Get the tent out of the attic. Get the wellies out of the shed. Locate the denim cut-offs. It's time to party. JIM CARROLLon the Irish festivals coming to a field near you
YOU KNOW the Irish summer is on its way when lists like this appear. Between now and the end of September, there are music festivals and outdoor shows happening almost every single week trying to attract you, your wallet and your wellies.
This summer, it’s not just the weather and those over-used wallets , though, that will decide attendances at events. There’s also Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine and the Olympics in London to divert attention from live music. However, such competition hasn’t stopped promoters from plying their wares and having a go.
There are some notable absentees from this year’s calendar. For starters there’s no sign of Oxegen. The Punchestown festival is taking a break this year, though few expect it to return in the same format or at the same site again. Last year’s Oxegen was tired and boring – a rejig was long overdue. Instead, promoter MCD is hoping Oxegen fans will splash out on a trio of shows at the Phoenix Park with The Stone Roses, Swedish House Mafia and Snow Patrol topping the bills.
Up to 10 days ago, Summer Sessions would have been on this list, but problems delivering deposits to high-profile acts such as The Human League and The Stranglers and a lack of advance ticket sales scuppered the proposed three-day bash at Dublin’s Iveagh Gardens. It’s a warning to newbie promoters of the perils of putting on a festival while the recession shows no signs of abating. Sadly, there are other festivals listed here that will undoubtedly run into similar financial difficulties this summer.
What is pleasing to see, though, is the return of events such as Sea Sessions, Castlepalooza, Indiependence, Knockanstockan and Body Soul. There may be a notable public shift away from the big come-all-ye – Oxegen’s disappearance has as much to do with reduced box-office appeal as anything else – but there’s a corresponding growth in smaller, niche festivals. These events know their audiences and their musical likes and dislikes and book their events accordingly. That these festivals come back year in, year out is to be applauded.
Here’s what lies ahead on the Irish festival and gigging agenda over the next couple of months.
We’ll see you out there.
MAY
VANTASTIVAL
Bellurgan Park, Dundalk, Co Louth, May 4-6.
Weekend tickets €89, day tickets €40
Acts: God is an Astronaut, Cathy Davey, Frankie Gavin De Dannan, The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock, Le Galaxie, Original Rudeboys, Ham Sandwich. Vibe: Friendly fest in a smashing part of the country, which welcomes folks with and without camper vans. vantastival.com
KILKENNY ROOTS FESTIVAL
Various venues, May 4-7 Tickets €10-€20 depending on act. Acts: Alabama Shakes, Kitty, Daisy Lewis, Amanda Shires, Willy Vlautin/Richard Buckner, Rod Picott, Charlie Parr, Dan Baird Homemade Sin. Vibe: The festival that has been providing choice Americana and roots fare since 1998 in the Marble City. kilkennyroots.com
BRAY JAZZ
Various venues, Bray, Co Wicklow May 4-7. Admission ranges from free to €25 Acts: Susana Baca, Tord Gustavsen Trio, Mixtapes from the Underground, Warsaw Village Band, ReDiVider. Vibe: Most Irish jazz fests are confined to the winter months, but here’s proof that jazzers like summer too.
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FESTIVAL OF THE FIRES
Hill of Uisneach, Co Westmeath, May 5 €39.50 Acts: Bressie, Hothouse Flowers, Royseven, Jape, Jerry Fish, Kilfenora Céilí Band, Kíla, Dónal Lunny. Vibe: Fire shows, pageantry, "the legendary Uisneach warriors on horseback" and a fine line-up of Irish acts on an ancient hillside. festivalofthefires.com
CAMDEN CRAWL DUBLIN
Various venues, Dublin, May 11-12.
Weekend ticket €40, one-day ticket €20
Acts: We Are Scientists, Dutch Uncles, Mystery Jets, Toby Kaar, Ghostpoet, Jape, Cashier No 9, Tieranniesaur, Sway etc
Vibe: London’s Camden Crawl spreads its wings and comes to Dublin with a host of rising Irish and international acts.
