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Review: Ponty's Big Weekend

Posted by TWSkittles from Blaenau Gwent - Published on 08/08/2012 at 12:43
4 comments » - Tagged as Festivals, Music

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On Saturday 21st July 2012, hundreds of people travelled to Pontypridd to start the summer off with a bang. My friend and I were lucky enough to join the party too! Olly Murs, Cover Drive, Diana Vickers and Aleks Josh from The Voice were among the amazing line up.

Although we had tickets for Friday's show, just before the gates opened the staff announced that the headliner Jessie J had been taken ill and was told by her doctor to cancel all shows for the weekend. This left the very huge crowds disappointed and upset.

Saturday saw another very huge crowd turn up despite the cancellation of Friday's show.

The event was outdoors so many people came prepared with ponchos and umbrellas in case the typical Welsh weather turned up. But lucky for us the sun stayed out all day! We were lucky enough to be four rows from the barrier, and the security at the event gave out plastic cups of water to keep us hydrated.

First up was John Adams who appeared on the X-Factor in 2011 where he made it to boot camp. He hopes to release an EP later this year, but until then he is busking in towns around Wales. His performance got everyone clapping, and even included his on twist on LMFAO's I'm Sexy And I Know It.

Ladies Love A Superhero entered the stage next, they're a new boyband that are set to take UK by storm! They did a cover of Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus that had everyone, old and young, singing along.

Aleks Josh who was on the first series of The Voice came to Wales for the very first time. He's been busy recording an EP which is due for release in September. He has recently been opening for boyband The Wanted. He sang a few new songs that were going to be on the EP and a few covers he sang on The Voice.

Lucie Jones, who was a finalist on the X-Factor Performed next. Since the X-Factor Lucie played Cosette in Les Miserables staring along Nick Jonas and Gareth Gates. She is now singing up and down the country and looking forward to creating her own music. During her performance she had a few technical difficulties, but nevertheless she still performed as if nothing was wrong, she even asked the crowd what they would like to hear.

Lilygreen & Maguire, who supported Olly Murs on tour, got Ponty swaying their arms to their recent single Ain't Love Crazy. They have recently signed a record deal with Warner Brothers Records UK and are recording their first album which is set to be released this summer!

Angel, a rapper from West London, had the crowd jumping and many wanting to start a few mosh pits from where I was standing. Angel has been producing music since he was 10. His talent with words has seen him write songs used by UK urban stars such as Roll Deep and Devlin, as well as him writing for pop royalty such as JLS and Cheryl Cole.

Diana Vickers, a singer song writer who came fourth place in the X-Factor, took to the stage. She had a role in Little Voice on the West End from October 2009 to January 2010. She has recently been recording a second album and at Ponty she sang some of her new songs for the first time to her fans.

Cover Drive came and taught Wales how to do their signature move Bajan Style next. They have recently dominated the charts with having three Top 10 singles in the UK! They also sang their new song Explode, which is features British rapper Dappy.

Then it was the man everyone had been waiting for, cheeky chappy Olly Murs. After coming second in the 2009 series of the X-Factor Olly has released two albums, In Case You Didn't Know' and his self-titled double platinum selling album. He has currently been on tour with One Direction in America, which has boosted his fan base. He's also been writing for a third album, but for the time being he has a couple of summer tour dates lined up and Ponty's Big Weekend was one. He certainly knew how to tease the crowd! He sang to numerous members of the audience and my friend and I were lucky enough to be sang to by the man himself. He sang all of his Top 10 singles and even added a few from his first and second album.

I recommend to all teenagers who are looking to go to a music festival for the first time, to use Ponty's Big Weekend as a platform. It's safe, very well looked after and is fun for all ages. I will certainly be returning next year.

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