SUMMER NEWSLETTER

Just time now to pause for breath and recount our adventures over the past couple of months. Firstly, a huge thank you to all of you who came in such great number to support the launch of “Trosnant” at Blackwood Miner’s Institute on the 22nd May. Special thanks to Sharon, Robin and James of BMI who really pulled all the stops out to ensure we (and you) had a fantastic evening. It was great to welcome old and new friends of the band and especially good to welcome Mr. & Mrs. Davies, the owners of “Trosnant”, whose splendid cottage graces the cover of the album.

Since then we took to the road and had a great time in Germany - renewing friendships in Backnang and Ludwigsburg and making some great new friends in Munich. We were honoured to be part of Ludwigsburg’s twinning celebrations and to fly the flag for Caerffili. We gained pleasure from seeing ourselves on Caerffili’s new Tourism pop-ups and other literature - let’s hope others viewing them have felt similar pleasure! The teams in Ludwigsburg and from Caerffili were really supportive and we look forward very much to returning the hospitality and more when Caerffili hosts its’ 50th anniversary celebrations of this twinning agreement next year.

We travelled south from Ludwigsburg to Munich and very much enjoyed our very first visit to this wonderful city and to our venue Ars Musica and its’ wonderful team. One of the great pleasures of life on the road is not only the great reception we had from all who attended the concert - but the special hospitality shown us by those brave enough to open their homes, hearts, larders and cellars to us! Take a special bow Frank & Alison - doyens of the Irish Music Club in Munich, skilled raconteurs, musicians, cooks, librarians and hosts to just about anyone who is anyone in the Irish music world - and now AYYF!

Returning from Germany (840 miles in one day!) - we then embarked on performances at British festivals. We had the honour of opening the Two Rivers Festival in Chepstow (lovely people organising and running it - and really well organised deserving of even greater public support) and then the next day travelling to Hitchin for the Rhythms of the World Festival. On a scorching Saturday afternoon we were delighted to be playing on their main stage and getting a really great reaction. This is a superbly organised volunteer run event - we loved it and want to go back!

The next port of call was Llangollen’s International Music Eisteddfod and chance for Meriel’s parents to check out the strange valleys people Meriel has entangled herself with. I think we passed muster. We played the S4C stage and it was great to be there in the company of 9Bach and Amy Wadge - and the sun shone!

The following weekend was the second time we have booked ourselves into the lovely Borough Theatre in Abergavenny. This time round we were delighted to have label mate Delyth Jenkins as our special guest. Such a fine harpist and composer and thoroughly lovely human being too! The audience reaction to Delyth and our new material was superb, and we loved having Delyth play Kate’s tune “Trosnant” with us - hopefully we’ll get to repeat that at some other gig or two in the future.

The next week we set off on the Wednesday at an ungodly hour to get to the Royal Welsh Showground and to hit the Bandstand. We were blessed with another choice day from this wonderful British summer!! It was hard work and probably didn’t achieve all or our aims - but we did enjoy looking at livestock, Welsh cake ice cream( no - its really good honest!) and the free lunch!.

We are back now for a short while playing Twmpathau Dawns for people’s special days – which is always a treat and take us to lots of lovely venues. We hope that lots of you can make it to the Wales Millennium Centre on Sunday 6th September at 3.00 p.m. for our free concert on the Capita Symonds Stage - chance for you all to enjoy our new material and pick up your copy of “Trosnant”. We’ll write again after our Irish trip. In the meantime see the info about the AYYF Airplay Campaign - and start sending out those emails!! PS - Please also look out for us on the CD Covermount of R2 (Rock ‘n’ Reel) issue 17 in September.

Cofion cynnes

Allan Yn Y Fan

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SUMMER NEWSLETTER