Independent Venue Week (IVW), the UK’s annual 7-day celebration of independent music and arts venues and the people that own, run and work in them are delighted to reveal Gwenno and rEDOLENT as our Artist Ambassadors for Wales and Scotland.
Both will perform exclusive gigs during the much-loved nationwide event, which returns on January 27th 2025 and will see independent venues from across the UK come together to host hundreds of live events throughout the week.
YolanDa Brown OBE DL, the acclaimed saxophonist, broadcaster, philanthropist, author – and now, independent venue owner – is our overall Artist Ambassador for IVW25.
IVW aims to shine a spotlight on these culturally-important spaces, and encourage fans to start the year by going out, buying a ticket and enjoying a live show.
Since 2014, more than 1m tickets have been sold to IVW events, providing a welcome boost to the live music sector.
From a Welsh and Cornish background, Gwenno is widely recognised as one of the UK’s most daring and innovative musicians, sound artists and singers. Winning the Welsh Music Prize with her debut solo album, Y Dydd Olaf, she subsequently signed to the legendary Heavenly Recordings label for the follow-ups Le Kov and Tresor – both performed in the Cornish language. The latter album, a deeply personal exploration of motherhood, was shortlisted for the 2022 Mercury Prize and named one of BBC Radio 6 Music’s Albums of the Year.
Gwenno will perform a special one-off solo show for IVW25 at the award-winning Acapela Studio on Wednesday 29th January. Originally constructed in 1835, and based in Pentyrch, a village on the western outskirts of Cardiff, the converted chapel serves as both a recording studio and 240-capacity music venue and is renowned for both its architectural beauty and intimacy.
Gwenno’s support acts will be Dean Lligwy and Pat Morgan.
Gwenno said:
“I’m delighted to be this year’s IVW Welsh Ambassador, having spent so much of my musical life playing and going to gigs at independent venues across Wales and beyond for the past 25+ years. I’m so looking forward to performing at the beautiful Acapela in Pentyrch, a venue that I’ve heard so much about and have always wanted to play. I’ll be playing a stripped-back solo piano set of old and new material with a few surprises here and there, and make sure to get down early for the wonderfully elusive ambient solo traveller Dean Lligwy, as well as Welsh music icon Pat Morgan of the band Datblygu for a special solo set.”
Our 2025 Scottish Ambassadors, rEDOLENT, made headlines in October after winning the Scottish Album of the Year Award for their debut album, Dinny Greet. The Edinburgh-based five-piece (brothers Danny and Robin Herbert plus Andrew Turnbull, Robbie White and Alice Hancock) topped an incredibly strong shortlist, including the likes of Arab Strap and Barry Can’t Swim, winning plaudits for their left-field electronic pop.
Fiercely independent, the band have operated on a DIY basis for around ten years, performing sporadically at independent venues around Scotland and the UK. They are planning a very special show for IVW25 – with more details coming soon.
Describing one of his favourite independent venues, Andrew Turnbull from rEDOLENT said:
“One of my most memorable gigs was when I was 17 and went to see The Xcerts at Sneaky Pete’s. They had just released their second album, Scatterbrain, which remains one of my favourite albums to this day. Sneaky Pete’s, though a smaller venue, has an incredible vibe, and I felt so lucky to get a ticket – it felt like a smaller setting for a band as big as The Xcerts. The show was one of the most intense and exciting shows I’ve experienced. The crowd hung on every word during the quiet parts of the songs, and the silence in those moments felt intimate and special. It’s a night I’ll never forget.”
With more than 200 venues already confirmed to participate in IVW25, those wanting to join the celebration have until this Friday (6th December) to sign up.
Sybil Bell, CEO and founder of Independent Venue Week said:
“We’re over the moon to welcome Gwenno and rEDOLENT as our Welsh and Scottish Ambassadors. Alongside YolanDa Brown, they typify the kind of broad and innovative music culture that thrives in independent venues all across the UK.
“One of our biggest aims for IVW is to kickstart the new year with a wave of live shows that encourage fans to come out, buy a ticket, visit their local venue and have an amazing night out. It’s imperative that we support these unique spaces and the artists who appear on their stages all year round, and getting out in January is the best way to kick that support off.”
Meanwhile, details of new IVW shows and activities continue to be uploaded on a daily basis.
See here for more details.
Artists and DJ’s already confirmed to perform include:
Ibibio Sound Machine, Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand, Heavy Lungs, Caoilfhionn Rose, OneDa, Lake Street Drive, Gilles Peterson, The Magic Numbers, Rhoda Dakar, The Cactus Blossoms, E L U C I D, The Bug Club, Ryley Walker, Kublai Khan TX, Dirty Blonde, Lizzie Esau, Red Method, Martyn Joseph, Joshua Radin, Du Blonde, Cattle Decapitation, The Hara, Do Nothing, Dodgy, Utah Saints, Ten Fé, James Walsh, Fightmilk, Home Counties, C Duncan, KEG, The Covasettes, The Clause, Home Counties, Avalanche Party, Fyfe Dangerfield, GIRLBAND!, Tom A. Smith, TTSSFU, Daudi Matsiko and many, many more.
