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May 02, 2025 By Dom Gourlay Web Exclusive

It’s that time of year again when Under the Radar will be making its annual pilgrimage to Wrexham for the 2025 edition of Focus Wales. Now in its 15th year, Focus Wales has grown into one of the world’s leading international showcase festivals, with this year’s event set to host over 250 artists over 20 stages across a variety of spaces and venues.

Scheduled to run from Wednesday 7th May through to the early hours of Sunday 11th, Focus Wales also plays host to a series of industry panels, talks and film screenings as well as the wide range of musical shows on offer.

As with previous years, Under the Radar are honoured to be one of the festival’s media partners and will be hosting two acts at The Parish venue on Thursday 8th (Marvin’s Revenge) and Friday 9th (Bloodworm).

BLOODWORM

Friday 9th May @ The Parish, 2115

Hailing from Nottingham in the UK, Bloodworm have established themselves as one of the most exciting bands to emerge from the city in many years. Their live show has already seen them grow in stature over a short period of time, having headlined and sold out The Chameleon, Jam Café and Bodega in recent months while also commanding bigger stages at the Rescue Rooms and Metronome. The trio – George Curtis (guitar, vocals), Chris Walker (bass) and Euan Stevens (drums) – have been compared to The Cure, Bauhaus, The Smiths and The Sound among others. While recent singles “Back Of A Hand” and “Depths” received a wealth of critical acclaim and radio airplay elevating them as being one of the bands most likely to break in 2025. Their Focus Wales slot represents the start of a busy summer for Bloodworm, with slots already guaranteed at this year’s Dot To Dot (Nottingham and Bristol), Splendour and Hanwell Hootie Music Festival.

MARVIN’S REVENGE

Thursday 8th May @ The Parish, 2305

Originally from the Derbyshire town of Wirksworth but now based in Nottingham, Marvin’s Revenge have earned a reputation as one of the hardest working bands in the East Midlands region since getting together some eight years ago. Honing their live sets, songwriting and recordings over a similar period of time, they’ve gradually developed into a brutal force to be reckoned with, having recently shared stages with the likes of DITZ, Heartworms and Fucked Up while also playing Brooklyn’s New Colossus Festival earlier this year. Also a trio – Luke Eaton (bass, vocals), Oliver Sammels-Moore (guitar) and Job Gregory (drums) – have found themselves compared to The Jesus Lizard, Dinosaur Jr. and Fugazi while last year’s “Hugs From Grandma” single received a multitude of plaudits from journalists, playlisters and radio stations alike. With more releases planned for the second half of 2025, this year promises to be a pivotal one for Marvin’s Revenge.

In addition to Under the Radar’s showcases, here’s 10 other artists we’re excited about seeing….

BETTER JOY

Friday 9th May @ The Parish, 2020

Essentially the solo vehicle for Manchester-based singer/songwriter Bria Keely, Better Joy references Blondie, The Cure and The Smiths among their many influences whilst creating a diverse palate of sounds that falls between sophisticated pop and irreverent indie. Their recent six-track EP Heading Into Blue further demonstrates Better Joy’s way with constructing melodies into timeless pop songs while the live show has also received rave reviews off the back of last month’s mostly sold-out UK tour.

DEAFDEAFDEAF

Saturday 10th May @ The Parish, 1850

Another Manchester-based outfit currently tearing up stages wherever they play, DEAFDEAFDEAF have been compared to Puressence, The Chameleons and Eagulls among others whilst delivering a sound that encompasses post-punk, shoegaze and noise rock tendencies without losing the impetus on creating tunes or melody. With a number of single releases already under their belt, each one displaying a different side to the band’s make-up, DEAFDEAFDEAF are ready to take the step up to the next level.

DIARY

Thursday 8th May @ Penny Black, 1900

Saturday 10th May @ The Parish, 1755

Hailing from New York City and signed to highly respected Brooklyn independent label Kanine Records, Diary wear their hearts and influences firmly on their sleeves. Their live show has drawn comparisons with UK luminaries such as Blur and Suede as well as US counterparts Jonathan Fire*Eater and The Strokes, while recent EP Speedboat suggests even broader sonic horizons might be just around the corner.