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DUBLIN CITY SOUL FESTIVAL
Merrion Square, Dublin and other city-centre venues, May 24-27. Admission free to Soul Picnic Acts: The Barley Mob, Wyvern Lingo, Graham Miley The Soul Street Orchestra. Vibe: Really sweet, family-friendly buzz at the Soul Picnic in Merrion Square on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. soul.ie
LIFE
Belvedere House, Co Westmeath, May 25-27. Tickets €119 until end of April, €128 until May 26 and €150 at the gate Acts: Planetary Assault Systems, DJ Marky, Martyn, Blawan, Distance, Emalkay, Matthis Tanzmann, Jamie Jones. Vibe: Life turns seven with trance, techno, house, electro, drum'n'bass and sundry other electronic fare in a bucolic setting. life-festival.com
RORY GALLAGHER FESTIVAL
Ballyshannon, Co Donegal May 31-June 3 Weekend ticket €50 Acts: Mick Taylor, Horslips, Dr. Feelgood, Sinnerboy, Pat McManus Band, Larry Miller, Johnny Gallagher Boxtie Vibe: more than 12,000 people expected to flock to Donegal to celebrate the greatest Irish guitarist ever in the town where he was born. Goingtomyhometown.com
JUNE
TITANIC LOCKDOWN
T13, Belfast, June 1-2. Weekend tickets £66, day ticket £39 Acts: New Order, Happy Mondays, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Factory Floor, Anna Calvi, Ghostpoet, Errors. Vibe: excited gentlemen of a certain age will be gushing over the Happy Mondays and New Order playing within sight of the old Harland Wolff gantry cranes. titanic-lockdown.com
PIGSTOCK
Killinchy, Co Down, June 1-3.
Weekend camping £35, Saturday £20 Acts: Mojo Fury, Not Squares, Mmoths, Fighting with Wire, LaFaro, Jogging, Squarehead, RSAG, Tieranniesaur. Vibe: More than 1,500 giddy music fans turned up for last year's event and organisers expect even more for this year's fifth iteration of the festival with the coolest name of all. pigstock.co.uk
STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
The Showgrounds, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. June 1-3. From €15 for a Friday ticket to €75 for a three-day camping pass and €195 for a family pass (two adults, two kids under 12) Acts: Maverick Sabre, Bressie, The Sawdoctors, Original Rudeboys, Status Quo, Marcus Collins, Amelia Lilly, The Minutes, The Kanyu Tree. Vibe: a lively weekend in the southeast, with fans of all stripes going mad for Bressie and local hero Maverick Sabre. strawberryfestival.ie
FORBIDDEN FRUIT
Imma, Dublin, June 2-4. €115 weekend, €89.50 two days; €49.50 one day Acts: New Order, Wilco, Grimes, Death Cab for Cutie, Leftfield, Factory Floor, Friendly Fires, James Vincent McMorrow, The Field. Vibe: Last year's most promising new arrival ups the ante with choice bookings to persuade many local hipsters to skip Primavera and Field Day for Dublin 8. forbiddenfruit.ie
LIVE AT THE MARQUEE
The Showgrounds, Cork, June 7 to July 5.
Price varies according to act Acts: Justice (June 7), Tom Petty (8), Imelda May (9), Specials (11), Coronas (15), Christy Moore (23), Jedward (24), Olly Murs (July 5) Vibe: Long-running series of gigs in a big top in the southern capital continues to draw the crowds. aikenpromotions.ie
GENTLEMEN OF THE ROAD
Salthill Park, Galway, June 9. €49.50 Acts: Mumford Sons, The Vaccines, Willy Mason, Zulu Winter, Nathaniel Rateliff, The Correspondents. Vibe: This one (which is currently being promoted by an ill-advised paddywhackery video from headliners Mumford Sons) promises to “heavily involve” the local communities.
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NO PLACE LIKE DOME
Temple House, Sligo, June 15-17.
Weekend tickets €68 until end of this month Acts: Hot Sprockets, The Amazing Few, Sounds of System Breakdown, Bob Glynn. Vibe: Fifth year of operation for the boutique festival in Co Sligo that has gathered a lot of goodwill in a very short space of time. npld.ie
BODY SOUL
Ballinlough Castle, Co Westmeath, June 22-24. Weekend tickets €99 Acts: M83, Villagers, John Talabot, Little Dragon, The Herbaliser, Kormac’s Big Band, Emika, Gold Panda. Vibe: The festival from Electric Picnic’s alternative universe is rapidly finding traction with those tiring of how big and commercial the Picnic has become.
