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Charlie From Dream Team Bargains.
Rocco Bailey performing (Credit: Ethan Rice)
Rocco Bailey Makes a Triumphant Headline Debut at The Canopi, Cardiff
Fresh off a standout guest appearance on Newport City Radio’s The Indie Show,
South Wales’ own Rocco Bailey took a massive leap forward by staging his debut
headline gig at Cardiff’s intimate creative hub, The Canopi. The buzz following the
release of his new EP, Sinner, was palpable in the room. Thanks to some kindly gifted
tickets, Newport City Radio team members Ian, Dani, and Stephen were lucky
enough to be right in the thick of the action. What followed was a masterclass in
emotive, up-close live music that proved exactly why this rising artist is one to watch.
An Emotionally Charged Opening Set
Kicking off the night was Louise and the Feathers, who set the perfect tone for the
evening with a captivating solo acoustic performance from frontwoman Emily. Stepping out alone with just her guitar, she immediately commanded the room with a seamless blend of brand-new, unreleased material and her recent single, “Jekyll and Hyde”
The stripped-back format allowed her songwriting to truly shine, with the absolute
highlights of the set being the emotionally raw “Hearts Broken” and “Bow and
Arrow”—a gripping track explicitly inspired by The Hunger Games. What resonated most throughout the performance was the sheer, unadulterated emotion dripping from Emily’s voice; it was a deeply honest opening set that left a lasting impression on everyone inside the venue.
Masterful Songwriting and Humour
The momentum kept building as Chris Stringer—famed for his work with Chris
Stringer and the Rocketeers—delivered a fantastic solo set of tracks from his album,
Sinking Ships. Launching his performance with “Professional”, Chris guided the crowd through a thoughtfully structured setlist that included “The Front Room” (his
first-ever written song) before finishing on a high note with the album’s title track.
The songs proved to be a perfect vehicle for his incredible voice, which completely
filled the room. Just as impressive was his stage presence; Chris proved to be a
great storyteller, breaking up the music with witty, humorous anecdotes that had the
audience laughing along and completely engaged.
A Headline Set of Two Halves
Taking the stage in front of a packed room that included his closest friends and
family members, the man of the hour, Rocco Bailey, delivered an absolutely
incredible headline performance. He smartly structured his set into two distinct chapters. The first half took a deliberate focus on his debut EP, kicking off with the
atmospheric opener “Dark” before rolling into “Mountains”—met with a warm cheer as his first-ever track to hit the radio airwaves. From there, he moved into “Runaway” and “Every Time”, shifting the gig into a beautifully intimate, acoustic segment.
Backed expertly by Laszlo on guitar, the pair’s vocal harmonies completely shone
through, filling the venue with genuine warmth.
The second half brought a massive change of pace as Rocco transitioned into his
recent EP, Sinner. The title track, “Sinner”, instantly lifted the energy in the room with
its upbeat, infectious tempo. The absolute pinnacle of the night arrived with “Dance”—a track already riding high as a recent Record of the Week on Newport City Radio. Rocco broke out some fantastic shoulder moves on stage, and with the crowd matching his energy, the mutual joy in the room was undeniable.
The momentum didn’t stop there; “Little by Little”; turned into a massive moment as
the entire audience sang along, while the rhythmic, samba-infused vibes of “All The
Time” were brilliantly received. Rocco brought the triumphant main set to a close with the euphoric & “Blue Skies”. Leaving an ecstatic audience clamouring for more, he
duly obliged, returning for a high-octane double encore of “Dance” and “Little By
Little” at the crowd’s request to send everyone home on an absolute high.
A Pivotal Milestone
Ultimately, this headline debut felt like a pivotal moment for Rocco Bailey. As the
night progressed, you could tangibly sense his confidence growing with every single
track, anchored beautifully by having his close friend beside him on stage. One of the
absolute key rules of showmanship is to leave people wanting more, and Rocco
certainly achieved that tonight. It was a triumphant milestone for the local artist, and
I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing much more from him in the future.
Written By Stephen Howell
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