Wales has long had a proud reputation for being the birthplace to some of the finest music acts to grace the planet.
Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey immediately spring to mind from yesteryear, while Stereophonics and Manic Street Preachers are notable examples from recent times.
What they all have in common is it is not cheap to watch them perform live, with fans needing to scoop a Betway online slots jackpot to fund ticket purchases.
There are thankfully plenty of alternative options rising through the ranks at the moment, so read on as we look at five exciting Welsh music acts to watch in 2023.
Rhys Evan
Evan sprang to prominence during 2021 with the critically-acclaimed song Hailstones and many respected pundits have high hopes for the teenager.
Follow up release Arcade Running has elements of The Killers to its anthemic sound – no bad thing when you consider how successful they have been.
Evan possesses a maturity and insight into life that belies his age and it will surely only be a matter of time before he makes a significant breakthrough.
The Royston Club
The Royston Club have made massive strides over the past couple of years and look nailed on to be major festival headliners in the future.
The Wrexham-based band recently opened the Leeds Festival on the back of performing a stunning sell-out show at a new live music venue in their home town.
They are scheduled to support Red Rum Club later this year, but are sure to make a big splash in their own right during 2023 and beyond.
Mellt
Mellt burst onto the scene four years ago when they were awarded the Welsh Language Album of the Year at the annual National Eisteddfod of Wales in Cardiff.
Drawing influences from The Replacements and The Clash, the Cardiff-based band have continued to stick to their Welsh roots since then.
It is yet to been seen how their insistence on singing in Welsh will impact their hopes of progression, but they are clearly a band worth monitoring.
Melin Melyn
While many bands fall easily into a particular music genre, that is not an accusation that can be levelled at Melin Melyn.
This quirky group sing in English and Welsh about magical worlds and eccentric characters drawn from the far corners of the globe.
Their eccentricity went down a treat at the recent Green Man Festival – do not be surprised to see them grace bigger stages next year.
Adwaith
Adwaith’s sweeping sounds and inspirational lyrics feel a long way removed from their home town of Carmarthen in South Wales.
Second album Bato Mato has been described by some music pundits as the ‘sound of the summer’ and it is impossible to argue with that viewpoint.
Having won the Welsh Music Prize in 2019 for their debut album Melyn, this exciting post-punk trio appear to be destined to achieve great things.