CERDD // ED, an 870-mile walking tour of the Wales Coast Path, will see folk duo Filkin’s Drift travel – and play – in Ceredigion, Gwynedd and Powys.
The walk is a radical approach to sustainable touring. With the climate emergency sharply in focus and people looking for new ways of connecting post-Covid, it is clear that the music industry needs fresh and imaginative approaches to touring.
Filkin’s Drift have found an answer in the ancient Welsh bardic tradition. In the Welsh language, ‘cerdd’ means music and ‘cerdded’ means to walk. To Filkin’s Drift, this suggests an intrinsic connection between the acts of roaming and creating music.
To release their new record, Rembard’s Retreat, Seth Bye and Chris Roberts are walking the entire Wales Coast Path, performing every night on the journey.
Along the way, the duo will collect songs, stories, and tunes to incorporate into their gigs, weaving together a tapestry of shared experiences of the Welsh coast.
CERDD // ED solves a global problem in a local way. It will be a pioneering voice as the music industry changes its approaches to touring; It will bring communities closer together; and it will bring Wales to the fore, as the country pioneering this change.
The project is supported by Help Musicians and Fusion Gig Bags. It is also raising money for the charity Live Music Now.
Filkin’s Drift reimagine traditional melodies through pizzicato grooves, intricate guitar tunes, and boundless improvisation.
Their original compositions are sophisticated, yet rooted in tradition. From delicate Welsh folk songs to traditional English dance tunes, the duo blend fiddle and guitar with their close vocal harmonies.
Filkin’s Drift are constantly seeking out unconventional approaches to making music.
The duo’s latest ventures include forming a 15-piece orchestral-folk band (Filkin’s Ensemble) and releasing their debut EP with an 870-mile walking tour of the Welsh coast.
Filkin’s Drift are proud to be Help Musicians-supported artists, and are affiliated with Fusion Gig Bags.
Performing six tracks live, Filkin’s Drift recorded their debut EP on the grounds of a Saxon manor house. Named after Rembard, the abbot of the land, the record weaves together traditional melodies from Wales and England along with original material inspired by the landscape of the Cotswolds.
Having set off on their walk from Connah’s Quay on Sunday, 3 September, the duo aim to arrive at the Royal Welsh Yacht Club, Caernarfon on Sunday, 17 September; Henbant Bach Farm, Tain Lon the following day; Eglwys Hywyn Sant, Aberdaron on Wednesday the 20th; Plas Glyn y Weddw, Llanbedrog on Friday the 22nd; Y Nyth/The Nest, Criccieth on Saturday the 23rd; the Magic Lantern Cinema, Tywyn on Tuesday the 26th; MOMA, Machynlleth on Wednesday the 27th; Star of the Sea, Borth on Thursday the 28th; Bookshop by the Sea, Aberystwyth, Friday the 29th; Neuadd Llandddewi Aberarth Village Hall, Saturday the 30th; Pentre Arms, Llangrannog on Sunday, 1 October; and CRWST, Cardigan on Sunday, 2 October.