I (Robyn) took a road trip to Fishguard to watch Arfordir performing at the 2026 Aberjazz Festival. Fishguard is a very interesting place to visit. It's so pretty and quite quirky - beautiful scenery, right on the coast plus a load of galleries AND an amazing jazz festival!
 

The gig took place in Pepper's Arts Centre. Pepper's is a cool venue. Full of brilliant artwork, service with a smile and the very best live music. Myself and Kelly were in our element! 
 

The band featured Ben Thomas on trumpet and flugelhorn, Julian Martin on piano, Bill Fletcher on bass and Ian Williams on drums. The performance began with splashes of improvisation which silenced the room and set the scene.
 

This gig was fantastic. Full of original music by Ben and Julian. These guys always manage to create something unique. The coastal setting seemed to perfectly fit the vibe. 
 

Aberjazz is a bustling annual jazz festival that has an amazing following and dedicated organisers. There's a very welcoming tight-knit community vibe and I noticed how supportive and enthusiastic the audience were. I hope that Aberjazz goes from strength to strength and I'm looking forward to my return visit!