Meltdown was a Cardiff based non-profit making community based music and performance cooperative which ran from 1986 to 2011 using a open stage format to encourage new acts to learn their craft, established acts to experiment, and audiences to experience a melting down of barriers between all sorts of music and performance. We were responsible for over 1000 gigs (including roadshows to London and
Scotland), a compilation album (3 stars in ‘Q’), and provided a space for hundreds of performers to innovate, experiment and entertain. The club was organised by unpaid enthusiasts and run almost wholly on self-generated money.
“the capital’s most consistent and influential music club over the last two decades” South Wales Echo 2009
If at any time between February 1986 and January 2011 you found yourself playing at or in the audience of a Meltdown, and have memories, posters, photos, or recordings that you’d like to share, this is the place to do so. Many of us who helped keep the show on the road for a month short of 25 years (not counting the occasional Meltdowns that have happened sporadically since in Cardiff and Bristol) will be sharing our memories and memorabilia too. Meltdown was started by Adrian Roper, Paul Clarke, Steve Todd and Annie Dent. Key Venues as a base: Chapter Arts Centre 1986 - 1989, Four Bars Inn 1988-89, Clwb Ifor Bach 1990 - 1990, St David’s Hall Level 3 (3D Music, Unsung etc), Journeys, Milgis Cafe Bar Yurt on City Rd. Other Meltdown venues included: New Theatre, Sherman Theatre, the Globe, the Point, Dempseys, Coal Exchange, Cardiff Students Union, Sams Bar,
Meltdown Roadshows included: Mean Fiddler Acoustic Room (twice), Buzz Comedy Club (Chorlton Manchester), Melrose Festival Scotland, West End Arts Centre Aldershot, St Donat’s Arts Centre, God’s Little Joke London,
Festivals we helped programme included: Cardiff Bay Fiesta, Cardiff Europe Week, Cardiff Big Weekend, Hayes Alive, Llantrisant Festival, Pontardawe Festival Club Tent, Charles St Carnival,
