On Thursday 17th June, Balloon celebrates a host of valleys talent in one of Cardiff’s most iconic venues with Harder, Better, Faster, Rhondda at Clwb Ifor Bach:
Rachel Trezise launches her new novel ‘Sixteen Shades Of Crazy’ to a Cardiff crowd. An Orange Futures and inaugural winner of the EDS Dylan Thomas Prize, Rachel’s previous work such as ‘In And Out Of The Goldfish Bowl’ and ‘Fresh Apples’ have marked her out of one of Britain’s best young writers, and with ‘Sixteen Shades of Crazy’ she is destined for even greater things. Expect psychopathic hair-dressers, smokey-eyed Cornish lotharios and dream-filled looks towards New York City.
Samuel Bees is an actor, director and writer currently in residence at Undeb Theatre Company in Cardiff. He will be directing the self-written short ‘The Boy Who Killed John Hopper’, a funny and ultimately shocking two-hander about young lust, shared shame, and Kung Fu. This piece was originally written for Undeb’s ‘Christmas Collaboration’ evening.
Jimmy Watkins is a former international athlete and still Welsh indoor record holder for the 800m. More importantly he is lead singer in Strange News From Another Star and guitarist in Future Of The Left. Rather annoyingly, he can also write and speak. Tonight he’ll be showing off his literary side as well as acting as compere for the evening, so there will be plenty of opportunity to heckle the Treorchy polymath.
Music for the evening comes from Matt Jon who will be treating us to some acoustic, folk-tinged strummery; Rowdy, whiskey-soaked and possibly bowler-hatted Punk-Country from Fatty’s Leg; acoustic Beck like ditties from John Mouse and sixties influenced psyche pop from highly rated Aberdare lads The Broken Vinyl Club.
Throw in a pub quiz with some special Rhondda prizes, and a market selling everything from T-Shirts to Literary Magazines, and all in all we think you have a cracking night on your hands. All for a measly three quid.
Oh, and if you hold onto your ticket, you will be eligible for a pound off entry to Undeb Theatre’s ‘Cardiff Identity Festival’ at which Balloon will be teaming up with Jam Bones to run the literary side of things.
This Balloon event is supported by Academi. Cheers Academi!
