Cerddoriaeth Geltaidd o Gymru
Ers ei ffurfio yn 1996 mae Allan Yn Y Fan wedi gwneud enw iddo'i hun fel un o brif fandiau traddodiadol Cymru, gyda catalog rhagorol o waith mewn cyngherddau, gwyliau a recordiau, yn ogystal â nifer o deithiau Ewropeaidd.
Mae'r chwechawd aml-offerynnol, sydd mor adnabyddus nawr am eu 'lleisiau hyfryd" ag am eu 'hofferynnau tanllyd' yn rhoi bywyd newydd i ganeuon a cherddoriaeth traddodiadol Cymru yn ogystal ag ysgrifennu eu halawon eu hunain a ysbrydolwyd gan eu mamwlad a'u teithiau.
Yn rhyngwladol mae Allan Yn Y Fan wedi perfformio yn yr Ŵyl Ryng-geltaidd yn Lorient, Llydaw ac mewn lleoliadau yn Ffrainc, Iwerddon, Lwcsembwrg, Swistir, Gwlad Belg ac Awstria yn ogystal â theithio'n llwyddiannus yn yr Almaen a'r Weriniaeth Siec.
Mae ymddangosiadau mewn gwyliau ym Mhrydain yn cynnwys Celtic Connections yn Glasgow, Trowbridge Village Pump, Bromyard, Beverley, Fylde, Middlewich Folk & Boat, Tŷ Tredegar, Tân yn y Mynydd, Shepley Spring, Gŵyl Werin Abergwaun yn ogystal ag Eisteddfod Ryngwladol Llangollen. Maent hefyd wedi gwneud nifer o ymddangosiadau ar y radio a'r teledu.
Mae Allan Yn Y Fan wedi cynnal teithiau helaeth o amgylch theatrau Cymru yn cefnogi rhyddhau eu halbymau "Pwnco" a 'NEWiD' ac yn 2014 cawsant gomisiwn gan PRSF/Neuadd Dewi Sant i gyfansoddi cerddoriaeth newydd gyda chyd-gerddorion o Gymru DnA (Delyth ac Angharad Jenkins) a berfformiwyd yn y Diwrnod Gwerin cyntaf yn y Proms Cymreig yr haf hwnnw. Er mai gwaith cyngerdd a gwyliau yw prif ffocws y band erbyn hyn, maent yn dal i fwynhau chwarae i dwmpathau yn ogystal â digwyddiadau, preifat, corfforaethol a cyhoeddus. Yn 2016 cawsant 20,000 o bobl yn dawnsio ym Mharc Bute, Caerdydd fel rhan o ddathliadau enfawr canmlwyddiant Roald Dahl, 'City of the Unexpected'.
Mae Allan Yn Y Fan yn adnabyddus am y cysylltiad a wnaed rhyngddynt hwy a'u cynulleidfa. Mae cyngerdd Allan Yn Y Fan bob amser yn ddigwyddiad sy'n codi'r galon. Fel y dywedodd un aelod o'r gynulleidfa: '"Sioe wych, cerddoriaeth wych - gysylltiad rhagorol gyda'r gynulleidfa."
Allan Yn Y Fan - Ar Record
Ers 2003 mae Allan Yn Y Fan wedi cyhoeddi 6 albwm ac un EP ar label Steam Pie. Cawsant i gyd lawer o ganmoliaeth. Cyhoeddwyd yr albwm diweddaraf ar 16 Medi 2016 dan y teitl "NEWiD" - addas ar gyfer albwm yn adlewyrchu chwechawd newydd y grŵp, oedd hefyd drwy gyd-ddigwyddiad yn chweched record Allan Yn Y Fan.
Newyddion
2025
16.02.2025 BAND UPDATE
It’s been a while since the last band update, but we haven’t been slacking.
Last year we played a number of ceilidhs/twmpathau at weddings, birthdays and events both locally and further afield, including The International Recorder Society Conference in Monmouth. June saw our regular appearance at Menter Caerfili’s Ffiliffest in Caerphilly playing for the children’s dancing. In July we had a welcome return to Folk On The Lawn in Tintern where we played concert sets on both the River and Cottage stages. We last played there way back in 2013 – was it really that long ago?
We’ve been working on new material, both traditional and our own compositions. Before Christmas we spent a day at Snake Mountain Studios in Abercarn recording some of the tune sets. We plan to return there shortly to record some of the new songs. Hopefully we can release these at some stage. In the meantime our previous CDs are still on sale, though there’s limited stock of some of them. Head over to our on-line shop on this website and take a look.
Looking ahead to this year we already have a number of gigs in the diary, both private and public, and it’s great that two of them – a ceilidh at Llanelly Hill Memorial & Welfare Hall, and a concert at the Melville Centre Community Theatre in Abergavenny are support by the Arts Council of Wales’ Night Out scheme https://www.nightout.org.uk This is a great scheme that helps voluntary groups bring professional shows to local halls and spaces across Wales. We’re proud to be involved with this scheme.
We hope to see you somewhere along the road this year.
If you’d like to book Allan Yn Y Fan for a concert, festival, event or twmpath dawns you can contact us on enquiry@allanynyfan.co.uk.
We’re also on Facebook and Twitter so please pay us a visit and like & follow us.
2024
27.05.2024 ALLAN YN Y FAN PLAYING AT FOLK ON THE LAWN 2024
26.05.2024 ALLAN YN Y FAN PLAYING AT FFILIFEST 2024
2023
27.08.2023 ALLAN YN Y FAN PLAYING AT DYFIFEST 2023
2022
05.10.2022 ALLAN YN Y FAN AND NATIONAL DANCE COMPANY WALES
Allan Yn Y Fan are excited to be playing a twmpath as part of PARTi - National Dance Company Wales’ production in November.
