Wnaethon ni enill Brwydr Y Bandiau Gwerin yn Eisteddfod Llŷn ac Eifionydd 2023!! // we won Battle of the Folk Bands at the National Eisteddfod 2023!!
Cawsom ni amser gwych yn yr Eisteddfod! Roedd o'n wythnos lwyddiannus iawn i Lo-fi Jones.
Ar ddydd Llun, chwaraeais i (Liam) gig yn y pafiliwn gyda Twmpdaith, band o bobl ifanc sydd wedi bod yn chwarae twmpathau o gwmpas Gymru. Maen nhw'n griw talentog iawn! Roeddwn i'n sefyll mewn ar gyfer gitarydd nhw, Huw, oedd yn methu bod yna oherwydd roedd o ar ganŵ/cwricwl ar y môr neu afon yn rhywle yn codi arian tuag at elusen.
Dydd Mawrth Buom ni'n perfformio set fach yn y Tŷ Gwerin yn y rownd derfynol o gystadleuaeth newydd sbon, Brwydr y Bandiau Gwerin, ac mi wnaethon ni ennill!! Roedd o'n fraint go-iawn. Y ffeinalwyr eraill oedd Melda Lois, Rhiannon a'r Brodyr Magee. Oeddent yn wych, ac roedd o'n hyfryd i gyfarfod nhw wedyn. Pobl glên iawn. Dwi ddim yn nerfus fel arfer, ond tro yma roedd Siôn a fi yn teimlo braidd yn nerfus cyn mynd ar y llwyfan! Ond wnaethom ni setlo mewn i'r sioe, a wnaeth lwyth o bobl dod fyny aton ni i ddweud fod nhw wedi mwynhau ac i gael sticeri (mae gennon ni sticeri rŵan!).
Y beirniaid oedd Lleuwen Steffan a Gwilym Bowen Rhys, ddau enwogion o fri. Rydan ni'n dod i nabod Gwil erbyn hyn ar ôl rhannu'r bil gyda fo sawl waith, a nifer o sesiynau gwerin wych gydag ef (Mari Lwyd, ambell i Sesiwn Machynllth, Sesiwn y Glôb, Gwyl Y Pethau Bychain, ac unwaith yn Nghaeredin hefyd). Roedd o'n bleser i gyfarfod a Lleuwen Steffan am y tro cyntaf. Dwi'n sicr byddan ni'n croesi llwybrau eto!
Ar ôl y canlyniadau, aethom ni 'backstage' i neud cyflwyniad bach ar gyfer Instagram Radio Cymru. Doeddwn ni ddim yn gwybod beth i ddweud rili. Dwi o hyd isio ddweud rhywbeth doniol. Dwi'n poeni bod ni'n dod ar draws yn ddiflas neu rywbeth. Dwi angen meddwl am bethau witty i ddweud ar adegau fel hyn! Dwi'n siŵr basa fy mrawd efo rhyw safbwynt arall ar y peth. Dyma'r fideo! https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvu8BvruBIV/
Dydd Mercher Aethom ni ar fand walkabout i'r traeth yn Llanbedrog, ac i gerdded yn y goedwig o gwmpas Plas Glyn-y-Weddw. Diwrnod hyfryd! Gyda'r nos, aethom ni i Nefyn i berfformio yn babell cymdeithas yr iaith y tu ôl i Westy’r Nanhoron. Cawsom ni ymateb da iawn gan y gynulleidfa. Ar ôl ni roedd Tacla, Twmffat a Bwncath!! Noson reit da. Yn ystod y noson, aeth Badger, Rolando, fi a'r bois o Dacla i lawr y ffordd i ymuno a'r sesiwn werin yn Yr Heliwr. Roedden ni yn ôl mewn amser i ddal diwedd set Bwncath. Roedden nhw'n grêt! Mae Siôn a fi yn big ffans.
Dydd Iau, cawsom ni diwrnod i ffwrdd i fwynhau'r 'Steddfod. Aeth Rolando yn ôl i Fachynlleth i weithio. Roedd y Stomp Gwerin yn hilarious. Ac roedd gig y pafiliwn yn ardderchog. Siom fod 'na ddim wedi bod mwy o bobl yn y gynulleidfa.
