Apostle (plus support) – Gig Review

09/01/20 – The Moon, Cardiff.

If you haven’t heard already, this January, The Moon in Cardiff are hosting several gig nights as a part of their ‘Free For All Cardiff’ event. No tickets are needed for any of these gigs, just turn up and you can have the pleasure of watching some wonderful live bands and musicians for free. The Moon are catering for all genres of music, from rock to hip hop. The full schedule is available on The Moon’s social media pages, which I will link below for you. Last night, the popular pint-sized music venue welcomed local heroes Apostle to headline the stage, along with four other up and coming support acts.

For once, I actually made it to the venue (almost) on time, I was only five minutes late which must be a new record for me. The Moon is such a gorgeous, inviting little music venue and club. As I arrived there, I was greeted by twinkling fairy lights and vintage bunting at the entrance, I opened the door and was comforted by the soothing sounds of first band Point of View drifting towards me from the stage that is nestled in the corner. The venue wasn’t overly busy at this point, but I could see that already this duo had captivated their audience, as every person present had their eyes on that stage. Point of View are just starting out on their musical journey, but they have established their own really lovely sound. One of my favourites from their set was their closing song, called ‘Nostalgic’. The lyrics are really touching, and combined with their sweet sound, it proved to be a gem. It’s definitely one I want to listen to again. Point of View have a warm and friendly onstage presence. They seem so nice and I’m sure they will do really well in 2020, their music is honestly lovely.

After a short interlude, the second band that appeared on stage caught my attention straight away. Colourful lights, glitter and a groove-box accompanied them. They introduced themselves as Branches and Sequels. By possessing a wonderfully unique and quirky style, they sparked my interest instantly. I always love seeing bands that bring something different to the stage. Branches and Sequels initially had what I would describe as a synthesised pop sound, but after listening to their set all the way through, some of their songs also incorporated punchier rock elements. Pop blended with rock, what’s not to like? They performed songs such as ‘Premonition’, ‘Let me Know’ and ‘Paradise.’ Mixing up styles and genres throughout their set, a pick and mix of music that worked wonderfully well. Branches and Sequels have an EP due to be released very soon, which I cannot wait to hear.

By the time Branches and Sequels had finished their set, I’d noticed the room had really started to fill up. For a small venue, surprisingly The Moon can pack in quite a few people. It was wonderful to see that so many had turned up, on a cold, rainy Thursday night in January to support their local music scene. The Moon was alive and crammed with music, laughter and conversation. It wasn’t long before the next act took to the stage. Last Girl on Earth are a band I am already familiar with, but before last night I had yet to see them perform live. Therefore, I was highly anticipating their set. It’s definitely fair to say that as soon as they began playing their first song of the night, I was not going to be disappointed.

Performing in what I would describe as a moody, indie-rock style, Last Girl on Earth dominated the stage and commanded the attention of the crowd, by drawing their audience closer. Lead singer Ines poured out eerily beautiful vocals, that were encased in smooth rock music provided the lead guitar, bass and drums. Last Girl on Earth performed a number of songs including one I really liked called ‘I Like it When it Burns’, which really fused together their edgy sound, but also a showed a delicate side that made them more than just another rock band. Last Girl on Earth have a unique sound, that I found myself falling for. Their latest single ‘Take Me For a Ride’ was great, and I really felt the atmosphere changed when Last Girl on Earth came on. The Moon was at it’s busiest and the band were even called upon to perform an encore from the crowd, ending their set with a song called ‘Run’. Last Girl on Earth seriously impressed me, I can’t wait to see what this year brings for them.

As the night was drawing later and with it being mid-week, I did notice a few people heading home after Last Girl on Earth’s set, however I’m pleased to say that the atmosphere didn’t falter. Even though The Moon quietened again, those who were left were still excited and ready for the penultimate band to perform. Twin Stranger were up next, and they were a pleasant surprise, their sound struck me as being a play on the popular emo genre. They gave me vibes of an early Mayday Parade, particularly with their song ‘Yellow Flower’ which I loved. Twin Stranger packed in loud instrument playing and swayed between catchy pop-punk songs such as ‘Crushed’ to ones with a more serious lyrical undertone. I really felt like this bands confidence grew as their set progressed, and it was wonderful to see them bloom.

Last but not least, Apostle took to the stage, bringing a brilliant sense of fun to the night. Lead singer Siôn introduced the band, along with their matching dungarees, which made everyone laugh with their infectious light-heartedness. Apostle are so down to earth, and it’s clear to see how adored they are by those who know them. The crowd didn’t feel like a crowd anymore, they felt like friends. This was the first time I had seen Apostle headlining, having previously seen them supporting Welsh singer/songwriter Dan Bettridge back in November. I was blown away by how catchy their songs were then, and loved their friendly manner with the crowd, so I was overjoyed when I heard they were going to be playing The Moon as a part of this fantastic January ‘Free For All’ event.

Apostle performed with so much heart and soul, and it was one of those gigs where you could really see they were enjoying being there. We were treated to a stunning performance of the bands latest single ‘Lavender’, which happens to be my favourite song of theirs. Even though the lyrical content is actually quite sad, the song is just so upbeat, you can’t help but want to have a little dance to it. Watching Apostle perform really does give you that feel good feeling, they’re like an endorphin. However, Apostle did show a more sombre side to their music, with heartfelt tracks ‘In the Dying Day’ and ‘Tears in the Rain’, these tracks really showcased the bands playing skills, and exactly how powerful Siôn’s vocals could be. Siôn is an incredibly talented singer, along with bass player Carys who harmonises and compliments his voice with gorgeous backing vocals. The pair, along with drummer Jordan, perform so well together. We were introduced to new singles ‘Fell Under Your Spell’ and ‘Leave a Light on’ which were both brilliant in their own rights, and the band closed their set with fan-favourite ‘Luck Be On My Side’. Of course they were not getting away that easily though, as fans demanded an encore at the end, which Apostle happily obliged.

With cheers and applause, the gig came to a close, and Apostle thanked everyone for coming out to see them. I thoroughly enjoyed my night at The Moon. The gig showcased an array of new and emerging Welsh bands, all of which were very talented. Each were uniquely different from one another, but together they provided a brilliant night of musical entertainment. To pass this gig off as just a night of local bands, would be a crime, as it was so much more than that. I’ve heard some music that I am aching to hear again, and gotten to know some bands that I will definitely be looking to follow-up and write about when any future releases are introduced.