Category: CQAF2024 Friday 3 May

Led by singer/songwriter, Kirk Brandon, Theatre of Hate released their iconic debut studio album, Westworld, that was produced by Mick Jones of The Clash and entered the Top 20 charts in the UK.

Known for being one of the era’s best live acts, Theatre of Hate have continued building upon that legacy.

“Mick Flannery has a voice for the ages, a complete Master of his craft” proclaimed Clash Magazine, whilst The Sunday Times said he “conjures up exquisite story-telling.”

His latest offering Goodtime Charlie, Flannery’s eighth studio record, went straight to No. 1 at home in Ireland on the independent charts, and No. 2 on the Official Charts, making it his sixth top 5 record to date, With 3 Number 1 records already under his belt, Goodtime Charlie is also the first international signing for John Prine’s beloved Oh Boy Records.

Mick Flannery’s songs are fluent in expressing layered aspects of the human condition, its flaws, triumphs, and general uncertainty.  His live shows are renowned for his self-deprecating humour, audience engagement and the ability to bring people on a journey of both heartbreak and joy, often in the same instance.

Mick has built up a reputation over the past decade as one of Ireland hardest working musicians, touring extensively at home and in more recent years abroad as his songs have been reaching folks farther afield. Ireland’s best kept secret appears to be no more.

Lau present their Unplugged show, a concert of two halves in which they return to their instruments’ natural soundscapes for an evening’s exploration of re-arranged and re-created material from across their catalogue. A stripped down performance without pedalboards or electronics, just voice, fiddle, guitar and accordion, and a 4 track tape recorder.

Kris Drever (guitar and vocals), Martin Green (accordion, Wurlitzer, keys, electronics) and Aidan O’Rourke (fiddle) are back to present music that is complex, accessible, challenging, comforting and delivered with spiritual conviction.

They come from the legendary melting pot of the Edinburgh trad scene at the turn of the century and have created a mix from the fabric of Scottish and Irish musical heritage, progressive art rock ideas and a playful sense of theatre.

They’ve won all sorts of plaudits nationally and internationally and sold out venues worldwide. After almost 18 years in existence, they’re still in love with the music they get to make and practising the art of sharing it.

“Lau are a remarkable band – the most musically adventurous trio in British folk exquisite and hypnotic, musicianship at its best.”- THE GUARDIAN

The Breeze are a new 3-piece band comprising long-time collaborators Chris Coll (Lost InThe Fog), Decky McManus (The Basement) and Stevie Scullion (Malojian).

The 3 multi-instrumentalists entered the studio in March 2023 and quickly found a flow which spawned their debut record Thin Ground.

They have already been winning over audiences throughout Ireland and the UK and look forward to hitting the road in support of the album in April and May.

‘The sound of The Beach Boys and Tom waits heading off on holiday together…delightful and mesmerising’ – Ulster Herald

‘Excellent debut single – a catchy, countrified rock and roll delight.’ – Irish News

A potential show of the festival. Three absolute icons of Americana will play individual sets then come together for an unforgettable finale.

Peter Case is a three-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter from the USA who has a most impressive resume. He was the founder of the Nerves, the very first American indie band to put together a nationwide tour and one of the very first to release their own indie EP. He then was the founder and leader of the legendary Plimsouls, an incredibly influential L.A. rock and roll band which drew praise from everyone from Elvis Costello to Tom Petty to critics nationwide.

For the past thirty-some years Peter Case has been a solo troubadour in the great tradition of Dylan, Guthrie, and Pete Seeger. Early on he was produced by T-Bone Burnett and he’s played with and been championed by Roger McGuinn, Van Dyke Parks, Mike Campbell of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers and many more. His latest album is The Midnight Broadcast and it just might be his very best album.

Sid Griffin is best known for his leadership of the Long Ryders, the founding fathers of alt-country and Americana. He is also the proud artist behind four well-received solo albums, was the leader of the wonderful ‘alt-bluegrass’ UK band, The Coal Porters, he was the Resident Musicologist on BBC 6 Music’s Radcliffe & Maconie radio show for over a decade and Sid has written four books. Sid’s most recent book, Million Dollar Bash: Bob Dylan, The Band, and the Basement Tapes, has been reissued twice and Sid did the liner notes for that collection of legendary Dylan tracks.

Dan Stuart is a musician and author who was the leader of Green on Red, a band associated with both LA’s Paisley Underground of the 1980’s and the beginning of the so-called Americana movement. His “false memoir” The Deliverance of Marlowe Billings was published in 2014 to critical acclaim which was followed up with The Unfortunate Demise of Marlowe Billings in 2018.

All three of his books all have albums by the same name with the last getting Americana album of the Month in UNCUT Magazine, Dan has released over 15 albums between Green on Red and his solo years.

