Green Man festival ones to watch - five acts to see at Brecon Beacons

Grreen Man (Credit: Green Man Facebook page)

Green Man (Credit: Green Man Facebook page)

As Green Man festival approaches its 15th anniversary, Getintothis’ Luke Traynor has the details and five acts you won’t want to miss.

Celebrating their 15th anniversary, Green Man festival returns with full force.

Green Man once again vies for the title of most picturesque summer festival, so obviously stunning is the Welsh mountainous backdrop to this now well-established four-day celebration of music, literature, film, comedy, theatre and poetry.

Line-up wise, matters appear promising, with PJ Harvey, Ryan Adams and Future Islands headlining the Mountain Stage on successive nights.

Adams, a country music icon with 16 albums reeled off since his debut release, Heartbreaker, back in 2000 is a strong Saturday booking while PJ Harvey returns to Wales for the first time in 10 years, buoyed by a classic set at Glastonbury in 2016.

Shoegazing legends Ride promise to be a big hit, while St Etienne, Julian Cope, Sleaford Mods, The Shins and Kate Tempest cover most courses of a traditional diet which is alternative, indie, folk, dance and Americana-flavoured.

The ‘In Conversation’ arena looks intriguing itself, with Billy Bragg, Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh and opera turned popular singer Charlotte Church among guests penciled in for a festival that prides itself on its non-corporate, ethical approach, a stance which has seen Green Man win awards including Best Medium Sized Festival 2010 and Grass Roots Festival 2012.

Past years have offered up an eyebrow-raising 17 separate stages, with ceilidhs, all-night bonfires and secret gigs forming a brew which is increasingly quenching, diverse and eclectic.

Hosts Pete Paphides and Bob Stanley return again for another round of the annual Pop Quiz for those wanting to put their knowledge to the test. Factor in all the usual promise of top-notch food, craft-brewed beers, hot tubs in the drizzly open air, and a main stage with views to die for, Green Man seems to have hit upon something special.

In an attempt to make sure you don’t miss some gems, we’ve picked five ones to watch that might just pass you by.

Michael Kiwanuka

Michael Kiwanuka
In terms of comparisons, Michael Kiwanuka couldn’t have hoped for much better, parallels being drawn between his warm chocolaty voice and both Marvin Gaye AND Van Morrison.

Winning the BBC’s Sound Of 2012 award, his music has nods to folk and pop, as much as the obvious soul groove, and this weekend, he’s set to play tracks from his experimental second album – Love & Hate.

British Sea Power

British Sea Power

One of the most reliable guitar band’s of the last 15 years, British Sea Power returned this spring with another formidable burst of colour with their phenomenal new album Let The Dancers Inherit The Party.

The Cumbrian sextet are singled out for their live performances, a wailing and cackling pot of bonhomie that will leave Green Man with a broad smile as wide as the festival’s mountain stage.

Kate Tempest

Kate Tempest

Musician, poet, playwright, spoken-word artist… There’s much that Kate Tempest turns her hand to that pushes the boundaries of that medium.

A winner of The Ted Hughes Award for her Brand New Ancients poetry collection, a Mercury Prize nominee for her 2014 debut album, and a Top 30 charting artist for last year’s Let Them Eat Chaos album, Tempest is a multi-layered, multi-talented artist.

D.D Dumbo (taken from festival website)

D.D Dumbo

D.D Dumbo is the sobriquet for Australian songwriter Oliver Perry who came to prominence for his live solo show which consists of a 12-string guitar, two drums, and many a pedal to shape his bluesy pop into something aurally arresting..

Last year’s debut LP was a genuine triumph; weird, wonderful, and, vitally, full of warmth.

Moddi by Jørgen Nordby Henriksen (taken from artists facebook),

Moddi

Better know to his friends and family with the wonderful name Pål Moddi Knutsen, Moddi is a Norwegian musician who has spent the past decade honing his charming take on folk-pop.

Referring to himself as a singer and storyteller, Moddi is perhaps best known for his reinterpretations of other people’s music; from the hushed intimacy of Vashti Bunyan to the more formidable work of Pussy Riot.

Also know as a political activist, Moddi likes to use his music to support the causes he respects, and his 2016 Unsongs LP featured cover versions of twelve “banned songs” from twelve different countries.

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