*, BBC Radio Wales - details of how to tune in available at the link below:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00wmxrt/Adam_Walton_19_12_2010/

Happy New Year / Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

Technical note: the 'mix' was assembled using 2 Pioneer CDJ800's, a Pioneer mixer, Traktor, a lot of strong coffee, and - one Saturday morning at 4am -  a couple of pints of Guinness. I didn't just drop the tracks into Ableton Live and let that do the work… God, no! Which is why it's shonky as hell (in places) the kind of thing that would give someone like Soundhog luminous nightmares.

Anyway… I'm going to make myself a cup of tea and practise my fast typing!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas :)

New Site

Welcome to WelshGigs.

Come in and enjoy the new site, full of gigs, bands, venues, promoters, practice rooms and any thing else you need to keep the live music alive in Wales.

Sign up and add your band and gigs and spread the word :)

Tom

BBC Radio Wales & Radio Cymru review

The BBC is carrying out an in-depth review of the BBC's national radio stations in Wales.  If you would like to add what you think about BBC Radio Wales & Radio Cymru, please complete the online survey HERE.

Make sure you plug for a Welsh wide gig guide :)

Advanced Study Awards in Music

A Joint Project between Arts Council of Wales and the Coalfields Regeneration Trust Talent Nurture Fund
Funding to support advanced (postgraduate) musical training for promising musicians from Wales. The training should take place in a recognised college or conservatoire, last not less than one academic year and start during the academic year 2011/2012.

Guidelines for January 2011 - January 2012 available for download Here

The closing date for applications is Friday, 28th January 2011.
Application forms will not be released after Friday, 14th January 2011.

BBCs top Welsh albums of 2010

For the past two weeks or so BBC have been asking for your thoughts as to the best Welsh album of 2010.

Here we present 10 albums which have caught your eye (and ear) this year, in no particular order, However, it would be remiss of us not to doff our caps to Lostprophets, whose army of fans came out in force for The Betrayed. The Pontypridd band tweeted and retweeted our invitations to participate and it's testament to the force of social media that hundreds took up those invitations on their behalf.

As it was, it was pretty much down to the indie and rock bands this year: 

Lostprophets - The Betrayed 
Straight Lines - Persistence In This Game 
Colours Of One - Bad News Makes Big Noise 
Kids In Glass Houses - Dirt 
The Storys - Luck 
The Last Republic - Parade 
The Automatic - Tear The Signs Down 
Manic Street Preachers - Postcards From A Young Man 
Bullet For My Valentine - Fever 
Attack! Attack! - The Latest Fashion

New Blog

Welcome to WelshGigs

WelshGigs exist to support and help bands in many different ways including; online gig guides; gigs; radio promotion; pa rental and many others most for free.

To see what Welsh Gigs can offer you as a band, promoter, venue, gig go'er or anyone intrested in the Welsh music scene step inside and use the menu to the left to browse Welsh Gigs.

Thanks,
WelshGigs