PARTi is a unique production with dance at its heart, comprising performances from NDC Wales, Thomas Carsley (BBC Young Dance Competitor) and local performers, before ending with nibbles and a Twmpath.
We’re really looking forward to working with our national dance company on this innovative event and getting everyone up and dancing at the end!
PARTi will be at The Welfare Ystradgynlais at 2pm and 7pm on Saturday 12th November and at 2pm and 7pm at Theatr y Glowyr, Ammanford. Info and details on the National Dance Company website and social media.
https://www.ndcwales.co.uk
https://twitter.com/ndcwales
https://www.facebook.com/ndcwales
22.08.2022 BAND UPDATE
Well, it’s certainly been a long time since our last AYYF update and things have changed in more ways than one.
We now have a new line-up with two new members – Emma Farnsworth on fiddle and Scott Baker on guitar and the mighty bass ukulele! We’ve started rehearsing and things are going very well.
Gigs are picking up too. Following the lockdown we played our 1st twmpath in 18 months on September 4th last year, then on May 28th this year a wedding originally planned for 2020 but delayed because of the pandemic. Thanks to the lovely couple who went ahead with a small wedding last year and stuck with us for a big 1st anniversary bash this year. It was great to be part of a live Ffiliffest in Caerphilly on June 11th – we’ve missed that one! We also played some background music and a twmpath for Caerfilli and District Twinning Association’s delayed 30th anniversary celebration with Lannion and Ploubezre on July 25th. We played a good old ‘Valleys half & half’ background music followed by a twmpath with some fine dancing by both the Welsh and the Bretons. We’ve also got a number of other confirmed private bookings in the diary and a couple of exciting opportunities in the pipeline.
Festivals and concerts have been in short supply this year as events and venues are playing catch-up from the last 2 years but, hopefully, we’ll be able to add some of these in the future.
To sum up – it’s great to be back out playing again and we’re looking forward to the future.
If you’d like to book Allan Yn Y Fan for a concert, festival, event or twmpath dawns you can contact us on enquiry@allanynyfan.co.uk.
We’re also on Facebook and Twitter so please pay us a visit and like & follow us.
2020
06.12.2020 BAND UPDATE
2020 has certainly been a strange year for everyone. The last gig we played was a St David’s Celebration on March 1st. Since then everything else has been cancelled or postponed. We’ve been unable to meet up for rehearsals and like just about everybody else in the world have been relying on email, WhatsApp and Zoom to keep in touch – where would we be without them!
Thankfully there is now a glimmer of light on the horizon and we’re keeping our fingers and everything else firmly crossed that venues will open, events will be able to go ahead and we’ll be able to start playing live music again next year – we’ve really missed it.
In the meantime you can still listen to our music in the comfort of your own homes. We have CDs for sale from this website, including our latest ‘NEWiD’ and ‘Cool, Calm & Collected’, a remastered collection of our back catalogue. If you fancy learning a few of our favourite self-penned music we still have a few copies of ‘Tunes From the Back Of The Van’ available.
If you’d like to book Allan Yn Y Fan for a concert, festival, event or twmpath dawns you can contact us on enquiry@allanynyfan.co.uk.
We’re also on Facebook and Twitter so please pay us a visit and like & follow us. Hopefully we can meet you again in person next year.
03.06.2020 FFILIFFEST ON-LINE 2020
This year’s outdoor event might have been postponed until 2021, but Ffiliffest will go ahead live on-line on Saturday June 6th on the Menter Caerffili Facebook page. A series of activities will be taking place from 11.00 - 16.00 and there’ll also be a video of the children dancing to Allan Yn Y Fan tunes. We’ll miss playing for Filliffest this year but look forward to being part of next year’s event.
22.03.2020 BAND UPDATE
Due to the current climate the Tredegar House Folk Festival (Newport) has been cancelled for this year. Also the Ffilifest at Caerphilly Castle has been cancelled but will return next year.
Nadolig Llawen a Blwynddyn Newydd Dda.
22.02.2020 BAND UPDATE
It’ll be great to play at Tredegar House Folk Festival again this year. We always enjoy this one, and what fantastic musical company we’ll be in!
2019
07.07.2019 BAND UPDATE
July already, how times flies!
It’s been a reasonably busy Spring for the band. Following our latest regeneration and the anticipated round of settling in rehearsals, we've been playing some twmpaths for birthday and wedding celebrations, and also a charity fundraising summer bash for the Soul’d As Seen Choir in aid of St David’s Hospice.
We also managed to avoid the showers in May and spent a great day having new publicity photographs taken, including Allan Yn Y Fan with a van – it just had to be done!
There’s also a sillier album of individual photos on our Facebook page.
Big thanks to Antonia Salter for taking such cracking photos - and putting up with our strange suggestions and ideas!
On what was the hottest day of the year so far we made a return visit to Ffiliffest at Caerphilly Castle on Saturday 29th June. There were plenty of water breaks for the children but well done to the pupils from the 11 schools who danced in the morning – and to the parents who were ‘encouraged’ to join in one of the dances! It was a double 1st in the afternoon, performing our first concert set of the year and also our first with the new line-up.
We’ll now be setting our minds to digging out new material, rehearsing and working on a new short demo recording.
Don’t forget, as well as Facebook we’re also on Twitter so please ‘like’ and ‘follow’ us.
