'After an organised "one off" session night at the Pontardawe Inn, Pontardawe,
I decided to start up a small club for lovers of acoustic music. Now in its third year, the club has proven to be a great success with musicians and people who just enjoy listening to various styles of acoustic music. It started with just a couple of people and we now have a regular turn out of about a dozen people on a regular session evening playing. We have had over thirty people on some occasions.
The aim of the club is to provide a platform for both novice and up-and-coming musicians to collaborate on a weekly basis in a relaxed atmosphere. The club now also hold open mic nights where anyone can get up on stage and perform in front of an audience (some for the very first time). We in fact had over twenty children from the local school orchestra performing traditional Welsh and Irish tunes at our very first open mic night.
Guest evenings are also held where more experienced artists can perform. Our guest evenings have even attracted guest artists from as far as USA and Canada as well as local singers and musicians. We have managed to get Danbert Nobacon from the popular band Chumbawamba playing for us soon.
Our club members have played in various events from festivals, craft fairs and even appear on a local tourist information film. We have a variety of regular musicians who attend that play banjo, mandolin, guitars, melodeon, harmonica and fiddle. We play all styles of acoustic music form folk, bluegrass, to blues etc.
One of the highlights of the club to date is that Spencer Davis - front man of the famous Spencer Davis Group that had hits in the 60's with "Keep on Running" and "Gimme some Lovin'" called in one evening whilst visiting some friends in the area, borrowed a 12 string guitar from one of the club members and jammed along with us.'
Pontardawe Acoustic Music Club meets weekly on a Wednesday evening 8.30 at the Pontardawe Inn (Y Gwachel) Pontardawe.
Further information can be found at www.pontyacoustic.org.ukHywel Roberts
your comments
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Gwachel Regular from...er..Ponty
PAMC has grown from nothing into something very special. Long may it last! Best of all, it has re-established the link between the pub and the annual Pontardawe Festival. Festival volunteers restored the place in the 1990s when it was derelict and returned it to the community. Now Hywel & Co. have returned its musical ethos to where it began. many thanks. (Oh yes, and the Marstons IS a huge improvement!) Thanks all...
Tue Jul 31 09:20:48 2007
John Williams, Neath
The session on a Wednesday night is a MUST.A variety of musicians there from mandolin to banjo, guitars even a double bass! The Pontardawe Inn is a lovely place to visit with it's lovely home cooked food and real ales (the Marsron's Pedigree is to die for!) The current landlord is very much part of the music scene and even joins in playing with the other musicians.
Tue Jul 24 08:23:01 2007
Sleepy G, Swansea
I turned up to play the open mic night a couple of months ago and had a brilliant time! The huge variety in styles is just nuts!
Thu Jan 18 08:54:13 2007
Joseph - Ammanford
I went to the club at the Pontardawe Inn last Wednesday to see their guest evening.
performing there were Andy Jones (from the Swansea folk band "Boys from the Hill") and BBC Radio Wales' very own Frank Hennessy. It is the best night I have had for years. Great welcome by the regulars and the guest performers were out of this world. A very enjoyable exerience. I would highly recomend visiting the Pontardawe Inn on a Wednesday evening.
Mon Sep 25 08:53:53 2006
Sue Mann - Swansea
Open mike - well worth a visit. Lively atmosphere, range of material. I played there in April. Try me for a copy of Songling.
Tue May 9 09:04:17 2006
Ed Bayes from Swansea
I have played in an open mic night with a friend under the alias of SPAM and it is a great success. It has a great, friendly atmosphere and is a great venue P.S. buy the album 'The Ultimate Processed Meat' out soon.
Tue Apr 11 15:54:30 2006
Mark Audio
Hywel is such an inspiration.
Audio Circus hope to play there sometime :-)
May you enjoy evn more success.
Thanks to Hywel for his invaluable help.
Mark,Dale,Griff,Leah & Deano Bongo.
Audio Circus.
Sat Mar 11 13:35:28 2006
Richard from Ynysforgan, Swansea
I started going to the club with Nigel and Colin with a cheap guitar from Argos and only 3-4 cords under my belt, now I can play a few more, thanks to the club. I've been on stage in the Pontardawe festival, played in craft fairs in Abercrave and Neath. I'm no professional and on my own sound quite bad but with the other members assistance I sound better, it's a good laugh and an enjoyable evening out, and everyone is made to feel welcome whether they play or not.
Wed Feb 22 08:16:23 2006
Eleanor Flaherty, Ystradgynlais
Coming back home was made even better when I discovered the Pontardawe Acoustic Club. Having enjoyed acoustic music for many, many years it was lovely to find such a welcoming and vibrant group of people a couple of miles down the valley. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to experience a variety of music from local to international artists and have a go in a supportive atmosphere. Great work Hywel! Diolch!
Tue Feb 21 13:28:04 2006
Gaz, Brynamman.
Great folk acoustic club thanks to the hard working efforts(and sheer passion for music)of Hywel. Have been along to a few cracking guest sessions including Jefferson Moore & Pamela wyn Shannon,in which both were fantastic. Keep up the good work!
Fri Feb 17 19:24:47 2006
Nigel Richards - Llansamlet
I started attending the Pontardawe Music Club as two good friends of mine play instruments and I went along with them - and have been going every week since.
I myself don't play an instrument, I just appreciate a good evening of good music - so much so that I have become the secretary for the club.
Anyone wishing for a good weeknight out should come along to the Pontardawe Inn.
Fri Feb 17 10:42:22 2006
Cas Smith, Pontardawe
This friendly club has grown into a most enjoyable event for both participants and audience. Although there is a hard core of enthusiastic regulars, occasional attenders like myself feel most welcome. The organisation is top notch with guest artists going on at the appointed time. There is a decent performance area and p.a. available. It is such a pleasure to go to well run events and it can only add to everyone's enjoyment of an evening. Publicity is superb, a fact sadly lacking in many volunteer run music organisations. I have enjoyed many guests at this club but the ones that come to mind were Le Vent du Nord and Guto Dafis.
Fri Feb 17 10:11:01 2006
Sian Phillips - somewhere in Wales
Hywel has worked hard to get the club up to what it is now. In a way, I'm glad it's title is 'acoustic music' as too many things are labelled and put into boxes. Being a performer, it seems that I'm expected to play the genre of music that I'm noted for. Acoustic music clubs allow me to relax and play other music that some would deem to be inappropriate in certain sessions. Keep up the good work Hywel.
Sian
Fri Feb 17 10:07:44 2006
Frank Hennessy - Cardiff
I remember this club starting up and am delighted at its success.
The town has long been a beacon for lovers of good music.
It seems that Pontardawe is mentioned every single week on the "Celtic Heartbeat" gig guide(Saturday nights at Ten on BBC Radio Wales).
The Pontardawe Acoustic Music Club is the latest example of what can be achieved by someone with the determination to make something happen.
Congratulations Hywel, and well done to all concerned.
Frank.
Fri Feb 17 09:16:52 2006
Have you attended any evenings organised by the Pontardawe Acoustic Music Club? Send in your comments here.
Hywel Roberts of Pontardawe gives the low-down on the town's acoustic music club.
