Promoting Swansea's Live Music & Arts Scene

Underground Milkwood: How Swansea Went MAD

There is rage against the machine, but here in Swansea, considered by some Graveyard-f-Amibition-on-Sea, we @ MAD tale a different view; we @ MAD, you see, rage against the dying of the light. The man who gave Bob his “Dylan” gives Swansea its literary heavyweight status, but the “ugly, lovely” city that cut Dylan Thomas loose on a finally adoring world of the arts has given much more since than has been rightly accounted and, as MAD has set out to prove and promote, the best continues to come.

The brainchild of long time friends local musician Andrew “Griff” Griffiths and community worker and DJ Stuart Sumner Smith aka Stu Voxx, MAD is dedicated to the Music. Arts and Dance of Swansea from whence is derived its acronym. Stuart, having repatriated himself to Wales after some years abroad – well, England, which to Wales can be the same thing - was really disappointed to find persisting after 15 years no dedicated city center venue for artists musicians and performers to produce and show work; no one single night/event where they could meet, discuss and share ideas; and ck of affordable facilities - especially for audio-visual recording. The icing on the curse however was almost complete ignorance on part of those outside of the city of its rich and ongoing tradition of creativity and innovation. So long in the shadow of its big city Cardiff, Swansea was still quietly churning it out, spinning its wheels and exhibiting a worrying rage deficit.

Griff and Stu, long aware of the capacity in Swansea for circular raging, determined at the moment of their reunion to kick proverbial righteous rear end and put Swansea on the map. In a United Kingdom where the creative industries sector is now comparable in size to that of the financial services sector - making up 7.3 of the UK economy and growing at 5% per year.- it just isn’t right, they rightly – and righteously agreed – that Swansea, so full of potential and talent should fall behind other UK regions where, as in the wealthy Midland Stu has been voluntarily exiled to, must likewise provision creative artists at least with makeshift or, better still, purpose built facilities to work from and where artists get paid for their songs, performances or art work!

 Stu’s example of choice was the height of the punk rock revolution - and it was just that – when there was one night in Swansea that every band , DJ, music hack and artist would turn up to. It was midweek, didn't go on that late but was always packed: accessible, communal, substantial.

The Revolution Will Be Digitised: Zero Plus One Equals Fun

It’s been famously said that “the revolution will be televised”. MAD, being thoroughly modern, says “the revolution will be digitized” and now, with its considerable progress and activity base revved and running, resources to share are being showered on Swansea creatives that anybody who can add zero to one can benefit from.

Core Apple recording gear, digital video kit, showcase concerts and other events, local studio access, online presence that is growing daily, a dedicated management team, community-minded principles and powerful, positive ambition to the fore, MAD is no longer the small town wannabe, but a second city, increasingly streamlined arts charity proving that when the artists get tough the arts get growing.

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