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WESTPORT FESTIVAL
Westport House, Co Mayo, June 23-24. Weekend tickets €130, day tickets €75 Acts: The Waterboys, Horslips, Nick Lowe, Ray Davies, Seasick Steve, The Chieftains, Jools Holland, Imelda May, Mundy, Macy Gray, Lloyd Cole, Alison Moyet, Hothouse Flowers, Duke Special, The Undertones. Vibe: Brand spanking new festival in the west with a heavyweight line-up and the now customary food, drink, arts and crafts sideshows. westportfestival.com
FORTSTOCK
Vance's Estate, Clones, Co Monaghan, June 23-24. €69 weekend, €74 weekend with camping, €43.20 day ticket Acts: Aslan, Whipping Boy, Rubberbandits, The Stars from the Commitments, Mundy, Ryan Sheridan, The Strypes. Vibe: Another of the new breed that have sprung up in recent years. Fortstock.ie
SEA SESSIONS
Bundoran, Co Donegal, June 29-July 1. Weekend tickets €88.50, day tickets €50
Acts: Happy Mondays, Kaiser Chiefs, The Coronas, Rev Run, Beardyman, Hot 8 Brass Band, Jape, Delorentos. Vibe: Firmly established music-and-surf bash comes with a fantastic word-of-mouth reputation for quality performances and great atmosphere.
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JULY
SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA
Phoenix Park, Dublin, July 7. €59.50
Acts: Swedish House Mafia, Tinie Tempah, Snoop Dogg, Calvin Harris, Original Rudeboys. Vibe: Large-scale raving in the park with a hot-to-trot line-up. One for those missing the dance shed at Oxegen.
PIAS NITES
Iveagh Gardens, Dublin, July 21. €35
Acts: Lisa Hannigan, Other Lives.
Vibe: Music distribution company Pias throws a hooley in the heart of the capital.
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GLASGOWBURY
Moneyneany, Co Derry, July 21. Camping £45/€54, festival only £35/€42 (early bird £40/€48 camping and £30/€36 non-camping until end of May) Acts: Japanese Popstars and Therapy? are rumoured to be amongst the headliners. Vibe: The "small but mighty" festival in the heart of the Sperrin mountains has been providing good cheer and fantastic acts since 2000. glasgowbury.com
LIVE AT THE FESTIVAL BIG TOP
Fisheries Field, Galway, July 26-27.
€33.50 and €30 Acts: James Vincent McMorrow, Lisa Hannigan and Elaine Mai (July 26); The Coronas, Bressie and The Kanyu Tree (27) Vibe: The annual outing for the Galway Arts Festival’s big top sticks with home-grown fare for this brace of shows.
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KNOCKANSTOCKAN
Blessington Lakes, Co Wicklow, July 27-29. Weekend tickets €78, day ticket €38 Acts: Hot Sprockets, Little Xs for Eyes, Riptide Movement, Swords, Wyvern Lingo, Sive, Cat Dowling, Hassle Merchants. Vibe: Strong and positive word-of-mouth reviews from punters, acts and the local community for this gem of a festival.
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AUGUST
CASTLEPALOOZA
Charleville Castle, Tullamore, Co Offaly, August 3-5. Early bird weekend tickets with camping €74 Acts: The Charlatans, Jape, Ghostpoet, King Charles, Little Green Cars, Solar Bears Vibe: One of the best small festivals in the land with a winning line-up of Irish and international acts and an audience of sussed, smart and friendly party people.
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INDIEPENDENCE
Deer Farm, Mitchelstown, Co Cork, Aug 3-5. €99 with camping, €79 without Acts: 2 Many DJs, Feeder, Maverick Sabre, Jape, Bressie, Beardyman, Ham Sandwich, We Cut Corners, The Frank and Walters. Vibe: Another of the newer guns on the Irish festival scene but one that is now firmly established with indie music fans thanks to a strong booking policy.
