Focus Wales has been going for over a decade (precisely 14 years now), and it continues to bring thrills, fun, and, most importantly, great music to those who come to the great town of Wrexham. This year was no different, with three days of acts from around the globe that defied expectations.
Photo by Adam Houghton
The first day involved a lot of walking, so much in fact that by the end, I had easily exceeded 15,000 steps for the day. This year, we started with a conference discussing the Future of Music Journalism, which brought a range of voices from PR, freelance, and staff writing together for an exploratory and ultimately positive take on where music journalism is going.
The first act we saw was Ratmir Bilodad of Ukraine, performing at Hope Street Church. The performer brought an emotionally charged performance using a guitar and piano that had everyone spellbound. Straight after, there was a Ukrainian performer by the name of NFNR, who brought a completely different vibe of IDM to Wrexham. Her set was full of layers and created an atmosphere.
Photo by Adam Houghton
Later in the day came the mighty Home Counties, who performed on the main stage of Llwyn Isaf with their fun post-punk that contained more than a hint of pop – and lyrics that were equally socially conscious as they were fun.
The big headliners of the night were Wrexham’s own The Royston Club, who delivered fun indie singalong anthems that united everyone in the tent and sent everyone away with a smile on their face.
Before finishing for the night, seeing the band Snapped Ankles at The Rockin Chair blew me away with their intense noise rock and trippy outfits.
On the second day, the excitement continued with The Spanish Wave event at Hope Street Church. This began with Elena Jativa, who serenaded everyone with a set entirely in Spanish. REME followed her, bringing a mixture of English and Spanish members who gave the crowd classic 70s rock through a modern lens.
Photo by Adam Houghton
Later that day brought Red Telephone, who called in with a dramatic flair and lead singer who was in full frontman mode with a golden jacket and plenty of stage presence. Hazmat brought the local flair with the Wrexham natives, delivering hard rock with plenty of heart.
The Bug Club later that evening kept the crowd going with fun, punky tunes. Their sense of humour comes through in every surreal and funny lyric they have across their catalogue and the bonus of Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard frontman Tom Rees on drums. The main event of night two was The Mysterines, the Liverpool group that knows how to deliver rock and roll with plenty of introspection, darkness, and heart. The band performed for nearly an hour, with lead singer Lia Metcalfe and crew giving their uber-cool performance to Wrexham.
The new single ‘Sink Ya Teeth’ was full of aggressive vocals and emotion, and other tracks, such as Hung Up, deliver what every rock fan wants. Even cuts such as ‘On the Run’ deliver slightly more paired-back production with just as much heart.
The final day at Focus Wales was still as eventful as the first two, with the double header of Mercy Magnates bringing riffs plenty to the Rockin Chair.
Swedish band Hearts followed in Room 1, with plenty of euphoric indie and a frontman with plenty of swagger (and tattoos). While their setlist lacked variety, they brought a solid range of songs that kept the room more than happy. After some food (and a much-needed sit down), we caught some of Mr Phormula at HWB, soaking in the sunshine and the beatboxing majesty of his performance.
Back on the main stage, Islet delivered one of the best performances of the festival. The Welsh four-piece took to the stage with a magnetic performance, full of purple lighting, dramatic stage presence, and tambourines that left everyone in the crowd astonished.
The big event of the night was Spiritualized, a 90s band with a very passionate fanbase. The tent was packed, the beers flowing, and the crowd was ready for an hour of space rock. While very proficient, this performance left me feeling slightly cold. While going through their setlist, they kept the audience of long time fans happy, but all I could think about was how bored I was. They are very proficient musicians, but I wasn’t their intended audience.
The night didn’t end there, with Cameron Hayes giving an attitude-filled and fun performance at the Rockin’ Chair. This was followed by new indie darlings CVC, who gave the crowd a night they wouldn’t forget in a hurry. By the time you get to the song ‘Sophie,’ the room is positively electric, and the band left people wanting more.
After my second year at Focus Festival, I can confidently say there isn’t much else like it. The amount of new talent it platforms from not just the UK but countries from around the world is genuinely inspiring.
All I’ll say is bring on 2025.