IVW’s long-running broadcaster partners, BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Introducing, will announce details of their activities and programming early in the new year.
Official supporters of IVW25 include Arts Council England, Beavertown, TuneCore, PPL, Rockbox and the Welsh Government via Creative Wales.
DATGELU GWENNO a rEDOLENT FEL LLYSGENHADON INDEPENDENT VENUE WEEK AR GYFER CYMRU A’R ALBAN
Mae Independent Venue Week (IVW), dathliad 7 diwrnod blynyddol y DU o leoliadau cerddoriaeth a chelfyddydol annibynnol a’r bobl sy’n berchen arnynt, yn eu rhedeg ac yn gweithio ynddynt yn falch iawn o ddatgelu Gwenno a rEDOLENT fel Llysgenhadon Artistiaid ar gyfer Cymru a’r Alban.
Byddant yn perfformio gigs unigryw yn ystod y digwyddiad poblogaidd ledled y wlad, sy’n dychwelyd ar Ionawr 27ain 2025 ac a fydd yn cynnwys lleoliadau annibynnol o bob rhan o’r DU yn dod at ei gilydd i gynnal cannoedd o ddigwyddiadau byw drwy gydol yr wythnos.
YolanDa Brown OBE DL, y sacsoffonydd arobryn, y darlledwr, y dyngarwr, yr awdur – a bellach, perchennog lleoliad annibynnol – yw ein Llysgennad Artistiaid cyffredinol ni ar gyfer IVW25.
Nod IVW yw tynnu sylw at y lleoliadau diwylliannol bwysig yma, ac annog cefnogwyr i ddechrau’r flwyddyn drwy godi allan, prynu tocyn a mwynhau sioe fyw.
Ers 2014, mae mwy nag 1m o docynnau wedi cael eu gwerthu i ddigwyddiadau IVW, gan roi hwb i’w groesawu i’r sector cerddoriaeth fyw.
O gefndir Cymreig a Chernywaidd, mae Gwenno yn cael ei chydnabod yn eang fel un o gerddorion, artistiaid sain a chantorion mwyaf beiddgar ac arloesol y DU. Gan ennill y Wobr Cerddoriaeth Gymreig gyda’i halbwm unigol cyntaf, Y Dydd Olaf, fe arwyddodd i label chwedlonol Heavenly Recordings wedyn ar gyfer ei halbymau dilynol, Le Kov a Tresor – gan berfformio’r ddau yn yr iaith Gernyweg. Cyrhaeddodd yr albwm olaf, sy’n archwiliad personol dwfn o’r profiad o fod yn fam, restr fer Gwobr Mercury 2022 a chafodd ei enwi’n un o Albymau’r Flwyddyn gan BBC Radio 6 Music.
Bydd Gwenno yn perfformio sioe unigol arbennig ar gyfer IVW25 yn Stiwdio Acapela, sy’n lleoliad arobryn, ar nos Fercher 29ain Ionawr. Wedi’i adeiladu’n wreiddiol yn 1835, ac wedi’i leoli ym Mhentyrch, pentref ar gyrion gorllewinol Caerdydd, mae’r capel wedi’i drawsnewid yn gwasanaethu fel stiwdio recordio a lleoliad cerddoriaeth sy’n dal 240 o bobl ac mae’n enwog am ei harddwch pensaernïol a’i agosatrwydd.
Yn cefnogi Gwenno bydd Dean Lligwy a Pat Morgan.
Dywedodd Gwenno:
“Rydw i’n falch iawn o fod yn Llysgennad Cymru yr IVW eleni, ar ôl treulio cymaint o fy mywyd cerddorol yn chwarae ac yn mynd i gigs mewn lleoliadau annibynnol ledled Cymru a thu hwnt am y 25+ mlynedd diwethaf. Rydw i’n edrych ymlaen yn fawr at berfformio yn lleoliad hardd Acapela ym Mhentyrch, lleoliad rydw i wedi clywed cymaint amdano ac wedi bod eisiau chwarae ynddo erioed. Fe fydda’ i’n chwarae set piano unigol, wedi’i stripio’n ôl, o ddeunydd hen a newydd gydag ambell syrpreis yma ac acw, a gwnewch yn siŵr eich bod chi’n cyrraedd yn gynnar i glywed y teithiwr unigol rhyfeddol o ddawnus, Dean Lligwy, yn ogystal â’r eicon o’r byd cerddoriaeth Gymraeg, Pat Morgan o’r band Datblygu, ar gyfer set unigol arbennig.”
