Gruff Rhys DIM PROBS album Launch tour

Gruff Rhys
DIM PROBS album Launch tour

Sat 20 Sept 2025 7:00pm

Support to be announced

Around the release of his latest Welsh language album Dim Probs, Gruff Rhys is playing some shows at some very special venues.

“Dim Probs’ is a result of spending the last few years preparing a compilation album of ’80s private press Welsh language electronic music cassettes. The compilation itself may never come out, but some of its machine textures are ingrained in this record… counter-balanced by the fact that I wrote it all with my cheap Swedish catalogue acoustic guitar as main instrument. I dressed up some of these very basic recordings to various degrees; friends from my longterm touring band (Kliph Scurlock, Osian Gwynedd, Huw V Williams and Gavin Fitzjohn) pop up on a few songs each and old friends Cate Le Bon and H Hawkline add backing vocals on the side openers (Pan Ddaw’r Haul I Fore and Chwyn Chwyldroadol!). Given the times we are living through, the title Dim Probs [No Probs] is a dark joke, especially as the lyrics, hopefully in a playful way deal variously in death (Taro #1 + #2), weeds (Chwyn Chwyldroadol!), war (Cyflafan) and pestilence (Acw). You get the picture.

“I used to have to translate Welsh lyrics for the sleevenotes but now with Apps like the frighteningly powerful Google Translate you can just point your phone at them. What’s even better is that there will be a slightly different translation every time. I like this element of chance interpretation. Pete Fowler has been drawing a motif of an old dog on a magic carpet flying through the debris of late capitalist Planet Earth for a few months now and was kind enough to donate one of the more sketchy ones (a bit like the album itself perhaps) for the cover. The album was recorded swiftly in Bristol at Ali Chant’s studio. I worked the songs out in advance then I’d drive or catch a train over the border and capture them fast. My hope was to retain the energy of the first take and not make something overwrought with arrangement.”

- GRUFF RHYS

You may also like the following events from Theatr Y Parc a’r Dâr, Treorci / Park & Dare Theatre, Treorchy:

• This Sunday, 29th June, 05:00 pm, Mr Burton (12A) Part of Rhondda Arts Festival in Ferndale
• Next Thursday, 3rd July, 06:00 pm, RCT Music Service Summer Term Gig In Stiwdio 1 in Ferndale
• Next Saturday, 5th July, 05:30 pm, Strictly Come Villains Dimensions Performance Academy in Ferndale

Also check out other Music events in Ferndale, Entertainment events in Ferndale, Arts events in Ferndale.