There's hardly a musician in sight at the launch of the Amazing Travelling Heineken Green Energy Extravaganza. Details of the music event, to take place over the May Bank Holiday, are announced in Dublin Castle's Coachhouse to a room full of agents, actors, promoters, DJs, managers and some special guests - but nary a singer at all.
Well, Aidan Walsh, in glorious regal robes of purple (for passion) and gold, who is recognised by all as the "master of the universe and the king of rock 'n' roll", is here, but he's too busy taking photographs to give us a song.
The great Diceman, Thom McGinty, who died in 1995, is recalled fondly by Padraic Liston, managing director of Murphy Brewery Ireland. Telling us that an exhibition commemorating the street artist's life is to be staged during the festival, he also welcomes Thomas and Mary McGinty, the artist's parents, who have come from Glasgow along with a close friend of his from college days, Christine Scott. Mary McGinty, a native of Baltinglass, will visit her three sisters there - Kitty Foley, Maggie Sutton and Bettie Walsh - before returning to Scotland. Actors Donna Dent and Joe Gallagher are here too, remembering Thom.
Michael Fitzgerald, manager of singer Nina Hynes, chats to Cork woman Angela Dorgan, organiser of the festival's music industry seminars, which will take place between Friday, May 4th and Monday, May 7th. Richard McDonogh, from the Band Challenge competition, says 30 finalists have now been chosen from the 400 bands that applied to take part this year. They're probably practising right now in back rooms throughout the country.
At last a live musician: Joe Chester, from the up-and-coming group, Ten Speed Racer, is here. The group's album, Eskimo Beach Boy, is out and a single, January, is coming out in April, he says, interrupting his chat with chef Paul Kelly. Robert Stephenson, managing director of www.treasureisland.ie, is here too, spreading the word about the right of teenagers to be heard.