Where good music matters
Welcome to Where Good Music Matters - our outstanding and acclaimed music season that offers you life enhancing live music experiences across our venues.
From rock to folk, blues to Americana, pop to singer-songwriters, world music and roots, each season contains an exciting mix of established musicians plus up-and-coming talent, performing in a range of unique settings.
From the incredibly intimate bar areas in our venues, to a gallery overlooked by a stunning church window, to the small and atmospheric auditoriums, our venues' performance spaces are perfect for sharing the most amazing musical performances. No need for big screens with us – at our venues you see and feel everything up close and personal!
Development
Each year, we aim to bring something new to the seasons. This season we teamed up with The Grand Pavillion in Porthcawl and independent music promoters Gathered In Song to bring you the Across The Borders - a two day festival of International Americana and alt folkin early September that was very well received and starts the development of a partnership with Bridgend County Borough Council.
Next season
The winter/spring 2010 where good music matters season will include some amazing highlights such as the outstanding Beth Nielsen Chapman at The Park & Dare on Thursday 18 February, a Feast of Fiddles at The Muni on Thursday 1 April, and a music festival in the Rhondda that culminates in 2 gigs at The Park & Dare - The Wilders on Friday 7 May, and An Audience with Rick Wakeman on Saturday 8 May.
Next season also welcomes to our venues as part of the Where Good Music Matters season:
The Steve Howe Trio at The Muni on Friday 13 March
Zebrahead at The Muni on Monday 22 March
Breabach at The Muni on Thursday 25 March
Salsa Celtica at The Muni on Friday 23 April
Mike Markey & Nick Jones at The Park & Dare on Friday 12 February
The Blues Band at The Park & Dare on Saturday 27 March
Larry Garner & Norman Beaker at The Park & Dare on Thursday 6 May
Hayseed Dixie at The Muni on Thursday 27 May
Ade Edmonson & the Bad Shepherds at The Muni on Thursday 24 June
Other music events at the venues include:
The Bohemians - the ultimate Queen tribute show, endorsed by the fan club and a certain Mr May - at The Coliseum on Saturday 20 March
Taffyfest - celebrating Wales with Martyn Joseph and Amy Wadge and special guests, at The Muni on Saturday 27 February
Phantom of the Musicals on Saturday 6 March at the Muni
New Breed - a series of gigs featuring local up and coming bands, a co-production with deadstar productions and our arts development team - at The Muni - Sat 10 April, 29 May, 11 September and 30 October.
London Community Gospel Choir at The Park & Dare on Thursday 28 January
Magic of the Beatles at The Coliseum on Saturday 9 October
Check out the new brochure on-line from December 4th in the downloads section for further details, or buy your tickets online from that date.
Autumn/Winter 09'
Breabach
| Showing | 25 Mar 2010 - 26 Mar 2010 |
|---|---|
| venue | Muni |
| categories | Seasons, Where good music matters, Art Forms, Family, Folk, Special Offers, Group Discount, The Early Bird (catches a great deal!), Valleys Roots |
| Prices |
Tickets
£10.00 Valleys Roots £9.00 Early Bird £7.00 |
Thursday 25 March 8.00pm
Cabaret Style Seating.
Scottish firebrands Breabach are one of the most talked about bands on the folk scene. Their innovative Celtic style, blending double bagpipes, flute, fiddle, song and Scottish stepdance, brings to the stage, flare, excitement and diversity rarely seen from such a young group. Their enviable musicianship is coupled with a delightful ability to connect with their audience and has gained Breabach international recognition as one of Scotland’s leading new acts.
-11_smaller-173x130.jpg)
The Blues Band
| Showing | 27 Mar 2010 - 28 Mar 2010 |
|---|---|
| venue | Park & Dare |
| categories | Seasons, Where good music matters, Art Forms, Blues / Jazz, Special Offers, Group Discount, The Early Bird (catches a great deal!) |
| Prices |
Tickets
£17.50 Early Bird £14.50 |
Saturday 27 March 8.00pm
PAUL JONES, DAVE KELLY, ROB TOWNSEND, GARY FLETCHER and TOM McGUINNESS
The Blues Band are celebrating their 30th year together!
Arguably the most successful Blues Band in Britain today, these blues lovers and great showmen continue to delight audiences with their extensive mix of Rhythm & Blues and Roots music. Powerful and emotional lead vocals from Paul Jones and Dave Kelly are the 'icing' on an evening of authentic blues music. After 30 years of performing together, the integral voices and instruments interlock seamlessly with feeling and understanding. You won't leave a Blues Band concert with 'the blues'
Feast of Fiddles
| Showing | 01 Apr 2010 - 02 Apr 2010 |
|---|---|
| venue | Muni |
| categories | Seasons, Where good music matters, Art Forms, Family, Folk, Special Offers, Group Discount, The Early Bird (catches a great deal!), Valleys Roots |
| Prices |
Tickets
£16.50 Valleys Roots Members £15.50 Students £8.00 Early Bird £12.50 |
Thursday 1 April 8.00pm
This 12 piece compendium of British folk stars featuring six of the finest fiddle players in the land,: Ian Cutler (Bully Wee Band), Tom Leary ( Tanna), Chris Leslie (Fairport Convention), Phil Beer (Show Of Hands) Peter Knight (Steeleye Span), Brian McNeill (ex Battlefield Band) and Garry Blakeley, backed by folk-rock drumming legend Dave Mattacks, is the ultimate super-group .