Tonight’s performance will feature songs from across his solo and Green on Red catalogue and a very brief reading from his third and latest novel Marlowe’s Revenge along with stories of his time with Green on Red.

Snapped Ankles return to the forest, but it’s not as they left it. Trees planted in neat rows. A well-ordered monoculture with access roads and heavy machinery. The smell of greenwashed money in the air. There’s no sign of the ancient woodland they emerged from on debut album, Come Play The Trees. And it’s far cry from the gentrified East London they found themselves hawking on Stunning Luxury. All is not well in the face of progress. Welcome to the Forest Of Your Problems.

Forest Of Your Problems runs the gamut of modern woodwose emotions. In this neat human approximation of the forest, it’s an increasingly knotted affair. Despite all of this, Snapped Ankles haven’t lost their innate ability to make you want to move your feet – their Teutonic forest rhythms are still shot through with post-punk lightning.

Snapped Ankles outsider status has always allowed them to hold a mirror up to society. Now the boundaries are not so clear. In the four years since Come Play The Trees was released, their cult has flourished. Previous album Stunning Luxury saw the band invited to play the BBC 6 Music Festival and a KEXP session on the back of a sold-out UK tour which culminated with two nights at Village Underground in London. As those who have witnessed the shamanic ritual of their live shows will attest, they are a truly unique, communal experience.

FITE FUAITE le: Boss Sound Manifesto, Róisín Seoighe, SÉiMí (agus a bhanna ceoil), Colm Seoighe agus Na hEasógaí, agus Na Brigideens

Boss Sound Manifesto

Tá lucht leanúna dílis cruthaithe ag Boss Sound Manifesto ag a gcuid gigeanna cois cuain agus in áiteanna eile i gcéin. Bhí siad mar thacaíocht do leithéidí Neville Staples, agus do Lee Scratch Perry & The Upsetters ag féilte éagsúla le blianta beaga anuas.

Boss Sound Manifesto have built up a loyal fanbase at their gigs in Belfast and further afield. In recent years they’ve supported the likes of Neville Staples, and Lee Scratch Perry & the Upsetters at various festivals.

Róisín Seoighe

Tá Róisín Seoighe aitheanta go forleathan mar cheoltóir cumasach spreagúil comhaimseartha a bhfuil a cuid amhrán féin scríofa agus stíl amhránaíochta agus fuaim faoi leith aici. As Conamara di, ba amhránaí agus damhsóir sean-nóis ar dtús í ach ar na laethanta seo tá clú uirthí mar dhuine de phríomhamhránaithe an bhanna cheoil nuálaigh IMLÉ.

Róisín Seoighe is widely recognised in her own right as an exciting and talented modern singer-songwriter musician with her own unique sound and singing style. From Conamara, she started out as a sean-nós singer and dancer, who these days would be recognised most as lead vocalist for rap-indie-pop outfit IMLÉ.

SÉiMí (agus a bhanna ceoil) 

Buíon cheoil nuabhunaithe de bhunadh na cathrach s’againn féin, fillfidh Séimí agus a chomrádaithe ceoil ar Bharr a’ Tí le seit nuálach de cheol reigé Gaelach. Ná caill iad seo.

One of Béal Feirste’s newest bands, Séimí and his comrades in music return to Barr ‘a Tí with their pioneering Gaelic reggae sounds. Not to be missed.

Colm Seoighe agus Na hEasógaí

As Conamara dóibh is iad Colm Seoighe, Daragh Jennings, agus Fionn Ó Cualáin an triúr ógánach ceolmhar atá sa bhuíon cheoil spraíúil seo Colm Seoighe agus Na hEasógaí. Ar an fhód le breis agus bliain go leith déanann siad a leaganacha uathúla féin de shean-amhráin agus liricí úrnua cumtha ag Colm snaidhmthe leis an cheol sin. Tá an dream seo le beoléiriú den chéad uair riamh i mBéal Feirste ag an imeacht seo in Áras Mhic Reachtain.

Three young musicians from Conamara, Colm Seoighe, Daragh Jennings, and Fionn Ó Cualáin make up this exciting musical outfit. Formed just over a year and a half ago Colm Seoighe and Na hEasógaí put their own unique take on well-known old songs with Colm’s newly composed lyrics weaved into these tunes. Making their Belfast debut in Áras Mhic Reachtain as part of CQAF.

Na Brigideens

Is ceol binn idir thradisiúnta agus nua-aimseartha a bheas á gceol ag Catríona Ní Ghribín agus Aoife Ní Raghallaigh (Na Brigideens).

Expect a modern twist on melodious traditional tunes from Catríona Ní Ghribín and Aoife Ní Raghallaigh (Na Brigideens).

Halla ceolchoirmeacha suite ar an 2ú hurlár. Níl aon ardaitheoir ann. Beir buidéal leat.
2nd floor concert hall, no lift access, no bar, bring your own.