Friday
Castlepalooza
Charleville Castle,Tullamore, Co Offaly, until Jul 3rd
castlepalooza.com
If you need evidence of an upswing in consumer sentiment, as the economists say, you could do worse than look at the state of the festivals market. After a few years of cutbacks and falloffs, there seems to be a number of new ventures taking off, and other festivals, longer in the game, have repurposed their offer. Body and Soul expanded significantly this year, and rethought its offering, largely it seems to good effect – despite being dealt a dire hand by the weather gods.
Castlepalooza is also looking at a new set-up. It’s got Aiken on board as co-promoter, which has led to a stronger line-up. Top of the bill are Cat Power, Villagers, Jurassic 5, Polica , Field Music and Minor Victories, along with Lisa O’Neill, Overhead, The Albatross, Sea Pinks, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Somerville and Steve Davis (there are rumours of a pool tournament involving DJ Thundermuscle – there’s no shame in losing to a former world snooker champion). And then there is the two bars of festival gold in the form of Caribou and Daphni.
It’s got stronger sponsorship, thanks to Vodafone, and is promising a wider range of live offerings, including comedy (Apres Match should be a highlight mid-Euros), spoken word, workshops, exhibitions and conversations – the latter courtesy of two Irish Times music writers in the form of Jim Carroll (Banter) and Tony Clayton-Lea (Culture Vultures). Also, keep an eye out for the Women of Notes/Mná na Notaí exhibition, by photographer Ruth Medjber and pop culture journalist Louise Bruton, which got its first airing in the pages of The Irish Times, and celebrates some of Ireland’s most prominent and successful female musicians.
Dublin City Block Party Opening Party
District 8 Dublin 9pm €20/€18
dublincityblockparty.net
Before the Block Party fest gets underway tomorrow, here's another reason to head to the Liberties in the shape of Robert Hood. A regular visitor to the city, Hood has played a big part in mapping electronic music's future directions, from his early days alongside Mike Banks and Jeff Mills at Underground Resistance to his own classics such as Minimal Nation and Nighttime World. Support for the Floorplan and M-Planet champ from Marcellus Pittman, Lee Kelly, Mode_1 and Cailín.
The Blizzards
Whelan's Dublin 8pm €20 (sold out)
whelanslive.com
It's reassuring when a highly efficient rock/pop band return following a break-up of sorts for the right reasons – they're here for the fun of it – and so it's good to welcome back Irish band The Blizzards. Their new single, Drop Down the Anchor, is a solid indication that they're pretty serious about the quality of it, too.
Tunes In The Church
Unitarian Church, St Stephen's Green and St Nicholas's Collegiate Church, Galway, 8pm, €15
tunesinthechurch.com
West Kerry concertina player Cormac Begley has rounded up an eclectic mix of musicians for his ramped-up summer concert series in Galway, and, for the first time, in Dublin this year. With three concerts a week in each location, this is an ideal opportunity to cock an ear to the finest up-and-coming, as well as the best established, traditional players and singers. This week's concerts feature piper Mick O'Brien, accordionist and singer Brendan Begley, concertina player Louise O'Brien and many more.
Traidphicnic
An Spidéal, Galway Also Sat, Sun
traidphicnic.com
Is this the only festival with an invisible box office? Punters are asked to donate what they can, and bring their own picnic to the non-profit traditional arts festival. Among those on the bill are Noel Hill and Steve Cooney, Kila, The Hernon Family and many more.
Saturday
Celtronic
St Columb's Hall, Derry 8pm £16
celtronicfestival.com
Bulgarian electronic music maestro KiNK is the main draw, a dude whose live show has long been a bit of a stunner. He's joined in the main room by Running Back's Gerd Janson; Derry's Stones Throw and All City producer Andrew Morrison aka The Cyclist; and Rival Consoloes, the moniker which Ryan Lee West uses for his spinetingling electronica for Erased Tapes. Underlying Form host Room Two with Toi Toi's Junk Inoue, Darren Allen and Seekers' Jordan Magee.
Faithless
Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin 6pm €49.65
ticketmaster.ie
More than 20 years on the go (with a four-year hiatus from 2011-2015) and still this London band deliver splendid downtempo dance and electronica. The last Faithless album, The Dance, was released six years ago, but who cares when the grooves – present and correct – are this good? Special guest act is Le Galaxie.
Dublin City Block Party
Tivoli Grounds, Dublin (also Sunday) 2pm €74.50 weekend/€39.50 day
dublincityblockparty.net
You don't have to schlep off to the country or don a pair of wellies to get into the festival mood with the welcome advent of urban festivals such as the Dublin City Block Party. There's a very strong line-up for the weekend with acts such as Todd Terje, Kelis, Leon Vynehall, Matthew Herbert, Late Nite Tuff Guy, Greg Wilson, Huxley and many more, as well as local worthies such as Jape, Kelly-Ann Byrne, Stevie G and Nialler9. If you want more, Erol Alkan will play the after-party in District 8 on Saturday night.
Republik
Project Waterford 10.30pm €20/€15/€12
A live set from Frank Wiedemann is the big draw for Republik's latest outing in the south-east. As one half of me, Wiedemann has been responsible for a blizzard of superbly deep and detailed cuts for labels such as Innervisions and others. He's also someone with a solo buzz of his own, as heard on The Howling (featuring excellent Aussie singer-songwriter Ry X) and this year's Moorthon release. Support for Wiedemann from fellow Innervisions talent Aera, Kenno and Warren Sauvage.
Sunday
Voices of Memory
Christina Kubisch. National War Memorial Gardens, Islandbridge, Dublin Until September 30
goethe.de/irland
German sound artist Christina Kubisch has created an installation that commemorates the more than 40,000 soldiers who died fighting in Irish regiments during the first World War. The names of the fallen, as listed in Irish Memorial Records: World War I, published in 1923, are read by 178 contemporary voices. Also, the sounds of the Liffey, recorded via hydrophone, can be heard at interspersed intervals.
Irish Youth Dance Festival
Various venues, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin Also Sat
dublinyouthdance.com
This festival showcases the best dancers aged 12 to 25 in Ireland, along with international work, which this year comes from Mexican choreographer Toni Bravo.