25.05.2019 SOUL'D AS SEEN CHOIR - SUMMER BASH CHARITY CEILIDH (08 JUNE 2019)
30.03.2019 ALLAN YN Y FAN BACK UP AND RUNNING
Spring has sprung and Allan Yn Y Fan is ready to bloom again!
Following successful auditions in early February we now have our new guitarist so we’re back up to full strength again. Thanks to all the applicants for auditioning and giving us such a hard choice to make on the day.
Drum roll ………. and introducing Steve Garrett!
Cardiff based Steve has a long track record of performing with bands of various musical genres. He started out playing electric blues, morphed through jazz and over recent years has been playing almost entirely acoustic music. He also plays the Mandocello and writes and sings his own material, so brings a lot to the Allan Yn Y Fan party.
It’s now full steam ahead with rehearsals and we’re all excited about working on our material and getting back out and playing.
As well as a number of private bookings already confirmed in the diary we’re looking forward to another return visit to Ffiliffest at Caerphilly Castle for Menter Iaith Caerffili on Saturday 29th June. It’s always a pleasure to play for this fun event, and in such a wonderful setting.
Don’t forget, our latest CD NEWiD is still available in the ‘Shop’ section, as is our recent tunebook ‘Tunes for the Back of the Van’.
Finally, if you would like to book Allan Yn Y Fan for a concert, festival, event or twmpath dawns please get in touch at enquiry@allanynyfan.co.uk
2018
08.12.2018 Clyweliadau am Gitarydd: Allan yn y Fan
Yn dilyn ymddeoliad Geoff Cripps, un o bartneriaid sefydlu Allan yn y Fan, rydym yn awr yn edrych am gitarydd profiadol, seiliedig yng Nghymru, i ymuno â'r band poblogaidd hwn ar gyfer gigio (cyngherddau, gwyliau, darlledu a thwmpathau/ceilidhs), recordio a theithio (Prydain/Ewrop).
Edrychwn am rywun sydd ag ymroddiad ac egni i ymarfer a pherfformio ein cyfansoddiadau ein hunain a cherddoriaeth draddodiadol gyda naws neilltuol Gymreig (mae samplau o'n harddull ar gael ar ein gwefan: www.ayyf.co.uk). Nid yw'n rhaid i chi fedru siarad Cymraeg, ond byddem yn disgwyl i chi rannu ein brwdfrydedd am berfformiadau sy'n parchu ein treftadaeth ddiwylliannol ddwyieithog.
Byddai rhai sgiliau lleisiol a gallu i ddarllen cerddoriaeth yn ddefnyddiol ond nid yn hanfodol. Diddordeb?
Anfonwch eich CV ac amlinelliad o pam y dymunwch fod yn rhan o Allan yn y Fan at: auditions@ayyf.co.uk
Dyddiad cau ceisiadau: dydd Gwener 4 Ionawr 2019
Send your CV and an outline of why you want to be part of Allan yn y Fan to: auditions@ayyf.co.uk
Deadline for applications: Friday 4 January 2019.
12.11.2018 Another chapter ends for Allan Yn Y Fan
The final concerts in the Allan Yn Y Fan Bridges Not Walls tour closes another chapter in band’s story with the departure of guitarist Geoff Cripps.
Geoff is one of the four founder members of the band which formed in 1996 and has since gigged and toured extensively in the UK and Europe, as well as producing 6 albums and an EP and a recent single and tune book.
We’re sad to see Geoff go and wish him well - and there’s no doubt that we’ll remain firm friends! He has brought so much to the band with his distinctive playing style and in his stalwart work in promoting us.
However, the band is set to continue and it is 'business as usual' with several bookings for private twmpaths already in the diary for next Spring, during this transition to a new line up. Watch this space for developments.
25.10.2018 BRIDGES NOT WALLS TOUR FINAL DATES
25.10.2018 UPDATE AUTUMN 2018
Musings from AYYF HQ…
Here I am on a sunny autumnal day thinking back on last weekend’s Bridges not Walls Tour dates in Llanidloes and Oswestry. Weather conditions that weekend made for interesting (!) journeys for all of the band but we arrived in Llanidloes, as guests of the town’s Music & Arts Club at The Function Room, in good time to set up for our first concert in this historic mid-Wales town. We were rewarded by a full room of enthusiastic people who perhaps gave us the best ever audience participation on “Ar Hyd Y Nos” – best ever chorus singing according to Catrin …and she knows!
The next day was a relatively short hop to Oswestry and to the town’s Welsh Chapel now the Hermon Chapel Arts Centre. This beautiful chapel is lovingly run by two super enthusiasts Barry & Claudia who are pouring themselves into this endeavour. The audience were absolutely smashing and rewarded us with a standing ovation.
That put us in mind of our dates in Luxembourg and Germany where we were rewarded on three occasions there with standing ovations and two sold out shows. The receptions we were accorded for the five shows there really made worthwhile the 3000 miles driven! It was our honour to return to Spiegelberg and West Flügel, Syke; but also to play first concerts in Papenburg (at a beautifully restored 1636 building) – their first ever folk concert in Alte Drostei and to their and our delight a sell-out; Dresden’s Staatsschauspiel where we were part of a formidable World music programme and their first Welsh act, and to kick things off in style Chateau Bettembourg in Luxembourg – terrific to be invited back by the Luxembourg Folk Clupp some 10 years after our first performance for them (and thanks too to Jackie Fleming for her part in all this).
