The 2011 West Coast Eisteddfod: Welsh Festival of Arts
at the Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California

Paul Child

Music • Vocalist

Welsh vocalist Paul Child, the "Official voice of Welsh Rugby", will make a special appearance

Paul Child, who leads the singing of the national anthem at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff before Six Nations matches and who is known as the "official voice of Welsh rugby", will be leading the singing of the anthem and appearing at the Friday night opening concert. For most of our readers Paul will require no introduction but for anyone who is not familiar with the man and his work here is a brief biography from the BBC music site:-

"Best known for his involvement with Welsh rugby, Paul Child is Wales' biggest-selling independent artist.

In 2000, Paul Child self-financed the album Wales Forever as a tribute to David Alexander. Although the cost was just £2,500, it has gone on to become the biggest-selling independently-released album ever in Wales, selling over 100,000 copies around the world.
In 2003, he appeared on the World In Union album alongside fellow Welsh stars Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey to commemorate the Rugby World Cup. His rugby connection has continued with pre-match appearances at the Millennium Stadium. Each time he's sung before the match, Wales have registered a victory.

Released in February 2006, Bread Of Heaven is the official album of the Welsh Rugby Union.

His album Shine, released in 2008, has so far sold over 10,000 copies, making it hugely successful for an independently-released record. Child is following this with a new single and album in 2009.

After All These Years will be released in June, preceded by Working Man, a single commemorating the 25th anniversary of the miners' strike.

(http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/paul-child/pages/biography.shtml)

Michael Aston of Gene Loves Jezebel

Music • Acoustic

Welsh artist Michael Aston will be performing a rare solo acoustic performance.

Michael Aston, born August 22, 1957, is the founder and current leader of the U.S. version of Gene Loves Jezebel. Michael grew up in Porthcawl, Wales, where he and his brother Jay focused on music with other artists. They moved to London in 1981, leading what was to become one of the most cutting edge rock bands to come out of Wales. In May 1982, their label released the single Shaving My Neck. Followed by touring, the band released two more singles in 1983 before their album Promise peaked at number 8 in the UK Indie Chart. In 1984, the group recorded a John Peel radio session for BBC and toured America with fellow Welsh artist John Cale. The second album, Immigrant, was released in mid-1985. The single Sweetest Thing briefly hit the Top 75 in UK and the album Discover reached number 32 in UK Albums Chart. At this time, the group also found heavy rotation on college and countercultural radio stations across America. The band had slowly turned their attention to dance music. The slick and catchy guitar hooks of singles Desire and Heartache leapt to #6 and #72, respectively, on Los Angeles' New Wave station, KROQ.

Gene Loves Jezebel's fourth album, The House of Dolls, was released late in 1987 and yielded the singles, 20 Killer Hurts and The Motion of Love, which grazed the U.S. pop charts. Motion of Love was the band's biggest UK hit single, reaching number 56. The third single from The House of Dolls, Suspicion, for the first time surfaced on The Billboard Hot 100.

In 1989, Michael Aston left Gene Loves Jezebel due to his unhappiness with the direction of the band and strained relations with his twin brother, Jay. Moving to California, Michael started The Immigrants which eventually became Edith Grove. Edith Grove released its debut album to rave reviews and Michael eventually decided to tone things down a bit and he wrote and released his first solo album, Why Me Why This Why Now?. Michael reformed Gene Loves Jezebel instead of writing and recording a new Edith Grove album; the band's debut album was its only album. Between 1993 and 1997 Michael and Jay were working together on various projects and recordings, including an album that would eventually become VII. Both brothers did a reunion tour from February 1997 to October 1997 as Gene Loves Jezebel, however that ended with the recording and subsequent tour for VII.

Gene Loves Jezebel is now as it was in the beginning, lead by Michael Aston and a return to challenging themes and artistic vision.

http://www.genelovesjezebel.com

Monica Richards/Infrawarrior

Music • Video • Performance Art Installation

Welsh American Monica Richards brings her personas of 'InfraWarrior' to vivid life with an interactive multimedia performance. Fueled by her work with the Feminine and the Familiar, Monica Richards is planning a not-to-be-missed show based on Matriarchal mythological themes with all the cultural echoes, elements and seasonal faces they present.

With a full filmic event behind her, this performance is not a live concert but an innovative artistic event. Like theater, the film will interact with Monica on every song to create a living art piece. Each part will convey a different concept of her personas, creating an image of Woman both powerful and vulnerable through her interaction with the live audience as well as the film behind her. The connection between Women and Nature is a prominent theme in Monica's work, this presentation will include natural materials such as leaves, stones and branches to express this relationship.

In over twenty years as a front woman in Underground music, Monica Richards has a far reaching reputation of the highest respect for her powerful voice and theatrical stage presence. Her sharp, intelligent lyrics and musical talents are the highlights of Faith and the Muse as well as her solo music. This upcoming InfraWarrior performance art installation underlines that she belongs in the Avante Garde of today's music, forever changing, evolving and true to herself.

http://www.monicarichards.com/