BRIT award winner and multi-platinum selling artist James Bay played live at Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff on Saturday 19th February for a very special and incredibly intimate solo show.
Earlier this year, James got behind the Independent Venue Week campaign, designed to showcase local venues with strong musical roots. He began visiting venues across the UK, bringing his ‘New Songs New Stories’ tour small independent venues.
The Hertfordshire-born singer-songwriter’s tour has taken him as far East as Cardiff and Norwich, and as far north and south as Glasgow and Brighton – returning to some of the stages he first performed on at the very beginnings of his career.
Independent Venue Week took place between 24 January – 4 February 2022, but a case of covid saw James delay his Cardiff gig until he was well enough to return – and we’re so glad he kept that promise.
For those of you that don’t know, Clwb Ifor Bach is a live music venue found in the centre of Cardiff. Since its establishment in 1983, it is a recognised institution known for hosting International, local and emerging talent. Some of its highlights include The Killers, Coldplay, Kasabian Stereophonics and Wolf Alice – big names that I’m sure you’ll know. It’s exactly this type of venue that the campaign is deigned for.
Since his early years, James Bay has gone on to achieve incredible things, with his first album ‘Chaos and the Calm’ debuting at number 1 in the UK charts, earning him three Grammy nominations, and the follow up album ‘Electric Light’ reaching number 2.
In his set this weekend, he featured some of his new music from his third album, which he is working on. There was a great atmosphere last night, as James didn’t hold back, talking of troubled relationships and his love for his daughter, Ada, whom was born last year. It all made for an intimate session with his fans, which felt very real and unique. James also played some of his most recognised music including Let It Go and Hold Back The River.
James Bay continues to champion the grassroots music scene and the venues that make it by bringing his live performance in person to some of the venues that are so integral to the live music ecology. For someone who has first discovered performing at an open-mic, it’s a touching full-circle moment for the artist who has hit such heights in recent times.