The Bridges not Walls Tour kicked off on 14th September with our first ever concert at Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon and has also taken in Ffwrnes, Llanelli. Whilst in Brecon we were thrilled to be joined by the talented photographer Simon Gough and we are pleased to share some of his marvellous pictorial record of the concert here! Whilst in Llanelli we were filmed by the Heno crew from Tinopolis who are handily situated next door to the venue. As soon as we can we will share the video of our performance of “Sbaen Weddydd” for them.
Now there are just four more dates left on the “Bridges not Walls” tour at Ystradgynlais (16th November), The Met, Abertyleri (17th November, Redwick Village Hall (23rd November) and finally The Market Theatre, Ledbury on Saturday 1st December. The Redwick gig differs slightly from the other three as it will be part concert and part twmpath – there is a curry supper break in the middle – but that, as well as tickets for the gig need to be booked in advance from the promoter Linda Hall ( lindajhall@googlemail.com ).
Significantly these four dates are the last to be performed with founder member of the band Geoff Cripps. After spending a third of my life with this wonderful band there will certainly be mixed emotions but our aim is for me to go out on a high! Book your tickets now and see you in Ystradgynlais or Abertyleri or Redwick or (the last chance) The Market Theatre, Ledbury.
07.09.2018 NEW SINGLE & NEW VIDEO RELEASE
 | Leading Welsh band Allan Yn Y Fan release their first single today on Steam Pie Records ahead of a major European tour. (SPCD1019S)and which is already receiving airplay from around the UK. The band have chosen to highlight two songs from the incredibly rich Welsh folk song tradition :- “Ym Mhontypridd Mae’n Nghariad” is a beautiful Welsh love song with a young farmer on the banks of the Taff in Pontypridd intent on winning his intended by making play of his “speckled cows.” Who could refuse? |
The second track on the CD release is “Gorthrwm y Gweithiwr” – a song of mid-19th Century industrial Wales in which the iron masters of Beaufort, Ebbw Vale are warned of dire consequences should they continue their oppressive ways. Working with talented film maker Antonia Salter the band recently filmed in Blaenau Gwent locations most pertinent to the song. Thanks to David & Margaret Rees the band were given access to one of the two Round Towers built in Nantyglo by Ironmaster Crawshay Bailey as protection against his workers, whilst the Sirhowy Iron Works (contemporary to the Beaufort Iron Works) provided an apt 19th Century industrial backdrop. The film is premiered today on the Folk Radio UK site and featured below.
01.09.2018 TWMPATH - SENGHENYDD CANOLFAN CYMUNEDOL - NOS WENER 12eg O HYDREF
07.08.2018 TAITH PONTYDD NID MURIAU/RHYDDHAU SENGL HYDREF 2018
01.06.2018 SKENFRITH - CANCELLED
06.05.2018 FOCUS WALES, HWB CYMRAEG, WREXHAM/WRECSAM (12 MAY 2018)
22.04.2018 SPRINGING INTO SUMMER - UPDATE APRIL 2018
Well after what seemed to be the longest winter since the previous longest winter ever – it is great to reflect on the last couple of months and recap on our activities. The band’s first gig of the year was to celebrate a Burn’s Night supper in Llandogo Millennium Hall – whisky, neeps, tatties and haggis (meat or veggie) were enjoyed and everyone had a ball. It was lovely to welcome back our newest fiddle dep Emma Farnsworth – and we thank Night Out for supporting this one.
In February we played our first gig in Merthyr for a couple of years – thanks to one of very special crowdfunder supporters in St Tydfil’s Old Parish Church – right in the town centre. It was special to welcome back Adrian Bamford as our sound engineer and lovely to catch up with some friendly and familiar faces in the audience. Our hosts spoiled everyone with their very tasty Welsh menu.
In March – well it snowed – more than once! But….we did manage to rehearse ahead of our Blackwood Miner’s Institute concert and we really enjoyed playing once more in a venue that has a really special connection for the band. We were very pleased that the presenter of Acoustic Routes, Dave Chamberlain came along and reviewed the show for Entertainments South Wales and for Mick Tems Folk Wales Online magazine. You can find out all about his excellent show (Click Here) and read his smashing review (Click Here).
As we sweltered under un-seasonally warm temperatures this week, without a word of complaint (!) our band minds began to turn to summer – which can only mean one, or possibly two things :- festivals and un-seasonal weather (perhaps).
AYYF is delighted to be returning to two very special festivals in Wales. Some five years have elapsed since we last performed for Fishguard Folk Festival but on Saturday May 26th we are greatly looking forward to returning to Theatr Gwaun and sharing the stage with Cornwall’s excellent Jim Causley. More details Click Here. The second return is more local to us – but none the less delightful as return to Ffiliffest in Caerffili Castle for Menter Iaith Caerffili on Saturday 9th June.
We are so pleased to be making our debut at three very different but well-established events. The first of these is the huge Focus Wales event spread over three days and seemingly taking over the whole town of Wrexham. Details of our appearance on the final day of the event, Saturday 12th May are Click Here.
On Sunday 22nd July we make our debut at the highly regarded Festival at the Edge in Whitchurch, Shropshire. Renowned for the quality of its story-tellers, entertainment for the whole family and its music programme we can hardly wait to experience its special atmosphere. Full details of that event are here Click Here.
Lastly, but by no means least, we finally make our Hampshire debut at the stonking Wickham Festival. The line-up at this event is staggering! We are just thrilled to be appearing alongside the likes of Jon Boden & The Remnant Kings, The Blues Band, Flook and the blessed Richard Thompson on Sunday 5th August. Full details hhere.
We hope to see you somewhere along the road!
