In our latest Folk Show (Listen here), you can hear the Welsh/English folk duo Filkin’s Drift (featuring Seth Bye from Gloucestershire and Chris Roberts from Cardiff) blending fiddle and guitar with gorgeous close vocal harmonies.
The track we featured, Clywai’r Tabwrdd, is taken from their debut EP Rembard’s Retreat, the release of which (early September) coincides with the duo undertaking an epic 870-mile sustainable walking tour of the Wales Coast Path. Along the way, they will be performing 40 shows.
CERDD // ED
CERDD // ED, an 870-mile walking tour of the Wales Coast Path, is a radical approach to sustainable touring. With the climate emergency sharply in focus and people looking for new ways of connecting post-covid, it is clear that the music industry needs fresh and imaginative approaches to touring. Folk duo ‘Filkin’s Drift’ have found an answer in the ancient Welsh bardic tradition. In Welsh, ‘Cerdd’ means music and ‘Cerdded’ means to walk. For Filkin’s Drift, this suggests an intrinsic connection between roaming and creating music.
To release their new record, ‘Rembard’s Retreat’, Seth Bye and Chris Roberts are walking the entire Wales Coast Path, performing every night on the journey. Along the way, the duo will collect songs, stories, and tunes to incorporate into their gigs, weaving together a tapestry of shared experiences of the Welsh coast.
CERDD // ED solves a global problem in a local way. It will be a pioneering voice as the music industry changes its approaches to touring; It will bring communities closer together, and it will bring Wales to the fore as the country pioneering this change.
The project is supported by Help Musicians and Fusion Gig Bags. It is also raising money for the charity Live Music Now.
FILKIN’S DRIFT 2023 CERDD // ED – Wales Coast Walk tour dates
SEPTEMBER
Sun 3rd St David’s, Connah’s Quay
Mon 4th St Anne’s, Rhyl
Tues 5th St Tudno’s, Llandudno
Weds 6th St Mary’s, Conwy
Sat 9th St Eleth, Amlwch
Sun 10th Llanbadrig Church, Cemaes
Tues 12th Ucheldre, Holyhead
Thurs 14th St Cwyfan’s Chapel, Aberffraw
Fri 15th Llanedwen Parish Church
Sun 17th Royal Welsh Yacht Club, Caernarfon
Mon 18th Henbant Bach Farm, Tain Lon
Weds 20th Eglwys Hywyn Sant, Aberdaron
Fri 22nd Plas Glyn y Weddw, Llanbedrog
Sat 23rd Y Nyth / The Nest, Criccieth
Tues 26th Magic Lantern Cinema, Tywyn
Weds 27th MOMA, Machynlleth
Thurs 28th Star of the Sea, Borth
Fri 29th Bookshop by the Sea, Aberystwyth
Sat 30th Neuadd Llandddewi Aberarth Village Hall
OCTOBER
Sun 1st Pentre Arms, Llangranog
Mon 2nd CRWST, Cardigan
Tues 3rd Bluestone Brewing Company, Newport
Weds 4th West Wales Arts Centre, Fishguard
Fri 6th Trefin Museum
Sun 8th Cuffern Manor, Haverfordwest
Weds 11th Llanstadwell Church
Thurs 12th Live to Your Living Room, Online
Fri 13th Cwtch Coffi, Pembroke Dock
Sat 14th Tenby Museum
Sun 15th St Martin’s, Laugharne
Mon 16th St Stephen’s, Llansteffan
Thurs 19th Llanelli Wetland Centre
Fri 20th Valley Folk Club, Glais
Sat 21st St Cennydd’s, Llangennith
Sun 22nd MumbAles, The Mumbles
Weds 25th St Teilo’s Church, Merthyr Mawr
Fri 27th Cubanas, Barry
Sat 28th Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff
Mon 30th St Mary’s, Magor
Tues 31st St Luke’s, Tutshill (nr Chepstow)
More information can be found on their website here: https://filkinsmusic.com
You can hear them on our latest Folk Show here: