Manic Street Preachers First North American Tour in 10 years

Celebrated Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers will release their latest album, Journal For Plague Lovers, on Columbia Records on September 15th 2009. Produced by Steve Albini it’s an incredible and arresting album, sure to floor both long-standing Manics fans as well as the uninitiated.....more HERE.

Details of individual concerts and venues are linked below.

September

Mon -21 Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s
Tue- 22 Vancouver, Canada @ The Commodore Ballroom
Thu-24 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Fri- 25 Los Angeles, CA @ The Avalon
Mon-Sep-28 Denver, CO @ The Bluebird Theatre
Wed-Sep-30 Minneapolis, MN @ The Varsity Theatre

October

Thu-01 Chicago, IL @ The Metro
Fri- 02 Detroit, MI @ The Majestic Theatre
Sun- 04 Toronto, Canada @ The Phoenix Concert Theatre
Tue- 06 Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live
Wed- 07 New York City, NY @ Webster Hall
Thu- 08 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club

Hanging with the Welsh National Rugby Team

Chicago Tafia and Americymru member Katie took these pics before and during the recent Wales v USA clash at Toyota Park Chicago.

Katie:- "I worked as the local liaison to the Welsh National Rugby Team while they were in Chicago getting ready for their match against the US team. It was a crazy, exhausting, but fabulously fun week! A great group of folks to work with and for!"

Find more photos like this on Americymru

Left Coast Eisteddfod Short Story Competition Will be Judged by Lloyd Jones!

We are immensely proud and pleased to announce that author Lloyd Jones will judge the entries in the Left Coast Eisteddfod Short Story competition. First prize in this competition wiil be $100 (65GBP approx ). Second and third place prizes to be announced soon. The final submission date for entries is July 31st 2009. To submit your entry please go to this page and read the rules carefully before entering:- Left Coast Eisteddfod Short Story Competition Submission Group. The competition is open to non-Americymru members but the submission procedure is slightly different.

Lloyd will need no introduction to most of our readers but just in case here are a few links:-

Interview With Lloyd Jones on Americymru

Review of "My First Colouring Book" on Americymru

Mr Vogel

Mr Cassini

Lloyd Jones on Wikipedia

My First Colouring Book

Mr. Vogel

Mr Cassini

The Left Coast Eisteddfod 2009 - Enter Online Competitions Here!

To visit the main Left Coast Eisteddfod page click HERE. To enter one of the competitions click on the group links below. PLEASE do not forget to read the relevant rules of submission before entering. ALL competitions are open to non-Americymru members but once again please read the rules before submitting your entry. They differ slightly for members and non-members. Winners will be announced at The Left Coast Eisteddfod on August 22nd 2009.
	Poetry Competition Group You may submit your entry in either Welsh or English. The two language categories will be judged separately and there will be a prize for each. There is a US100 dollars (approximately 50GBP ) prize for the winners in both categories.
	Student Essay Contest Group This essay competition is open to children between the ages of 8 and 16 years of age. The student chooses a person of Welsh birth or heritage who has made a significant contribution to world history.
	Visual Image Competition Croeso/Welcome to the Left Coast Eisteddfod Visual Image Competition. Here you can submit TWO photographs in the categories defined below and compete for a first place cash prize of $100 in each category.
	Short Story Submission Group Submit stories in the short story category here. Each story (and any links) must be added as a separate discussion in the group forum .
	Tom Jones Impersonators Group! Calling All Impersonators of His Royal Hotness, President of Wales, the Right Honorable Tom Jones - Give us Your Videos!
	Left Coast Eisteddfod - PIRATES Group! Show off your inner Pirate! Win $50 and acclaim! We're looking for Pirate Impersonators to send us photos in all their glory! Show us your John Callis, Howell Davis, Robert Edwards, John Evans, privateer Henry Morgan or Dread Pirate Bartholomew Roberts .
SPONSORS If you would like to sponsor the Eisteddfod or any of the individual online competitions please email americymru@gmail.com for details . Here is a list of our current sponsors.

The Left Coast Eisteddfod ( Portland, Oregon 2009 ) Starts Here - Short Story Competition - Win $100!

