Grandma’s House play at The Canopi for Independent Venues Week

It was an unexpectedly lively set for the Bristol four piece who’s gritty blend of noise and punk is led by arresting vocals.

Any new music venue in Cardiff is a blessing when so many of ours have disappeared in recent times, and its even more of a blessing when they come in the sort of The Canopi. A true creative space, coffee by day, gigs by night, with an expansive events list. Open now for over a year, I was well overdue for a proper visit. My boots click down a rainy Tudor Street as I join my mates to see Grandma’s House play there for Independent Venues Week.

I’m still new to Grandma’s House, having first encountered their gritty blend of Noise Rock and Post Punk at Sŵn ‘25, where I was truly arrested by Yasmin Berndt’s lead vocals. There’s nothing quite like them around at the moment, contralto and confronting, creating a real air of unease. The four piece play with momentum and class, their lyrics engaging with typical fare for the scene, but their instrumentation deftly blending in Psychedelic and Garage Rock elements. It’s a very convincing combination, and one that sets them apart from their contemporaries.

Where I first saw them, in Fuel, felt like the apt setting for a band of their thrashiness. The Canopi, in contrast, was a whole other dynamic. Its frontage and cafe section are done in contemporary styling, artsy enough to distinguish itself from its surroundings without feeling pretentious. Head through the door to the venue area, however, and its real character is revealed. The original fittings of its former purpose as the Cardiff Bus Sports and Social Club have been maintained, its red carpet and yellow pine canteen bar untouched. The stage is low and the band feel close; it’s a very communal atmosphere.

“…even when things got a tad chaotic, the moment the band started playing again, everything clicked back into gear…”

So communal in fact that this ended up being a surprisingly lively gig. Members of the audience chimed in with the band’s conversations in between songs. At one point, a lady came round and handed out glowsticks. Another man was dead keen to play the tambourine. Amongst the audience were some of the band’s parents, including the drummer’s dad, Paul Dodgson, who is a musician himself and had played a folky set as the warm-up for the night. 

Yet, even when things got a tad chaotic, the moment the band started playing again, everything clicked back into gear, and their energy reprised immediately. To hold that together, and contrast so starkly between comedy night-esque bantering and swirling, thrummy guitar goodness, was a real achievement. One hopes that they saw the night as good practice for how to manage their more vocal fans. It’s testament to how good their sound is that they’ve already built quite the following.

With three EP’s worth of material, there’s plenty to get stuck into already. I bring good news though; there’s a wealth of new stuff on the way too, a few songs of which the band debuted at the set. We were sworn to secrecy as to what they sound like, but be assured that they certainly get my approval.

Grandma’s House at The Canopi, 30th January 2026