Christopher BarrettThe promoters of inaugural live music show series Blackweir are looking to make the event series an annual affair having been delighted with the results.
Organised by Live Nation-owned Cuffe and Taylor along with its Cardiff Castle gig series co-promoter Depot Live, Blackweir featured headliners Stevie Wonder, Alanis Morissette, Noah Kahan and Slayer over four days from 27 June to 9 July.
Organisers said they were delighted with the first incarnation of Blackweir, after more than 100,000 people attended the concerts in Cardiff’s Blackweir Fields. Located alongside the River Taff, it is the Welsh capital city’s largest greenfield venue.
The launch event had met with some residence from resident group Friends of Bute Park, with around 100 people reported to have written to the council to complain about the park being used to host Blackweir.
The promoters said more than 3,000 people were employed across the Blackweir site for the duration of the concert series, with the vast majority of those people being local to Cardiff. Meanwhile, more than 100,000 people attended the four shows, with more than 40% of them travelling from outside Cardiff and Wales.
Depot Live founder Nick Saunders said, “From the artists to the music fans, the feedback for Blackweir has been overwhelmingly positive. A first year site is always nerve wracking but it’s safe to say Blackweir 2025 has been a huge success, and we are excited to work on future plans in consultation with residents and the council.
“To be able to have so many local Cardiff businesses and people employed across such a series of major events is very important to us. Not only does it mean we are creating jobs and supporting industry locally, but in turn that money is then reinvested into the local economy by the people who live here.”
“It takes a small city of people to bring such large events together and we have been able to create several thousand jobs during this period as well as employ people who will work continuously on the events,” said Cuffe and Taylor co-founder Peter Taylor.
Councillor Jen Burke, Cardiff Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Parks, said, “Blackweir 2025 brought some truly iconic artists to Cardiff and created unforgettable experiences for thousands of music lovers. Events like this can be a fantastic opportunity to showcase what we’re about, and this summer we are truly living up to our billing as a music city.”