Fe hawliodd ein Llysgenhadon ni yn yr Alban ar gyfer 2025, rEDOLENT, y penawdau ym mis Hydref ar ôl ennill Gwobr Albwm y Flwyddyn yr Alban am eu halbwm cyntaf, Dinny Greet.
Daeth y band pum aelod o Gaeredin (y brodyr Danny a Robin Herbert a hefyd Andrew Turnbull, Robbie White ac Alice Hancock) i frig rhestr fer anhygoel o gryf, gan gynnwys sêr fel Arab Strap a Barry Can’t Swim, gan ennill clod am eu pop electronig amgen.
Yn ffyrnig o annibynnol, mae’r band wedi gweithredu ar sail DIY ers tua deng mlynedd, gan berfformio’n achlysurol mewn lleoliadau annibynnol o amgylch yr Alban a’r DU. Maen nhw’n cynllunio sioe arbennig iawn ar gyfer IVW25 – gyda mwy o fanylion i ddod yn fuan.
Wrth ddisgrifio un o’i hoff leoliadau annibynnol, dywedodd Andrew Turnbull o rEDOLENT:
“Un o fy gigs mwyaf cofiadwy i oedd pan oeddwn i’n 17 oed ac fe es i i weld The Xcerts yn Sneaky Pete’s. Roedden nhw newydd ryddhau eu hail albwm, Scatterbrain, sy’n dal i fod yn un o fy hoff albymau i hyd heddiw. Er ei fod yn lleoliad llai, mae gan Sneaky Pete’s naws anhygoel, ac roeddwn i’n teimlo mor lwcus o gael tocyn – roedd yn teimlo fel lleoliad llai i fand mor fawr â The Xcerts. Roedd y sioe yn un o’r sioeau mwyaf dwys a chyffrous i mi fod ynddi. Roedd y dorf yn canolbwyntio ar bob gair yn ystod rhannau tawel y caneuon, ac roedd y distawrwydd yn yr eiliadau hynny’n teimlo’n agos ac yn arbennig iawn. Mae’n noson na fydda’ i byth yn ei hanghofio.”
Gyda mwy na 200 o leoliadau eisoes wedi’u cadarnhau i gymryd rhan yn IVW25, mae gan y rhai sydd eisiau ymuno â’r dathliad tan ddydd Gwener yma (6ed Rhagfyr) i gofrestru.
Dywedodd Sybil Bell, Prif Swyddog Gweithredol a sylfaenydd Independent Venue Week:
“Rydyn ni wrth ein bodd yn croesawu Gwenno a rEDOLENT fel ein Llysgenhadon ni ar gyfer Cymru a’r Alban. Ochr yn ochr â YolanDa Brown, maen nhw’n nodweddiadol o’r math o ddiwylliant cerddorol eang ac arloesol sy’n ffynnu mewn lleoliadau annibynnol ledled y DU.
“Un o’n prif nodau ni ar gyfer IVW yw rhoi cychwyn i’r flwyddyn newydd gyda thon o sioeau byw sy’n annog cefnogwyr i godi allan, prynu tocyn, ymweld â’u lleoliad lleol a chael noson anhygoel. Mae’n hollbwysig ein bod ni’n cefnogi’r gofodau unigryw yma a’r artistiaid sy’n ymddangos ar eu llwyfannau nhw, drwy gydol y flwyddyn, a chodi allan ym mis Ionawr yw’r ffordd orau o roi hwb i’r gefnogaeth honno.”
Yn y cyfamser, mae manylion am sioeau a gweithgareddau newydd IVW yn parhau i gael eu huwchlwytho bob dydd. Edrychwch yma am fwy o fanylion. Mae’r artistiaid a’r DJs sydd eisoes wedi cadarnhau y byddant yn perfformio yn cynnwys y canlynol:
Ibibio Sound Machine, Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand, Heavy Lungs, Caoilfhionn Rose, OneDa, Lake Street Drive, Gilles Peterson, The Magic Numbers, Rhoda Dakar, The Cactus Blossoms, E L U C I D, The Bug Club, Ryley Walker, Kublai Khan TX, Dirty Blonde, Lizzie Esau, Red Method, Martyn Joseph, Joshua Radin, Du Blonde, Cattle Decapitation, The Hara, Do Nothing, Dodgy, Utah Saints, Ten Fé, James Walsh, Home Counties, C Duncan, KEG, The Covasettes, The Clause, Home Counties, Avalanche Party, Fyfe Dangerfield, GIRLBAND!, Tom A. Smith, TTSSFU, Daudi Matsiko a llawer, llawer mwy.
Bydd partneriaid darlledu hirsefydlog IVW, BBC Radio 6 Music a BBC Introducing, yn cyhoeddi manylion eu gweithgareddau a’u rhaglenni yn gynnar yn y flwyddyn newydd.
Mae cefnogwyr swyddogol IVW25 yn cynnwys Arts Council England, Beavertown, TuneCore, PPL, Rockbox a Llywodraeth Cymru drwy Cymru Greadigol.
