Big night out! (From Western Telegraph)

Big night out!

THE BIG Gig Sri Lankan fundraising concert was - well - big!

Seven hours of local music filled the huge Texaco marquee, atFolly Farm, on Saturday. Radio Pembrokeshire's BB Skone ably compered the event.

Goodwick DJ, Eugene French, spun discs between bands, but most of the spinning came from Circus Malarky, who cartwheeled, juggled and unicycled their way through the night.

The diverse audience included MP Nick Ainger, START's Paul Cowper and Gareth Strangemore-Jones of Tsunami Relief Cymru.

Singer-songwriters with acoustic guitars were a recurring theme. Jess Ward, Ryan Jones, Lowri Evans, Guy Maile, Nicci Miles and Lee Mason performed heartfelt originals and covers.

Ngus were joined by TJ and Sarah Howell's characteristic voice shone in Halflight. But the crowd was slow to take to the floor. Even the infectious folk-rock of Rainkings failed to rouse people from their seats.

Would-be dancers lurked on the sidelines for rockers Persona B and jiggled tentatively to punk/ska band Johnny Action Finger.

Indie rock group Clarity did persuade them onto the dance floor, and caution was finally thrown to the wind as the crowd sang along to Legless' classic rock set and indigenous reggae from Fred Herring.

Being the final act at a gig of this scale and calibre was a tough call, but students from Pembroke School's Suburban Soul Band carried it off.

Five female vocalists belted out soul classics backed by a 14-piece band.

Good value, good music and a good cause - the Big Gig was definitely a good night out.