FOCUS Wales at BreakOut West 2018
FOCUS Wales are pleased to be partnering with the BreakOut West festival, Wales Arts International, and the Welsh Government Office in Canada to showcase up to 2 artist from Wales at the festival in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, over the 10th-14th October.
Submissions have now closed.
What is BreakOut West?
BreakOut West is the primary music industry showcase event hosted by the Western Canadian Music Alliance. Attracting music industry reps from across the globe, each year this exciting event is held in a different western Canadian region on a rotational basis. This year, the event will be held in Kelowna, BC, from October 10-14, 2018. This four-day event is comprised of a 4-day music conference, a 3-night multi-genre music festival, the Western Canadian Music Industry Awards Brunch and the Western Canadian Music Awards Reception. Learn more HERE
Join us for the FOCUS Wales at BreakOut West reception:
RSVP: HERE
5pm – 6pm Saturday, October 13th
@ The Upper Terrace, at the Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort
1310 Water Street, Kelowna, BC V1Y 9P3
+ Catch our bands at the following shows at BreakOut West 2018:
FRI 12th OCTOBER
9:15pm Kidsmoke
Muninn’s Post, 575 Bernard Ave, Kelowna, BC V1Y 6N9
11:45pm Campfire Social
DOJA Coffee Shop, 274 Bernard Ave, Kelowna, BC V1Y 6N4
SAT 13th OCTOBER
8:30pm Campfire Social
Craft Beer Market, 257 Bernard Ave, Kelowna, BC V1Y 6N2
10:45pm Kidsmoke
Craft Beer Market, 257 Bernard Ave, Kelowna, BC V1Y 6N2
WHO ARE THE ARTISTS FROM WALES @ BREAKOUT WEST 2018?
KIDSMOKE
Kidsmoke are Lance (Vocals/Guitar), James (Bass/Vocals), Sophie (Guitar/Vocals) and Ash (Drums). Their shimmering brand of dreamy indie-pop has seen them make waves in their native North Wales (UK). The Wrexham-based 4 piece have made a flying start to 2018, adding to their Netflix sync deal (Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror) with a ‘BBC6 Music recommends track of the week’ from Steve Lamacq, support dates with Bryde, Euros Childs and Gaz Goombes – as well a special performance with the Joy Formidable as part of Robert Smith’s Meltdown Festival. The four-piece note The Smiths, The Beatles, Wild Nothing and Real Estate among their many influences and have garnered a reputation for producing well-crafted, super-catchy indie-pop nuggets. A dynamic and engaging act, their live shows are not to be missed – they have several major festivals under their belts including Festival Number 6, Green Man, Focus Wales and Dot to Dot. Following on from 2017’s EP release & ‘Save Your Sorrow’, the band are heading into the studio this summer to record their debut album, which will be released in spring 2019 – with singles scheduled for late 2018.
‘Their songs to date are like exquisite, detail-rich pastoral pop miniatures, all lovestruck or lovelorn lyrics, perfect chord progressions, dovetailing harmonies and jingle-jangling guitars.’
The Sunday Times
CAMPFIRE SOCIAL
Llangollen based 5 piece, Campfire Social, are a refuge from the wild woods all around. Their incandescent, melodic songs take the intimate heartbreak of Elliott Smith and embellish with golden harmonies borrowed from The Beach Boys mixed with subtle hints of their personal love for post-rock and the mid 90’s emo scene. At times getting you up off your chairs in a passionate rage, at others just to dance but always filled with hope. Since the release of their first single ‘Nothing Nowhere Never Now’, they have received continued support from the likes of Adam Walton (BBC Radio Wales) and various other Radio DJs, podcasts and online new music media outlets. That song is now one of two tracks from the 2017 released ‘Wellbeing EP’ selected for the A-list by BBC Radio Wales resulting in continued airplay, a live session with Janice Long and further BBC 6 music plays. Last year the band were invited to play at Festival Number 6 and the industry showcase festival Zandari Festa, in Seoul, South Korea, where they performed 4 showcases, including a headline performance representing the Welsh Music scene and promoting their upcoming releases. This year has seen standout showcases at FOCUS Wales 2018, and more recently Campfire Social were chosen as part of the BBC Horizons 12 project.
‘Campfire Social are a sanctuary of warmest humanity and crackling, luminous melancholy. The kind of melancholy that makes the heart flutter and take flight’
Adam Walton, BBC Radio Wales
#WelshMusicAbroad
This project is delivered by FOCUS Wales in partnership with BreakOut West, Wales Arts International and the Welsh Government Office in Canada