TURNING unwanted electricals into concert tickets is the idea behind a tour that starts this weekend.

Make Noise Wales starts its tour in Blackwood this weekend with performances from Sweet Baboo, former Welsh Music Prize nominee H.Hawkline and one of Wales’ most exciting new acts Boy Azooga.

Entry is free for those who bring a piece of electrical recycling to hand in at the door. That could be a broken mobile phone, hairdryer or laptop - anything with a plug or a battery.

The first date takes place on Saturday at the Black Sheep in Blackwood which will be the closing party for the Velvet Coalmine Festival. The evening will include live performances and a DJ set from the Heavenly Jukebox.

The tour will return to Gwent on October 13 when they visit the Ebbw Vale Institute.

Make Noise started in 2010 and is a partnership between European Recycling Platform (ERP) and Heavenly Recordings, the project has toured the country promoting the importance of recycling WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) to 18-25 year olds with help from the UK’s top DJs and producers.

All the events are due to a local authority regional WEEE recycling contract that ERP UK deliver for nine Welsh local authorities. This contract is part of a collaborative arrangement under the South Wales Waste Management Group co-ordinated by Resource Efficiency Wales Ltd.

James Kay, regional waste co-ordinator for REW Ltd said: “Many broken electrical items get put in the bin when they can be recycled by local authorities at local collection points such as Household Waste Recycling Centres.

“You can bring along any electrical item smaller than a microwave, or that has a plug or battery in it and get free entry to the Make Noise Wales 2017 gigs. If you want to bring along more than one item, please feel free to do so. Last year almost 500kg of small electrical items were collected for recycling at the gigs.”

Find out more at resourceefficiencywales.co.uk/events.html