The final line-up has been recently announced for the 2022 edition of Llais Festival, the flagship international arts festival organised by the Wales Millennium Centre which will fill Cardiff Bay with a variety of acts, from iconic classics to intriguing avant-garde, from the 26th to the 30th of October. It is more than a return to form for the festival after two years of disruption caused by Covid restrictions: indeed, this year’s programme is one of the most ambitious so far, with a number of acts which are guaranteed to satisfy a broad range of tastes. One of the strengths of Llais Festival has always been its international outlook and its ability to balance a spotlight on Welsh voice with a broader scope open to the rest of the UK and indeed the world; this is once again mirrored in the list of artists who will make an appearance in the 2022 edition. It confirms a strong trend for the arts in the Welsh capital this year, which saw Cardiff also hosting the BBC 6 Music Festival.
The Welsh Music Prize will open the proceedings, featuring lives performances from the likes of Dead Method, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, Adwaith, and others. This is the first time that the general public has been able to buy tickets to the ceremony, which is sure to be a showcase of the most interesting highlights Welsh music currently has to ofter. Those interested in catching Welsh artists at the festival must also pay a visit to the Glanfa stage, with three days of free music starting on Friday with an evening showcasing Welsh Black artists, organised by Race Council Cymru. Saturday will see a soul and R&B night, whereas on Sunday indie record label Recordiau Noddfa will take over the stage with a selection of alternative artists.
Another highlight of the festival is sure to be a special performance by the iconic John Cale, who will celebrate his 80th birthday with a show which will see him joined on stage by Cate Le Bon, Gruff Rhys and James Dean Bradfield, as well as Sinfonia Cymru and the House Gospel Choir. Another stand-out live show will see the first live performance of Death Songbook, a collection of songs about death delivered by Suede’s Brett Anderson, Charles Hazlewood, and Paraorchestra, together with Mercury Prize nominee Gwenno.
Those looking to enjoy performances from international artists will have a wide range of choices, from the Russian punk performance art of Pussy Riot to the Texan folk-rock of Midlake, to the jazz piano of South Africa’s Abdullah Ibrahim, as well as a performance by former American National Yout Poet Laureate Kara Jackson. The British contingent is represented by the likes of experimental rockers Black Midi and grime pioneer D Double E.
The festival will also be accompanied by the City of Sound exhibition, a showcase of stand-out items from the archives of Cardiff Music History, including historical posters, presented together with interviews showing the human face of Cardiff’s music scene. A number of virtual reality and film installations will also be available for visitors to enjoy in between live performances.
Llais 2022 is promising to outdo previous editions by bringing to Cardiff Bay five days of events which will showcase voice as an artistic tool in all its multifaceted forms. With so much to look forward to, this may well be the most intriguing edition of the festival yet.
https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/festival-of-voice
Main image: Pussy Riot