‘Baffling’ line-up blamed as plug pulled on Faenol

POOR programming and even the Government’s emergency Budget were blamed yesterday for killing off this year’s Faenol Festival.

Opera legend Bryn Terfel was due to celebrate his annual music event’s 10th anniversary this year but low ticket sales forced organisers to pull the plug. It is not yet known whether it will be revived next year.

While many industry insiders said the event’s programming was to blame – including headlining the traditional Welsh concert with three English bands – a festival spokeswoman last night said tickets had been selling “really well” until new Chancellor George Osborne unveiled his emergency Budget in June, forcing people to tighten their purses.

The 2010 festival was due to open on August 27 with a performance from Westlife. Other concerts included the traditional opera night featuring Terfel and Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon; the annual Tân y Ddraig gig, renowned for highlighting the best in Welsh language music; and a comedy night – a new addition for 2010 – featuring Pub Landlord Al Murray.

Celebrated musician Bryn Fon, a regular performer at Tan y Ddraig, said there had been discontent that three English bands – The Feeling, Athlete and Shed Seven, all signed to festival producers Universal – were on the bill for the annual night of Welsh music.

“It [Tan y Ddraig] was always the stage for Welsh bands,” said Fon.

“People were gobsmacked by the line-up. They were trying to appeal to an audience that just wasn’t there. Music fans from Manchester and Liverpool were not going to come and see bands like The Feeling and Shed Seven who haven’t done much for a long time and Welsh audiences were not interested – they shot themselves in the foot.”

He also questioned the new comedy night. “Comedy would not work well in a festival setting,” he said. “I thought it was a strange thing to contemplate.”

Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens says music fans were baffled by this year’s line-up.

“It’s a shame Faenol’s not happening,” said Stephens, who is this week presenting a BBC Radio Cymru evening show from the Eisteddfod Maes. “But it didn’t catch people’s imagination. Staging bands like Shed Seven and Athlete who have not been hugely popular for many years left people baffled.

“Every festival also has to have a niche but I’m not sure Faenol knew what it was saying.”

TV presenter Beti George, who has hosted programmes for S4C on Faenol, said she was saddened by the festival’s closure this year.

But she says the fact that the festival took a break in 2009 before attempting this year’s comeback may have had a negative effect.

“If you miss a year, people get out of the rhythm,” she said. “Maybe they could have shrunk it a little so it was staged over two days. I feel sorry for Bryn [Terfel]. He has put so much effort into the festival.”

Last night a spokesman for the festival admitted ticket sales this year were at a record low.

“Ticket sales started off well so people liked the programming but the implications of the Budget changed people’s spending priorities.”

In his statement announcing the cancellation, Terfel said: “Unfortunately, advance ticket sales in this challenging economic climate have not been sufficient for us to feel confident that we can move ahead with the full festival. All I can say is that we have looked at the situation in great detail and from every possible angle. We have found no other workable solution.”

Festival chairman Sir David Henshaw added: “The team have worked tirelessly to explore each and every avenue and opportunity available to them. It is too soon to say what will happen in future years, and whether or not the festival will return.”

The Westlife performance will go ahead on August 27 as planned but it will now take place at Venue Cymru in Llandudno. Those who bought tickets for the festival should return them to their point of purchase by August 13 for a full refund.


Fuente: http://www.walesonline.co.uk