It wouldn’t be Sŵn without a fat helping of Welsh weather, now would it? With the heavens threatening to open over Cardiff on the festival’s first night, October’s familiar downpours would soon be a reality. Thankfully, one of Sŵn’s biggest blessings is that its venues are rarely more than a stone’s throw apart, making it easy enough to dodge the storm and take shelter in the city’s many pubs, bars and clubs. Wellies weren’t necessarily an essential, but certainly might've come in handy as the 2026 edition excitedly got under way. 

Back for another year, Cardiff’s celebration of new music once again promised three days of fresh discoveries, rising talent and late-night adventures across the city. From intimate backrooms to packed-out venues, Sŵn has long made a name for itself as a champion of the next wave, bringing together the sounds and faces that will no doubt be filling bigger stages in the years to come. 

With the rain showing little to no sign of letting up, there was only one thing for it: to head inside and see what this year’s festival had to offer.

Thursday
Bouncing between venues and hoping the next downpour could be avoided, first up, John Francis Flynn brought soft folk nuances to the downstairs room of Clwb, while Pixie McCann offered a complete change of pace over at Tiny Rebel, showcasing her towering pop sensibilities. Menig then delivered an enrapturing performance, channelling shades of King Krule across a backdrop of convulsing beats and off-kilter sounds. Remarkably, it was the band’s first time performing together, though you wouldn’t have known it from the confidence on show. 

A short hop between venues, and the evening’s pinball routine continued. Over at Fuel, Mould were tearing through a packed room of low ceilings and musty aromas, the close quarters only added to the impact of their chest-rattling basslines and powerful riffs. Back at Clwb, the downstairs room had quickly reached capacity ahead of Lauren Auder. Eventually squeezing my way inside, it was easy to see what all the fuss was about. Armed with a run of powerful pop hits, she commanded the room before stepping into the crowd for a moment of spiritual intensity, repeating the refrain, ‘you can change your life’, as the audience hung on every word. 

Following Little Grandad's blistering three-part vocal harmonies, I was back in the sheltering warmth of Clwb’s downstairs, or what could only be described as hell by this point (please, install aircon, we're begging you). Despite the heat, Sundayclub kept things moving with their hazy guitars and fuzzy textures. But with the room’s sweaty atmosphere reaching fever pitch, it was back upstairs for some respite where Working Men’s Club brought my night to a close with their trademark pulsing electronics.

With little time to catch your breath between sets the first night was over in the blink of an eye. But with a packed schedule of new music, a few unexpected discoveries and plenty of places to hide from the weather, it was a fitting start.

Pixie McCann, Swn Festival 2026

Menig, Sŵn Festival 2026

Friday
Friday was a day of half sets with clashes aplenty, but certainly not half measures with the talent on offer. As the venues filled up with the familiar Sŵn scramble in full swing, another stacked afternoon of dashing between stages lay ahead.

Ifan got things underway in Clwb Ifor Bach with an intimate set, drawing a crowd around a table as patched-in electronics and synths added texture to his sound. Then it was a quick dash upstairs to catch the tail end of Pypi Slysh, whose melodies and hazy lo-fi alt-rock offered a fleeting glimpse of what had been unfolding. 

Yoyo-ing back downstairs, Tommy Barlow delivered a powerful performance, pairing frantic strings with a striking contrast between chest-rattling basslines and softer, more palpable vocals. Elsewhere, Personal Trainer were demonstrating exactly why their live shows have earned a reputation for high-octane unpredictability. Packed into the room, the crowd was treated to frontman Willem Smit’s trademark offbeat antics as the band channelled their restless energy into another wonderfully chaotic set.

Over at Tiny Rebel, Neve Cariad was warming up the room with her captivating folk melodies, bolstered by a band whose driving instrumentation gave the songs a newfound weight. It was a sound that filled the space beautifully, striking a balance between intimate songwriting and something altogether more expansive.

A short while later, it was back upstairs in Clwb for Theatre, whose grungy guitars provided the perfect counterpoint to a set of ethereal, haunting vocals. There was a real sense of atmosphere to their performance, with the band’s heavier edges giving the delicate vocal work plenty of room to breathe. 

By now, and unfortunately (for me), Esmeralda Road had already reached capacity when I arrived, but the enforced detour offered a brief opportunity to refuel before heading to St John’s Church for James Emmanuel. Bringing the room to its feet, his soulful performance quickly became a communal affair, with the crowd swept up in the feel-good energy. It was an uplifting change of pace, and a reminder of the unique atmosphere that Sŵn’s more unconventional venues can bring to a live set.