03.03.2018 BLACKWOOD MINERS INSTITUTE
19.01.2018 Blwyddyn Newydd Dda Pawb! Happy New Year to all our friends and followers
They say be careful what you wish for…so we have managed to smash our previous record for updating our website news…Apologies but sometimes you need to take time out to recharge batteries.
So, emerging into the January sunlight (!), we are dusting ourselves off, restringing our instruments, looking into some possible new tunes/songs and generally knuckling down to what will be our 22nd year!
We will be able to share some exciting gig news soon – so do come back to the Gig dates section regularly – but firstly we are thrilled that with Night Out backing we shall be getting everyone up to dance following a Burns Night Supper where else but…Llandogo Millennium Hall on Saturday 27th January.
Following that we are proud to announce our first concerts on home ground since Aberdyfi last year. Firstly – thanks to a legendary Crowdfunding supporter – we are making our first appearance in Merthyr Tydfil for some time. See us at St. Tydfil’s Church on Thursday 22nd February. Secondly we are delighted to be returning to Blackwood Miner’s Institute on Wednesday 28th March – tickets are on sale now and you can call their Box Office on 01495 227206. Hope to see a great many familiar faces there as well as welcoming new friends.
Lastly if you would like to book Allan Yn Y Fan for a concert/festival or twmpath dawns – please do get in touch soon with your preferred date.
2017
13.07.2017 NEUADD DYFI, ABERDYFI
17.06.2017 FFILIFEST
08.05.2017 UPDATE MAY 2017
Well, even for us this is something of a record – one that we didn’t intend to smash! Looking at your own website can sometimes be a little dispiriting when you realise you haven’t posted any news in six months..
The good news is we are all still here! Life outside our band personas has had a stronger claim on us all since we finished the 6&20 tour at the end of November 2016. Sometimes it just happens like that!
The band hasn’t been idle since we retreated into winter hibernation mode. We emerged to play some fine Twmpaths in the first quarter of 2017. It was great to bring the first ever Twmpath to the splendidly restored Penarth Pier Pavilion and, with Gina Roberts on her finest form my, how they all danced and danced! Later that same month we were invited to celebrate that well known Welshman St.Patrick at the lovely Salisbury Arts Centre. A night most notable for the introduction of a very talented young fiddler Tom who certainly played a storm and also, helpfully, significantly lowered the average age of the band members! Again all who came, came to dance – even meeting the challenge set by Chris of dancing the Irish set dance Siege of Ennis! Again, a great night and we do hope to return to Salisbury ere long in concert mode!
In recent weeks we have been rehearsing and looking forward to our first concert gig of the year on Saturday 13th May at the splendid Tredegar House Folk Festival. We are very much looking forward to being part of an amazing Saturday night concert bill sharing the stage with Morfa, Cardboard Fox and Jamie Smith’s Mabon. You really should try and make this one; details here > http://www.tredegarhousefestival.org.uk/
Later this year we shall be performing a special concert in Catrin’s home town of Aberdyfi – details will appear on here in our gig list very soon.
We are also looking forward to performing at a number of special events for wedding and anniversary celebrants – if you fancy getting in on the act – don’t hesitate to contact us via the details on this site.
Lastly – if you have yet to get yourself a copy of our latest album “NEWiD” – grab one now and buy one for a friend too. You know it makes sense!
Hope to see you somewhere along the road in our 21st year.
2016
10.12.2016 "NEWiD" for Christmas
08.10.2016 UPDATE OCTOBER 2016
The road to hell they say is paved with good intentions….much like our intention to regularly update the news section of the website. But, it has been a really busy few months for Allan Yn Y Fan.
When we last wrote, we were looking forward to our two joint concerts with Malinky – and what great nights they were! It was a pleasure sharing the stage and the craic with the ace musicians and singers of this first rate Scottish band. We had a great audience on home ground in the beautifully restored Newbridge Memo, and the following night a terrific welcome awaited us in Wales’ quirkiest town (not just our opinion!) :- Llanwrtyd Wells.
A lot of our work “behind the scenes” involved the new album “NEWiD”. For the first time we decided to try crowd funding to help finance the promotion of the album. It was humbling to see from the launch on Crowdfunder in late July, how quickly people came forward to snap up the rewards and pledge. When the project ended we were thrilled that some 60 splendid, generous folk had pledged 98% of the £2000 total we had hoped to raise. We have thanked them individually, but we would also like to acknowledge the fact that without their commitment we would not have been able to undertake some of the work now underway. This includes engaging acknowledged PR specialist James Soars, who has really helped us achieve reviews and airplay where previously we were unknown. And, of course, it’s still happening now!
So, “NEWiD” was officially released on Friday 16th September through Proper Distribution, whilst we were on the road in Belgium and Germany… Before that we had performed at Tŷ Gwerin at Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Y Fenni, Gŵyl Nol ac M'lan in Llangrannog and also fitted in an event at the old Garden Festival Wales site in Ebbw Vale.
However, back in the van – with babi Bleddyn on board plus Darren, and Harry Lee as sound engineer, we covered 2700 miles in the 10 days we were away on tour. It was great to return to the wonderful Thieles Garten in Bremerhaven, to make our first appearance in Belgium at the 31st edition of the Schots Weekend in Bilzen (more people in kilts than we have ever spied in Scotland plus haggis available amongst the more usual festival fare…) and then to return to Syke and Westflugel. Did we mention that it was HOT! Most days the thermometer was hovering on the mid 30s…it’s not natural for pale damp Welshies! What we should mention is the absolutely tremendous reception we got at every gig from the audiences. Standing ovations really boost your artistic spirit! The last gig in Germany was at Gemeinde Halle Jux, Spiegelberg, organised by their wonderful Burgermeister Uwe Bossert. It was lovely to catch up with our very good friends Thomas & Ingrid and, even better, to get Thomas Roth up on stage for the final number as he joined us in an uproarious “Rough Crossing/Seasick Sailors.”
