NewDad Make Their Welsh Debut at the Tramshed

Kieran Andrews
Oct 25
3 min read

Tramshed – Cardiff – 23rd October 2025.

WORDS / IMAGES KIERAN ANDREWS

NewDad Make Their Welsh Debut at the Tramshed — Kieran Andrews Photo Credit

There’s something about the buzz outside the Tramshed on a Thursday night that tells you it’s going to be one of those gigs — the ones people talk about long after. The doors open and within seconds fans are spilling into the venue, sprinting to the barrier to claim front-row territory. I find myself chatting with Charlie Shaw, a fan who’s somehow still energetic despite seeing NewDad in Bristol the night before.

“NewDad have a unique sound,” he tells me, grinning. “They make you feel everything.”

He’s right. By the end of the night, I’ll completely understand what he means.

Support: Cardinals

Kicking things off were Cardinals, a five-piece from Cork whose set was nothing short of a revelation. Brothers Euan and Finn Manning, their cousin Darragh Manning, and friends Oskar Gudinovic and Aaron Hurley took the stage with the kind of confidence you usually see in bands much further along in their career.

They’ve been making noise back home for a while now — signed to So Young Records and drawing praise for their genre-blending sound — but this was my first time seeing them live. Within seconds, it was clear why they’re being tipped as one of Ireland’s most exciting new acts.

Their sound is a fusion of indie rock grit and traditional Irish soul, with Finn’s accordion cutting through the distortion like a heartbeat. It’s such an unusual combination that it shouldn’t work — but it does, spectacularly. Songs from their upcoming album Masquerade filled the room, rich with layered guitars, pounding drums, and that signature accordion that gives them an instantly recognisable edge.

When they played “If I Could Make You Care,” the energy shifted up a gear. It was the kind of track that makes you stop talking, grab your drink a little tighter, and just listen. The crowd was hooked.

By the end of their set, the Tramshed was well and truly warmed up — not just physically, but emotionally. Cardinals had done what every support act hopes to do: they didn’t just open for NewDad, they earned their own fans that night.

Then came the main event.

The lights dropped, and a ripple of anticipation ran through the crowd as Julie Dawson walked onto the stage alone. She began with a stripped-back version of “Otherside,” her voice soft but magnetic. You could hear every breath, every tremor. By the time the rest of the band — Fiachra Parslow (drums), Sean O’Dowd (guitar), and touring bassist Marie Freiss — joined her to launch into “Heavyweight,” the Tramshed was completely hers.

There’s something hypnotic about watching NewDad live. Their songs move like tides — one moment gentle and dreamlike, the next crashing into heavy walls of sound. Julie’s voice sits right in the middle of that storm, flickering between tender and devastatingly powerful.

Each member plays with intent. Fiachra’s drumming hits hard but never overwhelms; Sean’s guitar lines shimmer one second and rip through the mix the next. And Marie, stepping into the bass role for this tour, locks the whole thing down with ease.

Between songs, Julie takes a moment to thank the crowd. Her warmth feels genuine, her shy smiles breaking the tension between each track. Before introducing “Mr Cold Embrace,” she explains:

“This one’s about missing home — the cold of it, but loving it all the more.”

It’s a perfect preface to a song that swells with melancholy. Then comes “Misery,” one of the night’s heavier moments, with Fiachra absolutely hammering the drums, each hit resonating through the floorboards.

As they walk off after “Sinking Kind of Feeling,” the crowd erupts into chants of “More!” and “One more song!” Cardiff isn’t ready to let them go. Julie and the band exchange smiles before returning for the encore, visibly moved by the response.

They launch into “Angel,” their biggest track to date — and there’s this incredible moment where Julie barely sings because the crowd is doing it for her, every word echoing back at full volume. Goosebumps.

To close, they dive into “Roobosh,” the song that started it all for them. It’s raw, loud, euphoric — the perfect end to their first ever Welsh show.

As the lights come up and the amps fade out, I can’t help but think: NewDad are one of those rare bands that can be both ethereal and visceral at once. They leave you floating and bruised, full and wanting more.

Setlist