FF Vinyl’s Christopher Rees has made history by being confirmed as the support act for John Cale’s gig at Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on 21st June, the first time the ex-Velvet Underground man has had support for ten years.

Rees, whose acoustic and string based compositions, have made him a very popular draw around south Wales, has been handpicked by Cale, after about three years of correspondence.

“I’ve been sending him stuff for ages, and I think I wore him down,” explained Rees. “It’s an extreme privilege and an incredible honour to play this gig. He’s the single most influential figure in my musical upbringing. He was the inspiration for me to work with strings to begin with, because of his work with the Velvet Underground and his solo records, such as Words For The Dying.”

Rees confesses to have been “cacking it” when the slot was first talked about, but now it has been confirmed, he is “more excited than nervous.”

“It’s by far my biggest gig, it’ll be about a thousand people instead of my previous biggest, which was about 300. I just want to do it now.”

This gig will feature a pared-down line-up compared to his recent, ever-growing live band, with just himself and a cellist.

Rees has been in Warwick Hall Of Sound studios recording his next EP for FF Vinyl. The track-listing is 'Kiss Me Kill Me', 'Fire Eye Land' and 'Apathy And Time'. It is due for release at the end of the summer.

Rees' summer gig schedule is as follows:

June
10th - Swansea, Monkey Cafe
21st - Cardiff, St.David’s Hall

July
3rd Cardiff, Toucan Club
5th - Llangollen, International Arts Festival