Official Statement

The long-established weekly club night smack. is launching its very own festival on Sunday 1st May 2022 to kick off the Welsh Festival calendar. Tickets go on sale 7pm November 28th. You can reserve tickets now via smackfestival.co.uk

Having established itself as an institution back in 2010 at Glam Nightclub with the iconic pink handprint as its logo, the brand has danced its way around Cardiff’s biggest clubs over the years since. Over 500,000 ravers have passed through the doors of smack. as well as the likes of world-renowned artists and DJs like Jax Jones, Lil Pino, Example, Clean Bandit, Charlie Sloth, Tom Zanetti, JAY1, Lethal Bizzle, Preditah, Swarmz and too many more to mention.

Understandably, smack. took a break during the 2020 global pandemic. The team took stock and adjusted the vision to transform the event into something that’s bigger and stronger than before. With two sold out shows already in the bag since clubs opened, one on Halloween and one for the brand’s delayed 10th birthday, smack. will continue their journey to take the party from the club into the park!

“smack. as a brand has always been the bridge between underground and more commercial student events. That is the same gap we aim to bridge with our first festival; bridging the gap between both underground and commercial festivals to give an all-round experience. People can expect the best of cutting edge MOBO music, Drum and Bass, House Music and Techno.” Says director Alex Chesterton-Matt.

smack. will bring a unique experience, weaving a futuristic storyline into a fully immersive festival with the highest levels of production, in a saga lasting years to come.

The storyline presents a dystopian world where a superior AI race, ‘The Administration’ have outlawed dancing and other kinds of fun. smack. represents the resistance against The Administration and ticket holders become part of the movement to overthrow the regime, symbolised by the iconic pink handprint. The day will be played out across a number of innovative stages and areas each with their own theme and identity, made with groundbreaking levels of set-design, the likes of which Cardiff hasn’t seen before.

More than just music in a field, expect an array of exciting, strange and unexpected activities to create a more rounded and unique festival experience including a ‘Downtown’ area of street food traders and funfair.

For tickets and more information please visit: smackfestival.co.uk