Saturday 17th September was the big travel day – we saw a fair chunk of Germany, a snippet of the Netherlands, most of Belgium and a little of France as we headed back to Wales for our rendezvous with the “City of the Unexpected” – Roald Dahl centenary celebrations in Cardiff. It is fair to say that all of us in the band, plus our amazing caller Gina Roberts, will never forget the experience of getting some 20,000 people dancing to our tunes! You should be able to get an idea of the crazy scenes by googling it!
There was so much going on, including a visit to the Llanelli TV studios for Heno, that we scarcely had the time to register the wonderful reviews coming in for “NEWiD” (but see here on this site) and prepare for our first tour of Wales since 2012. Part one of Taith 6 & 20 has just finished and we have a bit of a breather before part two begins in Blackwood Miner’s Institute on Thursday 10th November. You can see all of the dates here. Please tell your friends and get as many people as you can out to these marvellous venues. It would be fantastic to experience something of what we had in Germany and Belgium on home ground!
Oh, and if you have yet to get your copy of “NEWiD” – you can buy it here!
Will write soon about the further adventures of Allan Yn Y Fan – it’s been some 20th anniversary year so far!
Geoff, Chris, Alan, Catrin, Linda, Kate
28.08.2016 EUROPEAN 6 & 20 TOUR 2016
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26.08.2016 6 & 20 TOUR 2016
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COOL, CALM & COLLECTED :- CLEAR OUT SPECIAL OFFER!
Allan Yn Y Fan & Steam Pie Records are delighted to offer the band’s 2014 compilation album at the very special price of just £5 + P&P from now until 31st August only.
Geoff Cripps said :- “We need to clear some shelf space at Steam Pie Towers to make way for the band’s brand new album “NEWiD” which will be released on 16th September. Whilst we are excited to be moving forward with the new band, we wanted to mark the close of a chapter in the band’s history and this special offer seemed the very best way!”
“Cool, Calm & Collected” charts the band’s progress from the 2003 first album “Off The Map” all the way to the release of “Pwnco” in 2012 and includes carefully selected tracks from the band’s total recorded output.
“This compilation is a great testament to the sheer quality of music they have produced in their first decade..”
Spiral Earth , 11 April 2014
To order your copy click here!
02.07.2016 GWYL NOL A M'LAN
31.05.2016 UPDATE MAY 2016
We came out of hibernation this month with a trip to God’s Own County of Yorkshire to perform at Shepley Spring Folk Festival. It was a great weekend and would like to say a big thank you to the organisers for making us so welcome. We even enjoyed the weather – which threw four seasons at us in one day, including some mega-sized hailstones and an entertaining muddy exit from the festival site!
Next we are delighted to be welcoming to Wales our very good friends and one of Scotland’s very best bands, Malinky. Thanks to the support of the Night Out/Noson Allan scheme we are thrilled to be sharing the stage for two very special performances. Thursday 9th June we shall be at the beautifully restored Newbridge Memo (more...) and the very next day we are at the Victoria Hall, Llanwrtyd Wells (Friday 10th June). Please do tell all your friends and help make our first home concerts of 2016 packed out and joyous affairs!
We might have mentioned once or twice that over the winter we have been locked away working on our first album of new material since Pwnco in 2012. We are pleased to say that it now has a title :- NEWiD (newid = change) and, given that this is our first as the new sextet, we definitely feel that we have a new identity. For the first time we shall be appealing to all our database followers and website friends to assist us in making this album not just our best to date, but our best-selling album too. We will be launching our very own crowd-funding project next month. In these challenging times it becomes ever more difficult for musicians to make ends meet and we hope that you wonderful people will be able to pledge some of your hard earned cash to put alongside our hard earned cash and that together we can ensure the success of NEWiD.. Plus, there will be some very special rewards/offers for those who pledge. Look out for details soon via these pages, our Facebook site ( www.facebook.com/Allanynyfan ) our Twitter feed (@Allanynyfan) and, if you signed up to our database, in your inbox.
Look out for details soon of our other appearances this summer and for news on our Autumn tours at home and away. Oh, and if you or somebody you know would like to book us, please email :- Geoff@ayyf.co.uk
18.03.2016 TWO SPECIAL CONCERTS WITH MALINKY
20.02.2016 OUR FIRST ALLANYNYFANETTE!
Dymuno Allan Yn Y Fan llogyfarchiadau mawr i'r Catrin & Darren am enidigaeth mab ar 20ain o Chwefror.
Allan Yn Y Fan wish to congratulate Catrin & Darren on the birth of their son on the 20th February.
2015
24.11.2015 AT HOME – BEING PRODUCTIVE (IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE!)
“..Well our current series of gigs ended up in some style – the banqueting hall of Cardiff Castle – the product of the fevered imagination of William Burgess coupled with the spending power of Europe’s wealthiest young man – the third Marquess of Bute. This was all the result of the band being booked to perform and provide the Welsh content for Australian company Capstone Financial Planning and their biennial “off-shore” conference. It was a great evening and we look forward to being booked to provide the entertainment at their next conference on their home-ground, Melbourne, Australia!
