It’s been 10 years since The Joy Formidable released their debut EP “A Balloon Called Moaning” and tonight they celebrate that anniversary with the first “Formidable Fest” at the Tramshed in Cardiff. Featuring a host of talents from across Wales, the whole day is a treat for those who are there. The early birds in particular are treated to an intimate acoustic set at the beginning of the day, which contrasts greatly from the stadium sounds of their traditional live shows.
Before their main headline set though, Blood Red Shoes are a great addition to the already very stacked line up. Despite early technical issues delaying the start, their set primarily consisting of offerings from their latest record “Get Tragic” is sounding great. The two-piece are now bolstered by a couple of additional members, adding even more levels to their live show. “Elijah” and “Eye To Eye” sound particularly foreboding in the best possible way and “Bangsar” is absolutely packed full of energy.
This is however all an appetiser to the main course which people have been waiting for. The balloons popping up around the venue signify the EP’s 10th birthday and as a result, it’s played in its entirety tonight. Things naturally start out with “The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade” and the three-piece sound as though they’ve got a band of about 10 on stage. They’ve always been a band whose sound is much bigger than the venues they occupy and whilst this might be their biggest welsh performance to date, the sound feels as though it’s breaking out of the walls.
During “Cradle” and “Austere”, you can clearly see that they are all having an absolute ball on stage. Ritzy is bounding about between the unusually large gap that’s been given between the guitarists and the drums. It’s quite odd hearing a song like “Whirring” being played this early on in the set as it usually works as a triumphant closer. That doesn’t take anything away from the fact it still sounds as equally epic in any type of live capacity.
It’s not all bombastic noise though as “9669” gives people a chance to catch their breath in between with something that was similar to the set earlier in the day. Those who may have been to a few Joy Formidable shows in the last few years fortunately get the opportunity to hear early songs like this and others including “The Last Drop” and “While The Flies”. After the EP is performed in full, they then take a brief snapshot of each of their albums over the years and you can see how their sound has evolved in that time.
“Y Bluen Eira” off of this years “AAARTH” is a particularly grandeur affair; sung completely in welsh set to a dark crimson backdrop and “I Don’t Want To See You Like This” still sounds as good as it did when it was released at the start of the decade. Usually by 11pm, venues like this are completely empty and quiet, but they still keep on going with many risking missing their last trains or buses. However, they are wanting to stay for two of the biggest songs towards the end.
“The Leopard and the Lung” always sounds as though it has so much going on in it, yet seems so controlled at the same time. It’s the type of song that fits a live performance like this so well. Everything comes to an end with “The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie” which sees no lack of energy from anybody at all throughout its epic eight minutes in length. At the end, the band are applauded by a loving homecoming crowd, stating that there might be another “Formidable Fest” at some point in the future, which is a tantalising prospect.