Expect a rousing performance of stirring music and some jaw-droppingly good musicianship. Every musical genre is covered and the dynamic range is huge.
Salsa Celtica
| Showing | 23 Apr 2010 - 24 Apr 2010 |
|---|---|
| venue | Muni |
| categories | Seasons, Where good music matters, Art Forms, Family, World / Roots music, Special Offers, Group Discount, The Early Bird (catches a great deal!), Valleys Roots |
| Prices |
Tickets
£15.50 Valleys Roots Members £14.50 Early Bird £12.50 |
Friday 23 April 8.00pm
Standing Gig.
Salsa Celtica’s high energy fusion of Latin and Celtic sounds and rhythms make for an irresistible invitation to hit the dance floor. Their exuberant Latino rhythms bring audiences to their feet and leaves them gasping at Celtica’s irrepressible energy and inventiveness. Once seen never forgotten, their music gets into the blood and blasts away the boundaries that define where musical genres begin and end.
Larry Garner & The Norman Beaker Band
| Showing | 06 May 2010 - 07 May 2010 |
|---|---|
| venue | Park & Dare |
| categories | Seasons, Where good music matters, Art Forms, Blues / Jazz, Special Offers, 12 Bar Blues Club, Group Discount |
| Prices |
Tickets
£16.50 Blues Club Members £13.00 |
Thursday 6 May 8.00pm
American bluesman Larry Garner has found a true musical soul mate in British blues veteran Norman Beaker. Garner may have paid his dues in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, while Beaker cut his gigging teeth in northern England; put them on stage together, though, and they are definitely drawing from the same musical roots.
Garner’s powerful vocals and expressive musicianship make him a natural front man his songs are delivered with a sense of irony with lyrics that are both meaningful and amusing, added to this Larry has a wonderfully expressive voice, is a fine guitarist and a great performer.
The Wilders
| Showing | 07 May 2010 - 08 May 2010 |
|---|---|
| venue | Park & Dare |
| categories | Seasons, Where good music matters, Art Forms, Folk, Special Offers, Group Discount |
| Prices |
Tickets
£10.50 |
Friday 7 May 8.00pm
This Kansas City-based folk four-piece are famed for their hillbilly sound, with a line-up including fiddle, guitar, piano, clawhammer, banjo, dobro, mandolin, bass and vocals, The Wilders merge classic country roots with blues grass with whirlwind contemporary energy and a twist of rock'n'roll – an infectious combination.
"Known for a foot-stomping, fiddle-shredding live show, this Kansas City quartet delivers quite the good time on its latest." Country Standard Time
An Evening with Rick Wakeman
| Showing | 08 May 2010 - 09 May 2010 |
|---|---|
| venue | Park & Dare |
| categories | Art Forms, Rock / Pop, Variety / Light Entertainment, Seasons, Where good music matters, Special Offers, Group Discount, The Early Bird (catches a great deal!) |
| Prices |
Tickets
£21.50 Early Bird £18.00 |
Saturday 8 May 8.00pm
The brilliant multi-keyboard front man with legendary progressive rock band Yes - now a regular on Grumpy Old Men and Countdown, Rick Wakeman has sold 50 million records in an amazing career spanning 40 years. He is blessed with irrepressible wit and his hilarious observations tell of his extraordinary life and amazing friends in hilarious and almost unbelievable episodes. Rick's live shows range from rock to classical, from new age and new world music interwoven with incredibly funny storytelling.
SKIN
| Showing | 06 Jun 2010 - 06 Jun 2010 |
|---|---|
| venue | Muni |
| categories | Art Forms, Rock / Pop, Seasons, Where good music matters, Special Offers, Group Discount |
| Prices |
In Advance
£15.00 On The Door £17.00 |
Sunday 6 June 7.30pm
Standing Gig
After two UK tours, an incendiary performance at Download 2009 and a limited edition new album ‘Up Close & Personal’ this UK based rock group are back – and ready to rock!
Ade Edmondson & The Bad Shepherds
| Showing | 24 Jun 2010 - 25 Jun 2010 |
|---|---|
| venue | Muni |
| categories | Seasons, Where good music matters, Art Forms, Folk, Rock / Pop, Special Offers, Group Discount, Valleys Roots |
| Prices |
Tickets
£16.00 Valleys Roots Members £15.00 |
Thursday 24 June 8.00pm
With support from Ella Edmondson.
AND now for something completely different. A fun evening of folk, punk and blasphemy to be exact with Ade Edmondson (famous for his anarchic antics as Vivien on the cult comedy The Young Ones) and his band. Nominated for Best Live Act in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards this highly unique band play punk classics from The Clash, The Sex Pistols, The Jam, The Undertones and Squeeze on traditional Celtic instruments – the result is a rousing gig, superb musicianship and a lot of fun too!
A Foreigners Journey
| Showing | 16 Jul 2010 - 16 Jul 2010 |
|---|---|
| venue | Muni |
| categories | Art Forms, Rock / Pop, Seasons, Where good music matters, Special Offers, Group Discount |
| Prices |
Tickets
£10.00 |
Friday 16 July 7.30pm
Standing Gig
Paying tribute to two of the biggest rock bands of our time Foreigner and Journey, and performing one classic rock anthem after another including Waiting for a Girl Like You, I Want to Know What Love Is, Cold as Ice, and Don’t Stop Believing, this amazing new spectacular show is every bit just as good as the real thing!
‘‘Come and check out this amazing band, they really ROCK!’’ Jeff Pilson, Foreigner
