Admiral Cardiff Big Weekend

Unless you’re the significant other of a restaurant critic, popular wisdom decrees that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. The Big Weekend challenges that maxim, however, putting on three days of gratis musical entertainment every year (although without knowing the exact ins and outs of the public funding, it’s possible that may not technically be the case for Cardiff taxpayers). Big name international acts rub shoulders with the cream of top Welsh bands, while local outfits also speckle the bill, giving a welcome opportunity for wider exposure to up-​and-​coming South Wales musicians. The concerts’ outdoor nature — outside the Cardiff Civic Centre — do mean that should the infamous British summer weather turn wet then attendees are in for a nasty drenching. But luckily it’s only one main road crossing and a short dash away from the city centre; so popping into a nearby bar for shelter and sustenance is always a gladly viable option.

For Cardiff residents who enjoys watching live bands, Cardiff Big Weekend is one of the Summer’s highlights, and certainly the top event within the lengthy Cardiff Summer Festival. Despite the fact the event often suffers rainy weather, it’s still well-​attended every year.
]The three day weekend event usually features a couple of fairly well known headline acts plus it showcases lots of up and coming local bands.
With its setting in front of the gleaming white buildings of the Civic Centre, it’s an atmospheric festival with music, fairground rides, food stalls and beer tents.
There’s plenty of alcohol flowing in the evenings, so the atmosphere tends to get lively as each day wears on, and there’s a real festival atmosphere.

The summer counterpart to the annual Winter Wonderland, Cardiff’s Big Weekend is an event that brings the whole city to life.
Sponsored by Admiral, the Weekend is an annual three day festival based in the heart of the city, completely swallowing up the civic centre and the museum area with its fairground rides, games stalls and massive stage.
Every year, the festival puts on three nights of gigs from a selection of local talent, old stalwarts (such as this year’s fantastic Chaka Demus and The Pliers) and major contemporary bands such as The Zutons or Athelete, all for free.
The atmosphere is always loud, lairy and happy with most people being there just to have a good time. There are the occasional problems amongst the teenage crowd, loaded up on adrenaline and this can put a damper on small pockets of the area, but nothing that isn’t resolved quickly. Everyone’s too busy thinking of what to do next to stay mad for long.

Admiral like their staff to have a good time, in reward for working hard. As such they tend to invest in good live events in the cities they are based. I’m thinking of the Admiral Mostly Jazz & Blues Festival in Swansea, and more recently the Admiral Big Weekend In Cardiff.
This year the 3-​day Big Weekend looks set to be even better with loads of great local and international artists performing on the FREE live music stage. can’t wait to see some of my personal favourite acts including Los Campesinos!, Race Horses, and The Phenomenal Handclap Band. The full line-​up looks like this:
Fri 30 July
in conjunction with Sn Festival
9.30−10.30pm The Blackout
8.30−9.10pm Los Campesinos!
7.35−8.05pm Racehorses
7.00−7.20pm Samoans
Sat 31 July
9.30−10.30pm Chaka Demus and Pliers
8.15−9.10pm Pee Wee Ellis and the Funky Assembly
7.25−7.55pm The Jolly Boys
6.20−7.05pm Alejandro Toledo and the Magic Tombolinos
5.15−6.00pm The Congo Allstars
4.10−4.55pm The Raghu Dixit Project
3.05−3.50pm Wonderbrass
2.00−2.45pm Maroon Town
Sun 1 Aug
9.30−10.30pm Feeder
8.00−9.00pm Athlete
6.40−7.40pm The Phenomenal Handclap Band
5.25−6.15pm Fenech Soler
4.10−5.00pm Pete Lawrie
3.00−3.50pm Rumer
2.00−2.30pm The Lay-​Lows
There will also be the brilliant firework finale at the end of the performances on each night of the Admiral Cardiff Big Weekend and traditional fairground attractions to scream and shout upon. Fun times.

The Big weekend is an annual 3 day music festival in the city that encompasses a range of different music types and aspects for families as well as the adults.
Last year The Zutons and The Lightening Seeds were headlining and this year you can see Chaka Demus and Pliers (I’m excited about that!) as well as Welsh rockers The Blackout and Feeder.
There’s also a funfair, fireworks and the whole town comes to life.