YOU WOULD imagine that when it comes to festivals, January would be a quiet month, a time for reflection and recovery. A perfect time for a small poetry festival or a bit of am-dram in the local community centre.
Not a bit of it. The festival calendar is relentless, there is no downtime and the sessions just keep coming. The riotous and the raucous aren’t limited to summer outings, the Irish Festival is an evergreen.
Last weekend, Le Galaxie went supernova at a fitting finale for First Fortnight and the crowd stuffed into the Button Factory responded appropriately. We Cut Corners may lack the danceability that the galactic guys deal out, but savvy lyrics and a considered kick hoisted the jib that saw all assembled happily sail away for a pirate’s life.
Ones to Watch saw 50 bands lay out their stalls over four days on Wexford St, and interesting to see a couple of summer festivals tweeting about bands that were going to get a start on the strength of a set on the night.
Belfast’s Out to Lunch festival has been flying the flag for the arts, so to speak, all this month. If you’re in the market for a mixed bag of choons, Lagan-side is the spot. Tonight it’s MMOTHS, tomorrow Dublin Afrobeat Ensemble and on Sunday night, toes will be tapping to legendary trad group Four Men and a Dog.
This famous five were originally formed in Belfast, so expect a hometown-type feel to proceedings with lively tunes that fuse and borrow from a host of influences. Definitely a gig worth flagging. What?!!
HIGH BOVINE HOPES
Temple Bar Tradfest is going to be kicking off next Tuesday for six days (see page opposite) with lots of the free events on offer. Some bigger events are ticketed, a couple of these are sold out already, so get your set dancing skates on.
If you are knocking around the area during the festival, keep sketch for a couple of proper culchies who might be herding livestock through the busy streets of Das Kapital. It was a joy last year to behold a chap with a length of wavin, leading a cow through the narrow streets of Temple Bar giving irate taxi drivers just as much abuse as they were giving him; his was more colourfully descriptive though.
At one stage the rural renegade stopped a car and tapped on the window – “Excuse me sir, would you mind blowing into this cow?” He had a pipe that he was holding up to the cow’s mouth, the beast in question had a gift for detecting alcohol. The placid bovine didn’t seem at all put out by the increasing complaints from taxi drivers who were reaching melting point, not even when the herder asked a Brazilian tourist to hold the rope attached to the cow’s bridle.
The thirsty drover headed into The Mezz for a pint, wellies ’n’ all, and for all I know the bewildered tourist might still be there, obediently holding the rope.
ON YOUR WAY OUT WEST
This weekend I’m revving up and hitting the trail for Shannonside Winter Music Weekend in Sixmilebridge. Last year, I slept in the van behind the undertakers, a restful and peaceful spot; hope there’s a space there when I arrive.
Gypsy Rebel Rabble and Two Time Polka are guaranteed to produce the goods, with the Alan Kelly Gang and Bend The Strings coming highly recommended. If you’re in the neighbourhood and can’t make the full-on folk frenzy, there’s a family friendly version in the grounds of Bunratty Folk Park on Saturday afternoon. From noon to 5pm most of the bands performing over the weekend will play a set on one of the five stages in the park; it’s like a festival within a festival.
Thankfully, our sessions and shindigs aren’t just for summer, head north or west this weekend and join the masses in getting completely folked up.
Safe travels, don’t die.
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