Before that we had enjoyed a terrific run of gigs in Germany and Luxembourg. We started by performing for the wonderful Niko Markin and Folk Initiative Oldenburg in a very modern church in that city. The warmth of the welcome that night set the seal for the rest of the week. We then spent a very happy few days hosted by our German agent Frank & Gerda and Frank2 & Ilona.....” more...
17.09.2015 THE ROAD BECKONS!
“..It is somewhat embarrassing when you look at your own website and see that the last news update was posted way back in April...
However, since that was posted the band has really enjoyed the festivals it has been fortunate to perform at this year. First up was our return to the wonderful Tredegar House Folk Festival in Newport. We were proud to play our part in the Saturday night concert, sharing the stage with Vicky Swan & Johnny Dyer (great to work with them again) and the super-charged Geordie MacKeeman & his Rhythm Boys from Canada. There was a great reaction to our set, which was particularly rewarding for our new members Catrin & Alan.
Next up in May we were delighted to be invited to play at a new event for us – Merthyr Tydfil Global Village. This was a friendly event and we were also delighted to share a concert on the Saturday night in Redhouse with Czech musician and singer Jana Vebrova. Jana made a great impression on the audience and us as a band. A name to look out for!.....” more...
30.04.2015 SPRING UPDATE APRIL 2015
“..Well it has been a long time since we last updated you all on our progress as the new band. Since we last wrote winter has definitely turned into spring and the new sextet is definitely well into the “forming” stage of development!
The band has made a couple of low-key appearances on the Glanfa Stage of the Wales Millennium Centre plus has performed at two wedding twmpath dawns at two of our favourite venues – Brynich Barn near Brecon and Lyde Court near Hereford.
Mainly our time together has been spent on working up new material, re-visiting some old favourite songs and tunes, plus recording some demos which show the new line-up in action. We now have a three track demo CD which we are sending off to radio stations, concert and festival bookers and key supporters of the band.....” more...
2014
29.11.2014 ALLAN YN Y FAN ANNOUNCE NEW LINE-UP
“..Geoff, Chris, Linda and Kate are delighted to announce that Allan Yn Y Fan welcomes two new members to the band. Joining us as our lead singer is Catrin O’Neill together with fiddler Alan Cooper......” more...
26.10.2014 AUTUMN UPDATE OCTOBER 2014
“..We can scarcely believe that time has passed so rapidly since we last posted on our site. Huge apologies! 2014 has been quite a year for Allan Yn Y Fan one way or another. An eon ago we had a thoroughly fantastic tour of Germany, Switzerland and Luxemburg. You can read all about that courtesy of the article Geoff was commissioned to write by Karen Price, Arts Editor of the Western Mail (click here...). Huge thanks to all our hosts/promoters in those countries but especially to Frank Reglin of Syke.....” more...
19.07.2014 ALLAN YN Y FAN – WELSH FOLKIES ABROAD! For Karen Price Arts Editor Western Mail
“..The audience are on their feet cheering and clapping, the local press photographer is snapping away as we launch into our encores for the wonderful audience at Thieles Garten in Bremerhaven. The venue tonight is a small concert hall, with ancillary bar and food preparation area, set amongst the most extraordinary sculpture garden – the setting providing the inspiration for the Thieles family to create this cultural oasis just outside the town centre nearly 100 years ago......”more...
18.07.2014 Taking Welsh traditional music to the European masses by Wales Online
“..Allan yn y Fan has been touring Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland but is now preparing for the Welsh Proms. Guitarist and singer Geoff Cripps shares their experiences.The audience are on their feet cheering and clapping, the local press photographer is snapping away as we launch into our encores for the wonderful audience at Thieles Garten in Bremerhaven, Germany. The venue is a small concert hall, with ancillary bar and food preparation area, set among the most extraordinary sculpture garden – the setting providing the inspiration for the Thieles family to create this cultural oasis just outside the town centre nearly 100 years ago......”more...
15.07.2014 Festival of Folk - Welsh Proms
“..The sole opportunity to catch Allan Yn Y Fan on home ground this summer is this coming Sunday in the National Concert Hall of Wales – St. David’s Hall, Cardiff. We are delighted to be part of a day-long celebration of Welsh folk & traditional music and song, coupled with opportunities to participate, alongside the cream of the crop (musically speaking) > Jamie Smith’s Mabon, Olion Byw, Haddofolk, and DnA. Our role in this prom is made even more special by the fact that, as the result of a successful bid by the hall, the Performing Rights Society Foundation have commissioned Chris Jones and Kate Strudwick of Allan Yn Y Fan, plus Delyth & Angharad Jenkins of DnA to compose new music especially for this event. So come along on Sunday to the premiere performance of six new pieces performed by AYYF working alongside DnA. Stay for the rest of the day and take advantage now of this absolute bargain of a ticket deal here! See you Sunday!” more...
14.04.2014 RELEASE DATE FOR COMPILATION ALBUM "COOL, CALM & COLLECTED" SPCD 1017S
“..Leading Welsh band Allan Yn Y Fan is delighted to announce the release on 28th April 2014 of a brand new collection entitled "Cool, Calm and Collected" which captures the development of the band across the first decade of its existence......” more...
28.03.2014 SPRING HAS SPRUNG UPDATE MARCH 2014
“..Since we last posted at Christmas we have in fact had a two month break - sort of! Well there were no gigs until the 7th and 8th March when we were delighted to return in full Twmpath Dawns mode. On the Friday we were pleased to be raising money for the Urdd Eisteddfod with a Twmpath at Hirwaun Rugby Club whilst the following night we helped celebrate a 50th Birthday close to home. Both nights were incredibly enjoyable affairs.....” more...
