Between the Trees, the nature and science festival set in a coastal woodland nature reserve, has announced a ‘boundary-pushing’ line-up of alternative folk acts appearing across the weekend of 22-24 August.
Against a backdrop of growing popularity for folk and country music in the UK, Between the Trees has curated a mix of folk-based genres including indie-folk, alt-folk, nu-folk, acoustic roots, folktronica and country & Americana.
Artists appearing at the festival this month include indie folk acts Matthew and the Atlas, Rusty Shackle, Firewoodisland (a Norwegian-Welsh duo), Sam Kelly, The Dunwells and Tide Lines. Country & Americana performers include The Wandering Hearts, Alex Hart, Blair Dunlop, The Goudies and Our Atlantic Roots – alongside folktronica artists Valtos and DJ Ford Dimensional.
The festival was founded in 2014 by a pair of former educators, Andrew Thomas and Dawn Wood. Andrew explains:
“We’ve seen a folk revival in the UK, driven by young performers popularising the traditional musical styles of their ancestors, while composing new songs with socially and politically aware lyrics and modernising the folk sound.
“This more contemporary form of folk music, especially folktronica, has been pioneered by both the Irish and Scottish folk scenes, and they’ve developed huge followings and strong fan bases.
“Appropriately enough, given our location, we’re thrilled that the modern contemporary sound is starting to be grouped under the broad-leaf canopy of “Forest Folk”. It’s great to be bringing some of the acts at the forefront of this new sound – some of whom have never before played in Wales – to perform at Between the Trees. Plus we always support artists from Wales and music in the Welsh language.
“And it’s been impossible this year to miss the rise of country music in the UK – with Taylor Swift filling stadiums across the country and Shania Twain headlining Glastonbury. It’s one of the fastest growing genres in the UK and it’s great to see British-based country bands doing well – and in some cases, even touring in the States. We have one of the most popular touring acts from this new wave of alt-country-folk music – The Wandering Hearts – headlining our country line up.
“A big part of the Between the Trees mission is to nurture new talent and support emerging artists – and with visitors coming from all over the UK, Europe and even the USA, I’m thrilled to be providing a platform for that talent,” he said.
With its focus on nature & science, the festival aims to reconnect people to the natural world. Set in Candleston Woods, part of the Merthyr Mawr Warren National Nature Reserve, Between the Trees features a blend of original indie folk music, art and spoken word within a mission to bring together an inclusive community with an interest in new ideas and creativity.
Festival co-founder Dawn Wood said:
“We couldn’t have found a more suitable site – Merthyr Mawr is a haven for wildlife, with its magical woodland areas, magnificent sand dunes and the sea beyond.
“With that as a backdrop, we run a programme of activities to help people reconnect with the natural world – and a range of well-being activities including massage therapies, meditation, a wood-fired sauna and a range of nature-themed walks and talks.
“We bring together authors and spoken word performers – all experts in their area of interest – to talk about nature, philosophy, land and science. This year, we have a zone dedicated to permaculture, exploring our links to the land and the positive impact we can have on the environment – or people can learn something new with our woodland skills, crafts, arts and music workshops.
“It’s a place for people to switch off, disconnect from technology and be in nature,” she said.
Day and weekend tickets are available at betweenthetrees.co.uk/tickets/
