CQAF is delighted to host this performance by Alt-folk alchemist Seamus Fogarty to celebrate the release of his new album Ships on Scottish label Lost Map Records, in partnership with Swedish label Sing A Song Fighter.

Packed with poignant and funny slice-of-life vignettes touching on everything from Geoffrey Chaucer to DIY coffins, and existing in a wonderful new sonic realm where songs and stories coexist peacefully with fragmentary electronics, drones and field recordings, Ships is his most expansive and uplifting collection of music to date.

Born and raised on the west coast of Ireland but living in London since 2010, Seamus released his debut full-length ‘God Damn You Mountain’ on cult Scottish label Fence Records (King Creosote, Jon Hopkins) in 2012.

This was followed by a pair of exceptional albums released via Domino Records – 2017’s The Curious Hand (“magical amplified folk journeys through modern life” ★★★★★– The Guardian) and 2020’s A Bag Of Eyes (“a gloriously trippy journey” – The Sunday Times).

His most recent release, the Hee Haw EP, was released on Lost Map Records in 2023 with the lead single ‘They Recognised Him’ receiving high praise from a range of DJs and personalities across the BBC and beyond including Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy who singled it out for recommendation on his Limited Edition show on  6Music (‘just brilliant’).

He has maintained a busy live schedule through 2025 opening two sold-out shows for Portishead’s Beth Gibbons in London’s Roundhouse &  Luxembourg’s Neumünster Abbey and sharing the stage with Mike Heron in  Queen Elizabeth Hall on the Southbank, and at End of the Road festival, as part of an all-star band assembled to celebrate the music of The Incredible String Band.  He also completed a sold-out Irish tour to celebrate the vinyl reissue of his debut album in the spring.
He has toured extensively around the UK, Ireland & Europe, both solo and with a range of artists including Lisa O’Neill and This Is The Kit,  and has appeared at many notable festivals including the main stage of Green Man, Eurosonic, Latitude, Electric Picnic, Mosely Folk & Haldern Pop. He has also appeared on  Other Voices in Ireland and recorded live sessions for Mark Radcliffe on  BBC Radio 2 and Cerys Matthews on BBC 6Music.

Recorded at studios in London, St Leonards-on-Sea and Margate and fine-tuned in his own home studio in Walthamstow, Ships boasts an incredible list of collaborators and musicians including string-arranger and multi-instrumentalist Emma Smith (Pulp, Beth Gibbons), drummers Chris Vatalaro (Anohni, Radiohead) and Aram Zarikian (Grasscut), and horn player Joe Auckland (Madness, Oasis).  Additional production and engineering comes from by Leo Abrahams (Brian Eno, Jon Hopkins) and Mike Lindsay (Tunng, Lump).

Cerys Hafana is a Welsh composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist who mangles, mutates, and transforms traditional music. Cerys comes from Machynlleth, Wales, where rivers and roads meet on the way to the sea.

Hafana’s primary instrument is the Welsh triple harp with which they explore all its creative possibilities and unique qualities, playing with found sounds, archival materials and electronic processing. Their spellbinding music is rich with atmosphere and heart and stubbornly resistant to genre boxes and easy classification.

Angel, their latest album on Glitterbeat, released in Sept 2025, is a deep exploration of minimalism, traditional and avant-folk music, alternating between songs (all in Cymraeg) and instrumentals, often buoyed by a deft trio of sympathetic and exploratory musicians (drums, double bass, alto sax). In 2026, live shows will feature this dynamic new trio sound.
The uncommon breadth and innovation of Angel soundly confirms Hafana as one of the UK’s most exciting young contemporary folk artists, with The Guardian featuring it as Folk Album Of The Month.

Cerys has won over audiences from End Of the Road to the Eisteddfod and from BBC 6 Music Festival to Transmusicales with their magical, progressive sound.

