Organisers are hailing Cardiff’s brand-new music series Blackweir a success after more than 100,000 people enjoyed four massive headlining concerts.
Over the past two weeks, the city’s largest greenfield venue has welcomed iconic global artists Stevie Wonder, Alanis Morissette, Noah Kahan and Slayer.
And today, Cardiff-based DEPOT Live (the live-events arm of Cardiff music venue, DEPOT) and UK promoters Cuffe and Taylor say they are delighted with Blackweir, and hope that this is the start of a regular concert series which could bring world-renowned artists and musicians to the iconic green space at Blackweir Fields alongside the River Taff next year.
Nick Saunders, founder of DEPOT Live said: “To have had such huge artists grace the stage for Blackweir has been incredible.
“From the artists to the music fans, the feedback for Blackweir has been overwhelmingly positive. A first year site is always nerve-wracking but it’s safe to say Blackweir 2025 has been a huge success, and we are excited to work on future plans in consultation with residents and the council.”
More than 3,000 people have been employed across the Blackweir site for the duration of the concerts, with the vast majority of those people being local to Cardiff.
In addition, more than 100,000 people attended the four shows with more than 40% of them travelling from outside Cardiff and Wales.
Nick added: “To be able to have so many local Cardiff businesses and people employed across such a series of major events is very important to us. Not only does it mean we are creating jobs and supporting industry locally, but in turn that money is then reinvested into the local economy by the people who live here.”
Cuffe and Taylor co-founder Peter Taylor added: “When we first started talking about Blackweir we knew it was a very exciting prospect to create a large-scale event space capable of attracting the biggest names in the world of music.
“It takes a small city of people to bring such large events together and we have been able to create several thousand jobs during this period as well as employ people who will work continuously on the events.
“Additionally, the concerts have attracted around 40,000 people to travel to Cardiff. The positive impact that has on the local economy, whether they are day trippers or overnight guests, is a massive benefit and it is really pleasing to see so many people wanting to enjoy all that Cardiff has to offer.
“The artists we have brought to this beautiful site this year are without doubt global legends. We now look forward to discussing the way forward so we can attract even more huge names from the world of music to Cardiff. In the meantime, we will also be focusing on what improvements we can make moving forward as we continue to listen to feedback from our customers, stakeholders and artists.”
Councillor Jen Burke, Cardiff Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Parks, said: “Blackweir 2025 brought some truly iconic artists to Cardiff and created unforgettable experiences for thousands of music lovers. Events like this can be a fantastic opportunity to showcase what we’re about, and this summer we are truly living up to our billing as a Music City.”
Business leaders and hoteliers have also welcomed the new concert series.
Carolyn Brownell, CEO of FOR Cardiff, the Business Improvement District (BID) of Cardiff city centre, said: “Events like Blackweir are invaluable for Cardiff city centre. They not only attract global talent and thousands of visitors they also deliver a meaningful boost to the local economy – filling hotels, restaurants, shops and bars during the summer period – a time which is historically quieter for city centre businesses. It’s been fantastic to see this new series establish itself, and we’re excited to support its continued growth in the years ahead.”
While Karen Matthews, GM of the Radisson Blu Cardiff and member of Cardiff and District Hoteliers Association added: “The recent concerts at Blackweir and the Castle have been a tremendous boost to our local hospitality industry, bringing in visitors from near and far, helping occupancy within our hotels and energising the whole community.
“Events like these not only contribute to the local economy but proudly showcase our city as a vibrant destination. We wholeheartedly support more of these experiences and welcome more in the future.”
