The closure of one of Cardiff’s most famous venues, The Moon on Womanby Street, has prompted calls for the protection of the UK’s first Music City. Cardiff’s music scene is being challenged due to the venue’s sudden closure and the loss of other music venues such as Gwdihŵ, Buffalo, and 10 Feet Tall in recent years. Music enthusiast and former promoter and technical manager at The Moon, Ed Townend, said that “the music community didn’t find out about the closure until the day and that the future’s pretty bleak.” He also added that many people’s first gigs or first performance were at The Moon, which offered critical support to emerging artists in the city.
Christian Punter, from Ferndale in Rhondda Cynon Taf, a singer-songwriter who performs under the alias of Otto Aday, said that the closure of smaller venues could potentially cut off a lifeline of support for up-and-coming musicians. Punter had his first headline gig in Cardiff at The Moon and since then has performed at international music festivals, recorded his debut album Persona in Nashville under Bay Street Records, and supported Sir Tom Jones on his 2018 tour. Welsh-Jamaican reggae artist and presenter Aleighcia Scott also shared her opinion on the matter, stating that venues like The Moon had proven critical in developing raw talent.
Cardiff was named the UK’s first Music City in 2017 as part of the capital’s initiative to protect grassroots venues, and boost the city’s international profile while simultaneously attracting bigger stars. Despite this, the closure of The Moon raises concerns over whether the current strategy to promote Cardiff’s music sector is sufficient in protecting Wales’ grassroots music venues. Townend called for a compulsory donation for grassroots venues to be added to larger gig tickets, adding that grasping at straws is “no longer enough to ensure the stability and future of the Welsh music industry.” In response to the loss of the venue, a spokesperson from Cardiff council stated that “grassroots music venues are crucial for the development of new talent and important cultural hubs in our towns and cities.
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