An unforgettable concert recorded live at the National Eisteddfod’s pavilion this summer is set to be shown on S4C next weekend.

Gig y Pafiliwn is a fantastic chance to relive a memorable night, where Candelas, Yr Ods and Swnami – three leading Welsh bands - raised the roof of the new pavilion, with fantastic accompaniment by the Welsh Pops Orchestra.

 

As the enigmatic lead singer of the Candelas, Osian Williams is used to captivating audiences across Wales with his charismatic stage presence. But during Gig y Pafiliwn it was Osian who was enchanted by the electric atmosphere at the pavilion.??"It was a phenomenal experience! I’ve never experienced a thrill like this at a gig before. From the first note, the audience where ready to party, which is fantastic as we’ve seen anything like it at the pavilion before!" said Osian, 26, who lives in Llanuwchllyn.

 

The saying goes, if you want something done, ask a busy person, and Osian is certainly a testament to that. Not only was he the front-man, he also arranged the music for the orchestra.

 

Osian explained, "It was a great experience for me personally. I had done this kind of work when i was at university in Bangor, but I had never previously arranged songs for a full orchestra. Working on arrangements for our songs was somewhat easier as I knew the songs so well."

 

"We purposely chose songs that would lend themselves perfectly for an epic-like orchestral arrangement. The band and the orchestra worked perfectly together as the songs’ crescendos were highlighted even more by the orchestra."

 

"It was such a unique evening for the Eisteddfod, and not just for the Pavilion audience. It is fair to say that no-one had quite predicted such a success. The Eisteddfod should be congratulated for being so bold.”

 

Swnami’s dynamic lead singer Ifan Davies has just finished his master’s degree at Bangor University under the guidance of his personal tutor, Owain Llwyd. It was Owain who also prepared arrangements of songs by Swnami and Yr Ods for the Welsh Pops Orchestra and also conducted the orchestra on the night.

 

"I’d say that this was one of the best gigs ever for us as a band, and it will be etched in our memory for many years. Playing with an orchestra is not an experience many bands enjoy, so it was an honour to be able to do so!" said Ifan, of Waenfach near Llanegryn, Meirionnydd.

 

"Owain Llwyd says that our songs work very well for an orchestra. He’d been emailing us for advice a great deal during the last few months, and there was a lot of going back and forth. Following the process from the computer to the platform was great. And we were all buzzing when we got off the stage!"

 

The pavilion was packed in Abergavenny, with people of all ages getting up from their seats to dance. It was the first time that the National Eisteddfod has held such an evening, and Ifan hopes it will be one of many such events in the future.

 

Ifan added, "This was one of the best ever gigs at the Eisteddfod. You have to credit the Eisteddfod organisers for coming up with such a great idea and it was a way of bringing every generation together to appreciate Welsh pop music."

 

Gig y Pafiliwn can be seen on Saturday 22 October 8.30pm, S4C and later onn demand on the BBC IPlayer and other platforms