South Wales Emo Scene
South Wales Emo Scene is a community-led archive documenting the music, memories, and people connected to the South Wales alternative music scene between 2000 and 2015.
This project brings together stories, artefacts, and lived experiences to preserve a scene that existed across small venues, local spaces, and shared moments.
Why this project exists
The South Wales music scene during this time was built through participation. It existed in local venues, on small stages, and within communities shaped by place, connection, and shared experience.
Much of this history has not been formally recorded. This project exists to document those memories, to recognise the people who were part of it, and to create a space where that collective history can be preserved and revisited.
What you’ll find here
The archive includes personal stories, photographs, gig memorabilia, and reflections from those who were part of the scene.
Visitors can explore contributions from fans, bands, promoters, and others connected to the scene.
A shared archive
This is not a fixed record. The archive is shaped by those who contribute to it.
If you were part of the South Wales music scene in any way, you can share your story and help build a collective record of what the scene was and what it meant.
About the project
This project is created and led by Dani Hewitt, a lecturer and researcher currently undertaking a PhD exploring the South Wales emo scene, cultural memory, and gender.
The archive forms part of this wider research, while also existing as a publicly accessible space that returns value to the communities and individuals who shaped the scene.