ELLEN FROESE

Thursday @ Glyndwr TV, 1300

Thursday @ The Parish, 2020

Friday @ Ty Pawb, 1915

Saturday @ The Royal Oak, 1940

Having first caught sight of Ellen Froese’s live show at the 2023 edition of Viva Sounds, we’ve been keeping a close eye on her progression here at Under the Radar. So, it’s no surprise that her current sojourn into UK and EU territories includes not one, but four shows at this year’s Focus Wales. With lyrics that are both playful and melancholic and an ear for a tune that will set people’s feet tapping halfway down the street, Ellen Froese has the potential to be one of this year’s most talked about performers which is exactly what we’re doing right now.

HALF HAPPY

Wednesday 7th May @ The Parish, 2225

Thursday 8th May @ The Rockin’ Chair, 1945

Cardiff-based four-piece Half Happy have been kicking up a storm these past few years with their melancholic, shoegaze-tinged, indiepop that recalls The Sundays, Alvvays and Camera Obscura. Although still relatively unknown outside of their native Wales, all of that looks set to change in the coming months, with several shows and festivals beyond mooted to be on the horizon.

LUCY KRUGER & THE LOST BOYS

Saturday 10th May @ Penny Black, 2210

This Berlin-based art rock collective channel influences ranging from neo-psychedelia to Stooges-like garage fuzz and PJ Harvey-esque baroque pop among their range of sounds and ideas. Led by South African born musician and composer Lucy Kruger (guitar, vocals), they’ve released three albums to ate and are currently working on a fourth which should be out later this year. In the meantime, we implore you to come and be anything less than mesmerizingly captivated by the band’s exquisite live performance.

SISTER WIVES

Saturday 10th May @ HWB, 1955

Sheffield-based Sister Wives are an interesting anomaly, blending lyrics in both Welsh and English to creative haunting narratives for their often-brooding musical deities. The foursome’s dalliances with space rock, folk and psychedelia have seen them compared to Broadcast and Stereolab among others, while new single “YnCanu” tells the story of the ghost of Wylfa Power Station. Following on from 2022’s critically acclaimed debut Y Gawres which was nominated for the Welsh Music Prize, album number two is said to be imminent.

SPRINTS

Thursday 8th May@ Llwyn Isaf, 2045

One of the most exciting live bands on the planet right now, SPRINTS have emerged as genuine major festival headliners in-waiting. Last year’s debut LP Letter To Self firmly established them as the forebearers of alternative rock in the 21st Century. January’s sub-headline set at Rockaway Beach saw SPRINTS’ potential realized in forty-five glorious minutes, and with numerous festival bookings confirmed throughout the summer their eagerly anticipated set in the big top (Llwyn Isaf) at Focus Wales looks set to be one of the weekend’s most memorable.

THE FAMILY MEN

Friday 9th May @ The Parish, 0000

This Gothenburg-based four-piece cross pollinate genres to create a sonic maelstrom like no other. One minute it could be the full throttle rave of The Prodigy, the next a brutal mix of guitars and beats like Nine Inch Nails. Other times they’ve been compared to The Bronx and Refused, but one thing’s for sure; they’re an entirely unique beast of their own making. Ignore The Family Men at your peril!

TRAMHAUS

Friday 9th May @ Ty Pawb, 2215

Under the Radar has been singing the praises of Rotterdam-based post-punk collective Tramhaus for a while now, culminating in last year’s excellent debut album The First Exit, which scored a whacking great 8.5/10 on these very pages upon release. Having been on the road pretty much ever since, this rare opportunity for a UK audience to catch them in the flesh and see what all the fuss is about should not be passed up.

For more information including the full schedule and where to purchase tickets visit the OFFICIAL FOCUS WALES WEBSITE