The venue’s musical legacy was vast and varied. It served as a primary hub for the North Wales Jazz society, hosting acclaimed acts like the Tom Thorp Quartet, tenor saxophonist Dean Masser, and local jazz luminary Neil Yates. Its acoustic and roots programming was equally legendary, featuring performances by folk icons such as John Renbourn & Wizz Jones, the award-winning Canadian artist Stephen Fearing, and the high-energy blues duo Hat Fitz and Cara Robinson. On the louder side of the spectrum, The Vic embraced the underground, providing a stage for Bangor-based krautrock pioneers Ectogram, the heavy distortions of The Bent Moustache, and local talent like Jack Sharp.
The sale of the hotel to the national chain Greene King in 2021 marked the end of an era for the town's independent spirit. While the building underwent a multi-million-pound refurbishment and reopened in 2023 as part of the Chef & Brewer Collection, it is the pre-2021 version of The Vic that remains etched in the memory of the community. It was a place where international talent and local fans shared the same floor, and where the "wall of sound" from a touring band often competed with the stunning, quiet views of the Menai Strait just outside the windows.
Here's a video of Welsh Rebel Outpost - a band featuring members of Anhrefn and 4Q playing The Ruts' 'Staring At The Rude Boys' with punk poet Attila The Stockbroker. At The Vic in 2016.
Starting on August 17th, the journey began in the Bristol Channel off the coast of Porthcawl, where he was dropped 1km out and had to body-surf back to shore through two-meter waves. Throughout the trek, Jones navigated a diverse range of waterways, including the rivers Teifi and Conwy, and major reservoirs like those in the Elan Valley and Llyn Brenig. His swim across the lakes of Wales was particularly comprehensive, featuring Llyn Padarn, Llyn Mwyngil, Llyn Gwynant, Llyn Mymbyr, Llyn Eigiau, and Llyn Trawsfynydd.
A highlight of the expedition was his crossing of Llyn Tegid, the largest natural lake in Wales, which held deep personal significance because his father had nearly drowned there decades earlier. He also reached the literal peak of his journey by swimming in Llyn Llyffant, Wales's highest lake. The swim concluded at the Liverpool Arms on Conwy harbour, where he finished the final leg by swimming down the River Conwy.
To support this feat, nutrition and sports science experts from Bangor University monitored his physiological health, advising him to consume a massive 5,000 calories per day to fuel his efforts and combat the energy-sapping effects of cold water. Despite facing significant physical hurdles, including a severe bout of stomach cramps and food poisoning on the second and third days near Llanelli, Jones completed the distance to highlight the natural beauty and environmental challenges of the Welsh landscape.
This video provides a first-hand look at Gareth's preparation and the extreme water temperatures he faced during his cross-Wales swim.
When Keeping It Rhyl – Punk-Plan appeared in the summer of 2021, it looked at first glance like a straightforward local compilation — another DIY record gathering North Wales bands under the Link2Wales banner. But behind the vinyl sleeve lay something far more ambitious: a speculative vision of Rhyl’s cultural future, built from sound, imagination, and community grit.
The compilation was conceived and produced by Jimmy Loizeau and Matt Ward of Goldsmiths, University of London, in collaboration with myself (Neil Crud). Together we built the album as part of a larger speculative design project after I asked: what if Rhyl, a struggling seaside town, built the world’s longest pier — one that housed a University of Music and Media?
From that question grew an imaginary urban plan — “The Punk-Plan” — and the record that gave it shape. Keeping It Rhyl became not just a collection of songs, but a “material manifestation of a possible future”, as one academic description put it. The album captures the sound of a community that’s endured decades of cultural ebb and flow — a sonic map of resilience.
Released digitally and on vinyl through Link2Wales on 14 June 2021, Keeping It Rhyl – Punk-Plan features 12 tracks (13 digitally) from artists connected to Rhyl and the wider North Wales underground. The tracks were “generously donated” by musicians who have long been part of the area’s independent scene — one that Link2Wales has chronicled and championed since 1999.
One news article reads:
Unlike many conceptual art projects, Keeping It Rhyl was released into the wild with the same energy as a punk record — available on Bandcamp, promoted across DIY channels, and embraced by the scene it came from. Reviews have been limited but appreciative. The Link2Wales site itself described it as a “collaborative compilation” uniting music and imagination, while a Reddit post in r/punk introduced it simply and proudly: “Link2Wales Records is proud to be part of the collaborative compilation album Keeping It Rhyl.”
For those who know the town, or who’ve ever felt the tug of a small scene refusing to fade, Keeping It Rhyl – Punk-Plan is more than a compilation. It’s a declaration: that even at the edge of the map, the beat goes on.