Opting to save my tired legs for Saturday, I stuck around for Honeyglaze who were on hand with the evening’s rockier edge, their towering guitar layers crashing against thrilling percussion as their sound soared to every corner of the room. A great end to a day that offered everything from hushed intimacy to full-throttle live energy, even if the packed schedule meant there was always another set happening just around the corner.

Ifan, Sŵn Festival 2026

Pypi Slysh, Sŵn Festival 2026

Tommy Barlow, Sŵn Festival 2026

Neve Cariad, Sŵn Festival 2026

Theatre, Sŵn Festival 2026

James Emmanuel, Sŵn Festival 2026

Saturday
There’s always a certain nostalgia that creeps in on the final day of Sŵn. With two days of discoveries behind you and the last remaining names on the schedule, Saturday brought that familiar yearning to squeeze every last drop out of the weekend before it all came to an end. Thankfully, there was still plenty left in the tank, with another packed day of new music awaiting.

Spanish Horses kicked things off at Clwb for Bach with a high-octane display of thrashing percussion, wasting little time in getting the final day underway. A short while later and over at a packed downstairs Dermot Henry followed with an incredible vocal performance, drawing Clwb's crowd in with his commanding delivery. Already showing remarkable songwriting prowess, his talent in switching between guitar swinging melodies and earnest deep cutting lyrics only enhanced the quieter moments - it was just a shame in 2026 we're still having to listen to the chatter from the crowd - nobody gives two shits about what you're having for lunch, alri!

A short hop across the road to Fuel offered some welcome respite from the heat with their well endowed air con where Pyncher were throwing out their punchy, angular pop. With another clash-centric day it was then a mad dash over to St John's Church for Blood Wizard, who settled in to sounding right at home in the more spacious surroundings. Their off-kilter melodies and towering hooks crashed around the room, creating a mesmerising wall of sound that only grew more impressive as the set unfolded.

It was then time to get the steps in with a stroll down to Canopi, where Alice Costelloe was making waves with her soft, all-encompassing pop. The band were quick to share their affection for Cardiff, declaring it one of the nicest cities they’d played. When asked where the worst place was, the response prompted a few nervous laughs before a story emerged of a particularly sleazy Berlin show above a strip club that also served curry. An establishment I'm sure you could probably find on St Mary's if you looked hard enough

Back at St John St, Murkage Dave was proving that few settings suit a communal singalong quite like St John’s Church. With the congregation abandoning their pews to gather at the front, his soulful, spoken-word-led songs were brought to life by a live band, transforming the space into something altogether more lively. It was a brilliant reminder of the unexpected settings that make Sŵn such a special festival.

With the queue for Wyatt already snaking down the stairs at Tiny Rebel, it was back to Clwb to catch Cardinals deliver a brilliant display of towering alternative rock. Their expansive sound filled the room, providing another highlight before attention turned to the final big show of the weekend, where all roads led to Tramshed. Manchester’s Westside Cowboy had become one of the most talked-about acts of the festival (and just about anywhere in general). And as the room filled it was clear to see why. Rowdy, buoyant and brimming with energy, their set was driven by pitch-perfect vocals, infectious melodies and the kind of scrappy charm that makes a band feel like they’re on the verge of something much bigger. Tracks like Pin Up Boys landed brilliantly, with the crowd bouncing along as the room threatened to erupt around them. A fitting way to bring the weekend towards its close.

Dermot Henry, Sŵn Festival 2026

Blood Wizard, Sŵn Festival 2026

Alice Costelloe, Sŵn Festival 2026

Westside Cowboy, Sŵn Festival 2026

And that’s the beauty of Sŵn. Year after year, it continues to unearth hidden gems and bring exciting new music to the forefront, placing emerging artists in front of eager crowds ready to lap it all up. From intimate performances in tucked-away rooms to packed-out venues buzzing with the next big thing, there’s a real sense of discovery at every turn. Another stellar year for Cardiff’s champion of new music, and one that left plenty of names to keep an eye on once more. I think it's safe to say, if they could just get some air con fitted to Clwb, and perhaps bring in some more venues to its close proximity circle, it would be pretty much the perfect inner-city music festival.

*****