There has scarcely been a bigger week for live music in Cardiff, with The Cure, Metallica and others placing a bright spotlight on the Welsh capital. Fans from across the country have travelled in to see some of rock’s biggest names in the city’s largest venues. Yet, despite Wales’ proud musical reputation, its bands and grassroots spaces are too often overlooked in favour of nearby cities like Bristol. That imbalance is reflected in the recent financial struggles and closures facing Cardiff’s independent venues.
Paradise Gardens on City Road is no exception, having recently put out a call for funds amid that wider industry pressure. Inside, the bar is warm and welcoming, with friendly staff and a well-kept beer garden made for enjoying the sun. On such a busy week in the city, it seems baffling that more people are not turning up to catch live bands and have a drink outside.
This gig proved to be an exception. Cool cats from across the Cardiff scene had come to see Midding, who have lately been writing new material following the release of “.44”, their most recent EP.
First on the bill were Beto Beto, a jack-of-all-trades psych-rock trio whose hypnotic funk basslines and blend of indie and garage rock were a genuine pleasure. On such a hot day, it feels unfair to judge a band by their clothes, and maybe we do that less now anyway, but the music spoke for itself. They have also recently released an EP, The Cobras Nose. Check it out here.
Next up were Limited Ltd, a local Windmill-style five-piece who have taken on that Brixton brand of post-punk with added grunge and violin. The group’s mixed talents meshed well, sometimes straying into bigger, heavier territory. Foo Fighters-y riffs found a place in the set alongside an ever-relevant pro-Palestine message.
Before the headliners arrived, the locals returned to the beer garden to soak up the last of the evening sunshine and load up on nicotine. There is always something special about attending a hometown gig and watching people rally behind a local band who clearly have more than just the immediate scene on their side. Midding have already been endorsed by several radio stations and DJs, with the guru of Cymru, Huw Stephens, just one name among many.
A drummer who stands up to play will inevitably draw the eye, but Nia Abraham’s left-field approach to percussion is far from the only thing that catches the listener’s attention. Midding emanate effortless cool, like a Velvet Underground you might actually have a pleasant conversation with about music, if you can imagine such a thing.
Joe Woodward’s twitchy playing is reflected not only in the guitar sound but in the wiry vocals, which fit perfectly with what Midding are trying to achieve. Their sound is immersive and all-encompassing. I have to desperately resist calling them shoegaze, a label the band would reject, and, when I spoke to them, did- they simply do not have enough pedals. Still, there is a transistor-radio fuzz here that fans of lo-fi, old-school DIY music can get their teeth into.
The new songs teem with Madchester influence while pushing further into electronic drum sounds. My standout track was the older For A Little While, a fuzzed-out set closer that prompted a “one more song!” chant from the crowd.
Cardiff may have been buzzing with rock legends this week, but make no mistake: there are places where you can experience something just as vital every week, on a more intimate and far less contrived scale. For Welsh gig-goers, Midding are a must-see before they shoot to the moon on the back of their growing list of supporters. Those at Paradise Gardens were way ahead. The wider music scene has some catching up to do.
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