Photo: Press

Jane Weaver, the celebrated psych pop star, the Mercury Prize-nominated folk singer Kate Rusby, BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winners 9Bach and Can legend Damo Suzuki are just some of the first 50 acts announced for the 2018 FOCUS Wales festival which runs May 10 – 12.

Other acts appearing include Gallops, John Lawrence (ex-Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci), Lizzy Farrall, CaStLeS, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, and hotly tipped Canadian band Partner.

Taking place in Wrexham, North Wales, FOCUS Wales is an annual multi-venue festival which places the music industry spotlight firmly on the emerging talent that Wales has to offer the world. FOCUS Wales 2018 will mark the festival's eighth edition, and will welcome over 8,000 people to the town.

Showcasing over 200 bands, the festival will utilise a variety of spaces and music venues and will use 20 stages while hosting a full schedule of interactive industry sessions, stand-up comedy, arts events, and film screenings, throughout the festival.

Also included are three days of panels, keynote talks, and industry advice, the festival will see over 200 music industry professional delegates descend upon Wrexham from around the world. The first speakers to be announced are: Sol Parker (Coda Agency), Bev Burton (Cambridge Folk Festival), Kaptin Barret (Boomtown Fair), Dijana Lakus (Glastonbury Festival), Cai Trefor (Gigwise), with many more still to be announced in the coming months.

Also announced is Tudur Owen’s Comedy Marathon, a brand new comedy showcase to be held at the HWB Cymraeg venue in the town centre on Friday, May 11.

Early bird tickets are priced £35 and are available here.