Gwobr Gerddoriaeth Gymreig 2013 Welsh Music Prize

From the Brits and Mercury to the Grammys, AMA and CMA, via any number of others, many of them interesting, the world seems awash with music awards. Canada has the Juno Awards and Australia the ARIAs and the UK has the British Blues Awards that at least in part mirror the Blues Music Awards in the US.
New on the scene is the one mentioned in the title and it is, in some ways, just as interesting as any of the aforementioned. Last week it was only the third time the Welsh Music Prize had been awarded. OK, you might simply think "what is all the fuss about?"
Well, whilst Wales is not quite like Iceland as a musical volcano (yet), it seems to be simmering with musical talent. The above award was whittled down by those that do such things to a short-list of twelve albums. Of those I already had three, so I was clearly aware of what was cooking, and was surprised that several others that I have were not amongst them. Release dates for consideration, too-old or too-recent, may well have a lot to do with some of them.
The winner, announced in Cardiff on Wednesday, October 16, was one of the artists whose album I do already have and have already mentioned in passing... Week Of Pines - Georgia Ruth from Aberystwyth. Take it as read that this was already a certainty for my list of albums of 2013. I was already smitten as I have the 'In Luna EP' on 12" vinyl.

To be honest the title track of that EP is actually one of the weakest on Week Of Pines.

EOTR 2013 - more from the Garden Stage - Part 1

The Garden Stage was, until 2011, the main stage at End of The Road Festival, by when its audience capacity was becoming a serious issue and therefore the larger and more open Woods Stage was added too. The Garden Stage however remains the most beautifully atmospheric stage, surrounded as it is by Victorian follies, one of the most remarkable of which is in fact almost invisible behind it.
This is a picture across the Garden Stage audience on Saturday evening.

   
On Friday afternoon I had the pleasure of watching Serafina Steer, who I had never seen live before, perform on the same stage.

The majority of this set was devoted to songs from her recent album The Moths Are Real.
Not before I saw Joanna Newsom live did I really consider the concert harp and its place in modern music but rather in the context of a sepia tinted throwback - more fool me!  As this was my first day using a new camera for music photography the fact that harpists can't move very far or fast was much appreciated! This evening I have been listing to the album Week of Pines by Georgia Ruth, and that is often led by her harp and vocals too.
   
Back then I never suspected how my liking of, and interest in, Americana and roots music would develop to parallel my long-standing liking of UK and Celtic folk music.
Earlier still, Friday lunch time, Diana Jones had performed solo and took the sun-drenched Garden Stage audience for a trip courtesy of much of her very recent LP Museum of Appalachia Recordings.

I was already aware that it is garnering excellent reviews on both sides of the Atlantic and here it was quite obvious to see why - you could have heard a pin drop during the quiet moments of her set.
   
This is indeed Part 1 - I shall return to the Garden Stage soon with amongst others, Ethan Johns and The Barr Brothers. In the meantime here is another from Daughter's set just after dark on Saturday evening.

Why wasn't If You Leave nominated for the Mercury Music Prize?