Regular readers of this site will no doubt have heard about our ambitious plans for a "Left Coast Eisteddfod" in Portland Oregon next year ( 2009 ). Today we would like to announce that we are not waiting until next year to get the ball rolling. We are launching the first of the Eisteddfod competitions online! Others will follow.

The short story competition which starts today is basically a "write in response " exercise. Below you will see a series of photographs. Most of these shots were taken in Wales but they are not particularly iconic and your response need not make reference to Wales in any way, shape or form. You may submit your entry in either Welsh or English. The two language categories will be judged separately and there will be a prize for each. Basically you will need to write a short story between 1000 and 3000 in length words on any ONE of these photographs and submit it in accordance with the rules for site members or non-site members outlined below. Accompanying graphics are not permitted. There is a US100 dollars (approximately 50GBP ) prize for the winners in both categories. The final submission date is July 31st 2009 and the winners will be announced at the Eisteddfod ( August 2009 ). The judges have yet to be selected and a further announcement will be made soon. The judges decisions will, of course, be final. The winners will also be entitled to free admission to some Eisteddfod events. Runners-up prizes will be announced later.

The winner and his/her work will also be featured on this site on what we hope will be a heavily trafficked page.

How To Submit Your Story

Members

1. Simply join the Eisteddfod Short Story Group and post your story (and any links) as a separate discussion in the group forum ( see "Lorem Ipsum" example on the page). If you wish to include a link to your website or blog please do so but remember you must link back to us.

2. Post your story on your website or blog and post a link to the relevant url as a separate discussion in the group forum ( see "Lorem Ipsum" on the page). Once again you will need to link back to us.

Non Members

1. Post your submission on your blog and email us with the url ( americymru@gmail.com ). We will include it on the Group page. We would appreciate a link to this page or to the blog home page.

2. Email your submission to us and we will post it on the Group page and credit you as author. ( in this case mutual linking is an option but not required )

By Huw Davies of Hendy Productions



By Tam Ryan of Wales DVD



By Ian Price of Treorchy.net



By Ian Price of Treorchy.net



By Brian Y Tarw Llwyd of Americymru.

The Left Coast Eisteddfod 2009

What is the Left Coast Eisteddfod? Americymru is planning to hold a major event in Portland in August 2009. The "Left Coast Eisteddfod" will be a celebration of all things Welsh and in particular of the American Welsh heritage which has so enriched the history of this nation. In order to promote and raise funds for this event, a charitable foundation - "The Meriwether Lewis Memorial Foundation" is in the process of being established. The foundation is asking for support from members and supporters of this site, and others, to achieve the following objectives:- 1. To raise funds for a talent competition modelled on the Welsh National Eisteddfod which will both provide a showcase for local talent in the various competition categories and introduce the American public to the concept of the "Eisteddfod" . It is hoped that this event will be the first of many and that future events will be held ( perhaps on an annual basis ) in other U.S. cities. 2. To raise funds for a vendors area which will provide a showcase for Welsh and Celtic businesses and craftspeople to promote their talents, goods and services, foster connections between Welsh and American businesses and craftspeople and hopefully create commercial partnerships. 3. To raise funds for a series of concerts which will feature Welsh and Welsh American performers of both traditional and contemporary music and introduce a wider audience to Welsh and Welsh-American arts and talents.Thus far a number of artists, including the following, have expressed an interest in performing at this event. David Llewellyn Here Be Dragons Terry Mostyn Nathan Penlington Oceans Apart Howl Griff Bootnic Hwyl (Nashville) (Cardiff) (New York) (London) (Arizona) (Aberystwyth) (Ynys Mon) (South Carolina) The above is a partial list. Why Support A Party in Portland? Because it will be so much more than that. As can be seen from the above list it will be a true gathering of the tribes. It is hoped that it will be the first of a new breed of Welsh event in the USA . One which showcases contemporary Wales and the Welsh American heritage in equal measure. An event which attracts widespread popular support and participation and moves Welsh heritage into the mainstream of American culture. We are seeking contributions of all sizes. If every member of this site could contribute $10 dollars we would be well on our way to establishing a new American Welsh tradition. We are also seeking commercial sponsors and grants. All donations welcome. Please help if you can. ( for all enquiries please email americymru@gmail.com ) MAKE YOUR DONATION HERE