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LISS ARD FESTIVAL
Liss Ard Estate, Skibereen, Co Cork Aug 3-5 €85 weekend, €49.50 day ticket Acts: Chic, Lisa Hannigan Vibe: new event setting out to recreate the Liss Ard festival vibe of old. Full bill to be announced in coming weeks. Lissardfestival.com
LE CHÉILE
Oldcastle, Co Meath, Aug 3-6. Ticket prices to be confirmed Acts: Republic of Loose, Paddy Casey, Bressie, Riptide Movement, The 4 of Us, The Walls. Vibe: Long-running festival in Oldcastle continues to bring in big Irish acts (and you can't get bigger than Bressie this summer). lecheile.com
BELSONIC
Custom House Square, Belfast, Aug 15-26. Price varies according to act. Acts: Skrillex (15), Emeli Sandé (16), Madness (17), Thin Lizzy (18), Noel Gallagher (20), Two Door Cinema Club (23), Tom Jones (24), James Morrison (25), David Guetta (26). Vibe: Excellent festival in the heart of Belfast with a pretty damn good line-up (well, apart from James Morrison). belsonic.com
SUNFLOWERFEST
Tubby's Farm, Hillsborough, Co Down, Aug 17-19. Weekend tickets £49 Acts: Dreadzone, Scroobius Pip, Brassroots, Duke Special, Jape, Tucan, Republic of Loose, Lanterns on the Lake, Relish, Janice Graham Band. Vibe: They're expecting to top last year's 3,000-strong attendance with lots of new attractions this year, including a bigger Kidz Zone and a late-night Electric Disco Shed. sunflowerfest.co.uk
VITAL
Boucher Road Playing Fields, Belfast,
Aug 21-22. £49.50 per day Acts: The Stone Roses, Foo Fighters, Black Keys, Florence The Machine, Rodrigo y Gabriela. Vibe: Folks who want to see some heavyweight pop names in a field and sleep in their own bed that night will flock to this one. tennentsvital.com
DAVID GUETTA
Marlay Park, Dublin, Aug 24, €49.50
Acts: David Guetta, Example, Benny Benassi, Rizzle Kicks, Wolfgang Gartner, Tommy Trash Vibe: The biggest superstar DJ in the world right now tops a bill pitched to have the Marlay Park ducks going gaga. mcd.ie
SEPTEMBER
ELECTRIC PICNIC
Stradbally, Co Laois, Aug 31-Sep 2. Acts: The Cure, The Killers, Elbow, The xx, Christy Moore, Orbital, The Roots, Hot Chip, Ed Sheeran, Grizzly Bear, Azealia Banks, Bell X1. Vibe: You know the score at this stage, as 30,000 happy campers descend on Thomas Cosby's gaff for three days of fun, music, art and after-hours shenanigans. electricpicnic.ie
SPIRIT OF FOLK
Dunderry Park, Co Meath, Sep 21-23.
Early-bird weekend camping tickets €65,
day tickets €35 Acts: The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock, The Lost Brothers, Henry Girls Vibe: Ireland's only camping folk festival made its debut last year and was a bit of a hit with fans of folk, trad and bluegrass (and archery and "experimental archeology"). spiritoffolk.com
AND THERE’S MORE . . .
Other acts playing in the open air this summer: The Saturdays (Greyhound Stadium, Thurles, Co Tipperary, June 3); Westlife (Croke Park, Dublin, June 22 23); Red Hot Chili Peppers (Croke Park, Dublin, June 26); Aslan (Tallaght Stadium, Dublin, June 30); The Stone Roses (Phoenix Park, Dublin, July 5); Snow Patrol Florence The Machine (Poenix Park, Dublin, July 8); Bruce Springsteen (RDS, Dublin, July 17 18); Rufus Wainwright (Iveagh Gardens, Dublin, July 18); Madonna (Aviva Stadium, Dublin, July 24); Van Morrison (Marlay Park, Dublin, Aug 25); Leonard Cohen (Imma, Dublin, Sep 11, 12 14); Lady Gaga (Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Sep 15)