2013
18.12.2013 NADOLIG 2013 / CHRISTMAS 2013
“..We look back on this year with great fondness as it has provided us with so many great performance memories. Starting the year off in Glasgow for Celtic Connections is a terrific way to start any year, and we are proud to be one of just a couple of Welsh acts invited to play this most prestigious of festivals twice!.....” more...
20.10.2013 ACW APPLICATION, NEW MATERIAL, AUTUMN CONCERTS + WOMEX!!
“..Well since we last wrote it really has been heads down for the band - it's not only the playing of music life in a band , you know! With the imminent arrival of the #WOMEX caravan in Cardiff we applied and were successful in getting a grant from Arts Council of Wales to allow us to up our promotional game.....” more...
15.08.2013 HELP NEEDED
“..Well good friends it has been a decade since we first released Off The Map on an astonished world! Belonging followed in 2006 - our second offering and last with Emma Trend fiddling furiously. Meriel Field joined in 2008 bringing her voice and fiddle and we then put out Trosnant in 2009, Lle Arall in 2010 and last year Pwnco. In total some 55 tracks - many composed by ourselves. Now we have decided that we wish to make a selection from all of this recorded output and with the benefit of re-mastering make the chosen ones sound all fresh and new! We would love you to get involved. What is your favourite track? Please let us know and the reason why would be good to know too! Email geoff@ayyf.co.uk today.
We aim to get the new selection out for October so time is of the essence! Thanks for your help..”
Click here to see our album listing
21.07.2013 BAND UPDATE
“..in the splendid surroundings of Abbey Mill Tintern we managed to stay cool (!) and play our last 45 minute concert set of the summer - we all really enjoyed Folk on the Lawn and it was great to see some old friends there.....” more...
21.04.2013 BAND UPDATE
“..So much for the New Year resolution of being better at updating the website this year then!.....” more...
25.02.2013 ST. DAVIDS DAY/DYDD GWYL DEWI SANT
Due to cancellation by organiser for our Dydd Gwyl Dewi Sant concert, we are now available. If you want to book AYYF please contact us as soon as possible...
31.01.2013 VIDEO
New YouTube video filmed at the Wales Millennium Centre... click here...
25.01.2013 SOUTH WALES ARGUS
“..Meet the Band Article.....” more...
2012
08.10.2012 Band Update...
14.07.2012 Band Update...
30.04.2012 Band Update...
23.01.2012 First Concert Of 2012 To Benefit Tredegar House Folk Festival!!
12.01.2012 NEW YEAR, NEW ALBUM, NEW TOUR!!
2011
26.11.2011 JOINT CONCERT WITH FRIBO THURSDAY 1st DECEMBER
02.11.2011 Tales From The Road With The Legendary Max Boyce
13.08.2011 Summer Newsletter 2011
19.02.2011 On The Road Again
2010
13.08.2010 Tours Are Us!
18.04.2010 Read All About Us!
18.02.2010 New Relase LLE ARALL / ANOTHER PLACE from Allan Yn Y Fan & Delyth Jenkins
16.02.2010 AYYF & Harpist Delyth Jenkins Performing and Composing as they Tour Home Ground
07.02.2010 Heath "RUFF" Ceilidh
2003 - 2009
07.10.2009 The Pure Drop - Dance for Life!
22.08.2009 Airplay Campaign
21.08.2009 Summer Newsletter
29.05.2009 New Album - TROSNANT...
25.04.2009 Who Knows Where The Time Goes?...
24.11.2008 A Right Old Song and Dance!...
31.05.2008 Getting the Music Out There!..
01.03.2008 Allan Yn Y Fan - “Alumni”...
01.01.2008 New Year, New Line-up...
28.10.2007 Farewell to Emma Trend...
23.09.2007 German Tour 2007...
14.07.2007 Ten Years of T-Shirts!!!...
01.03.2007 St. Davids Day, Website Developments and Festival Frolics...
08.10.2006 Album Launch, Festivals & Foreign Jaunts!...
23.04.2006 Band Update...
21.01.2006 Band Update...
30.08.2005 Band Update...
18.06.2005 Francesca decides to hang up her calling cards ...
07.02.2005 Band Update...
14.04.2004 Band Update...
05.06.2003 Allan yn y Fan launch their album “Off The Map”...
There can be no doubt: An Allan Yn Y Fan spot just leaves you with a feel-good feeling, and you could count the number of happy faces that wended their way home at stop-tap. That’s the effect they have on you!”
Mick Tems 2016
No one should doubt Allan Yn Y Fan’s ability to be a force to be reckoned with.”
Simon Jones FRoots
“It’s a glorious celebration of music performed with a buoyancy and lightness of touch that only good musicians who are having a good time can produce”
folking.com 2016
“All in all, an album of strikingly beautiful music played by accomplished musicians and capable of touching your soul, making you dance with joy - or both.”
folkwords.com 2016
“NEWiD...finds this long-established and well regarded band still at the top of their game and clearly enjoying the music they make..”
Folk Radio UK 2016
“If Welsh music is perennially considered the poor relation in the Celtic tradition, Allan Yn Y Fan are moving mountains to change all that.”
Colin Irwin, Properganda Magazine, 2012
“The most sensitive and experienced of Welsh bands...The rate at which Allan Yn Y Fan has gone from being just another instrumental Celtic outfit to front-runners is nothing short of astonishing.”
Simon Jones, fRoots, 2011
“...So look out Scotland and Ireland, a new Celtic Tiger is prowling...”
Spiral Earth 2012
