Twelve bands played the amphitheatre beside the LC across Saturday and Sunday, in the venue’s first festival weekend since a canopy went up over the stage.
Amplitude, the free two-day grassroots music weekend run by Swansea Council, ran from early afternoon to after 7pm on both days, with no ticket needed and the seafront steps open to anyone who turned up.
The revamp that put a sail-shaped canopy over the stage, along with new seating, handrails and a mains supply, was finished in March, paid for through the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns programme and the Brilliant Basics scheme. Until this weekend the festival had always taken its chances with the sky.
Saturday’s headline set went to M0Li, the soul and funk singer from Gwaun Cae Gurwen, who played tracks including her debut single Suga Mama.
Sunday was closed by The Pepperseeds, the funk and soul band fronted by Dionne Bennett, who have been playing the live circuit for more than a decade.
Swansea acts filled much of the bill in between. Indie-rock four-piece The Stray Pursuit opened Saturday, followed by fusion band AKiMBO and, later in the weekend, country outfit The Modern Rogues, Americana band Buttonsville and alt-rockers Zac and the New Men.
The rest of the line-up came from across Wales, with the post-punk of Cardiff’s Papa Jupe’s T.C., psych six-piece Waterpistol and guitarist John Dignam’s trio JD3.
Birmingham blues-rock trio Virgil and the Accelerators brought their comeback tour to the amphitheatre on Sunday afternoon.
Cllr Elliott King, the council’s cabinet member for culture, human rights and equalities, said Amplitude showed how grassroots music and creative communities continue to thrive in the city.
He said the council was proud to back events that give residents free entertainment while creating opportunities for emerging artists from Swansea, Wales and the rest of the UK to play to new audiences.
The weekend also spilled into the city’s independent venues. Down By Here opened proceedings on Friday night with Celtic Vagabond headlining, supported by Wild Eyed and Wicked & Obvious.
After Saturday’s final act, the crowd moved on to The Bunkhouse, where Japanese psychedelic rock band HIBUSHIBIRE played alongside Swansea acts Stone Deaf, Creature Features and In With the Jellyfish.
The last of the supported shows lands over the bank holiday weekend, with an all-day multi-genre rave at Hippos on 30 August.
Those venue gigs sit outside the free Amplitude programme and are ticketed separately, with tickets sold by the venues themselves.
Amplitude is part of the council’s summer events programme, which finishes with the Swansea International Jazz Festival.
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