Dydd Gwener. Heddiw, mi wnaethom ni chwarae ein gig ola'r wythnos, yn y Tŷ Gwerin ar ôl y Welsh Whisperer a cyn Bwncath! Roedd y babell yn llawn. Cyrhaeddod Rolando i'r maes jest mewn amser i'r linecheck (roedd o wedi bod yn gweithio ym Machynlleth). Roedd Badger a fi bron yn hwyr hefyd; oeddem ni wrth Lwyfan Y Maes yn gwylio Mared. Roedd Siôn druan ar y llwyfan yn aros amdanyn ni. Ni chafodd Siôn amser i neud ei warm-ups. Aeth Siôn a finnau off-piste dipyn bach yn ystod ein cân gyntaf, "Ffŵl", ond wnaeth neb sylwi dwi'm yn meddwl. Aeth y sioe yn dda ar ôl hynny.
Y band ola'r noson oedd Mynediad Am Ddim, ac ew, roedden nhw'n dda! Profiad pwerus oedd eistedd ar y llawr wrth ochr y llwyfan yn gwylio saith cerddor profiadol ar ben ei gêm.
Yn gynar y bore wedyn, es i lawr i Brockwell Park yn Llundain - 3 bws, 3 trên, a'r tiwb - ar gyfer priodas ffrindiau fi o brif ysgol. Oedd y penwythnos yn ddiwedd bach neis i wythnos anhygoel.
We had a great time in the National Eisteddfod! It was a very successful week for Lo-fi Jones.
On Monday, I (Liam) played a gig in the pavilion with Twmpdaith, a band of young people who've been playing Twmpaths (ceilidhs) all over Wales. They're a very talented bunch! I was standing in for their guitarist, Huw, who couldn't be there because he was on a canoe/coricle on the sea or on a river somewhere to raise money for charity.
Tuesday We performed a short set in Tŷ Gwerin in the final round of a new competition, Battle of the Folk Bands, and we won! It was a real privilage. This year was the first time that they held this competion at the National Eisteddfod. The other finalists where Melda Lois, Rhiannon and the Magee Brothers. They were excellent, and we got to meet them after; they are lovely people! I'm not normally nervous, but Siôn and I were a bit nervous this time before going on stage! But we settled into it, a and a lot of people came up to us afterwards to say they enjoyed it and to get a sticker (we have stickers now).
The judges were Lleuwen Steffan and Gwilym Bowen Rhys, two excellent Welsh folk singers. We've gotten to know Gwilym as a friend by now after numerous folk sessions and playing on the same bill as him on several occasions. It was great to meet Lleuwen Steffan, I'm sure our paths will cross again sometime.
After the results, we went backstage to do an interview for Radio Cymru. We didn't know what to say really. I always wish I had something humorous or witty to say in these situations! I worry that we might come across as boring. I'm sure my brother would have a different perspective on this. Here's the clip: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvu8BvruBIV/
Wednesday We we went for a band walkabout to the beach at Llanbedrog, and to walk in the woods around Plas Glyn-Y-Weddw. In the evening we went to Nefyn to perform in the Cymdeithas Yr Iaith tent behind Nanhoron Hotel. We were well recieved by the audience. After us, Tacla performed, then Twmffat a then Bwncath!! A great evening was had by all. During the evening Badger, Rolando, myself and our friends, Tacla, snuck off down the road to join in with the folk session at Yr Heliwr. We were bach in time to catch the end of Bwncath's set. They were great! Siôn and I are big fans.
On Thursday, we had a day off to enjoy the Eisteddfod. Rolando went back to Machynlleth to work. The Folk Stomp was hilarious. Gig-y-Pafiliwn was excellent. It was a shame that there weren't more people in the audience.
Friday. We played our last show of the week in Tŷ Gwerin to a full house. We were on after Welsh Whisperer and before Bwncath! Badger and I were almost late; we were watching Mared at Llwyfan Y Maes. Rolando arrived onsite just in time for the linecheck. He'd been working in Machynlleth that morning. Poor Siôn was on stage waiting for us all, and didn't get a chance to do his warm-ups. Concequencially, Siôn and I went a bit off-piste during our first song, "Ffwl", but I don't think anyone noticed. The show went well after that.
The last band of the evening were Mynediad Am Ddim, and wow, they were good! It was a powerful experience to sit down on the floor at the side of the stage and watch seven old musicians at the top of their game. So tight, with lovely harmonies.
The next morning, I went down to Brockwell Park in London - 3 buses, 3 trains, and the tube - for the wedding of two of my university friends. The weekend was a lovely ending to an excellent week.
Liam, 21 Awst.
Lluniau gan Rolando / photos by Rolando
Dyma sticer wnaeth Siôn greu:
