{"id":32265,"date":"2019-02-12T13:41:19","date_gmt":"2019-02-12T13:41:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=32265"},"modified":"2019-02-12T13:41:19","modified_gmt":"2019-02-12T13:41:19","slug":"roath-festival-celebrates-welsh-folk-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/02\/12\/roath-festival-celebrates-welsh-folk-music\/","title":{"rendered":"Roath festival celebrates Welsh folk music"},"content":{"rendered":"

A CELEBRATION of folk and Celtic music will be coming to Cardiff next month, when some of the nation\u2019s most exciting up and coming artists arrive in Roath.
\nWelsh singers and songwriters such as VR\u00ef, The Backroom Band and Cardiff\u2019s own Gareth Bonello with The Gentle Good, will join many others at The Gate on March 2 for a day-long celebration.
\nWith tickets selling fast, around 200 people are expected \u2013 which will be the biggest turn-out for an event at the venue to date.
\n\u201cWe could have tried to sell more,\u201d said festival co-ordinator Joe Marvelly, 28, \u201cBut we wanted to make sure the venue wasn\u2019t too overcrowded.
\n\u201cWe want an atmosphere where people can listen comfortably and the artists don\u2019t have to struggle to be heard.\u201d
\nThe converted Presbyterian Church \u2013 which is home to a dance studio and impressive art gallery – allows for a connection between the audience and performers. And like many places in artsy Roath, appreciating the music is paramount.
\n\u201cLike our events before it, while there will be more here, we want to maintain our approach in trying to shape the festival in a way that people can come and be totally engrossed in the music,\u201d said Mr Marvelly.
\nAs well as supporting local talent, the event is also open to artists from further afield.
\nStaff member Helen Tower, 25, said; \u201cAt The Gate we want to celebrate creativity in all its forms, and we are really excited that folk music is starting to have its own home in Cardiff.
\n\u201cWe believe that everyone is creative whatever that looks like, and that life is better when you can be free to explore that.\u201d
\nThe initiative has received funding from Arts Council Wales, without which the event would \u201cnot have been possible\u201d, according to Ms Tower.
\n\u201cThey have helped us get it off the ground and they do great work in investing in local artists and Roath too.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re really excited about I. With that many artist performing on the same day – it\u2019s going to be the first event of its kind.\u201d
\nThe event will conclude in a community fashion befitting of Roath\u2019s art scene, arm in arm with Scottish Ceilidh dancing.<\/p>\n