“Angel is the third release by this piercingly beautiful singer and exceptional, adventurous musician in 18 months…. Hafana’s approach is endlessly inventive…the album overall has a profound impact, hymning the life cycle, and the fantastical properties of music and time, to stunning effect.” Jude Rogers, The Guardian

“It’s raw, urgent and affecting music, and it sets the tone for a hugely assured album that feels like a major arrival…Hafana builds hugely powerful swells of feeling and atmosphere, with their virtuosity on both harp and piano allowing a push beyond avant folk toward darkling, rain-washed minimalism and sharp-eyed jazznot-jazz. Don’t sleep.” The Wire

“Alternating between Welsh-language songs and instrumental pieces, Hafana essays a bold mix of folk tradition and auteur experimentalism …” UNCUT

“An album that solidifies Cerys Hafana’s position as one of the UK’s most exciting and genre-defying contemporary folk artists. Angel is a testament to their ability to create music that is both deeply rooted in tradition and boldly forward-thinking.” KLOF

Folksinger Willi Carlisle holds tight the conviction that love is bigger than hate, and no-one is expendable. Carlisle’s music has always been a dance between absurdity, spectacle, and philosophy.

On his fourth studio album, Winged Victory, Carlisle returns with his signature blend of traditionally-rooted folk music and kaleidoscope of oddball characters to confer with his core tenets in more overt and provocative ways.

Carlisle delivers Victory as the next chapter in his long-running direct address to the hope that by understanding our collective suffering we might be free of it. He’s intent on creating art and a well-rounded life in a broken world.

The idea began with 2022’s Peculiar, Missouri when Carlisle proclaimed “your heart’s a big tent, everybody gets in.” After gathering together all the world’s weirdos and misfits under the big tent, with 2024’s Critterland, Carlisle let them loose into the world. Now, on Winged Victory, they speak for themselves, unencumbered by social expectations.

Victory, Carlisle’s first self-produced album, will be released June 27 via Signature Sounds. It both indulges a few of his wildest dreams (including a version of Richard Thompson’s “Beeswing,” among several traditional folk song covers), and feels like the inevitable sequel to Critterland’s charismatic menagerie of chaos.

Though occasionally raunchy, and routinely provocative, Victory is not afraid to make a spectacle for the sake of a point. Victory should be understood as a reflection. It revels in the beauty of tiny, monetarily-worthless moments and things, offering with them a consideration of our innate humanity.

Death In Vegas, fronted by DJ-producer Richard Fearless, will make a return to CQAF for what will be their first performance in the city since their 2012 Festival show.

Last years’ Death Mask album came after a 10 year gap and saw the eclectic producer return from his other experimental journeys to the Death in Vegas moniker with a gritty, techno-oriented sound forged in his Metal Box studio

Formed in the mid-’90s Death In Vegas debuted with the snarling big-beat LP Dead Elvis, followed by the acclaimed second album The Contino Sessions, featuring alt-rock heavyweights such as Iggy Pop, Bobby Gillespie, and Jim Reid.

Never standing still, subsequent albums Scorpio Rising, Satan’s Circus, Trans-Love Energies and Transmission have seen the Death In Vegas catalogue grow to a unique, ever-intriguing journey through sound.

This event takes place in a licensed venue; therefore, admission to the performance is limited to guests aged 18+.

Affectionately known as the “First Lady of Folk”, Kate Rusby has become a cherished highlight at festivals around the world. With her distinctive Yorkshire warmth, captivating voice, and timeless songwriting, Kate brings a unique charm to every stage she graces.

A Mercury Prize nominee, recipient of multiple BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and too many more accolades to mention, her live performances are renowned for blending heart, humour and an unmistakable connection with audiences.

Celebrating over 30 years in music, Kate’s setlist is a rich tapestry of traditional songs and her own compositions, ranging from poignant ballads to upbeat, singalong favourites. Her sound effortlessly transitions from intimate, delicate moments to expansive, lush soundscapes, creating an emotional journey that captivates every listener.

Her 2026 festival performances will feature selections from her acclaimed new album ‘When They All Looked Up’ alongside her enduring classics.

With a stellar band of world-class musicians, Kate’s shows are nothing short of magical. Fans can also expect a sprinkling of her famous between-song banter, ensuring smiles and an unforgettable experience all around. Come and see why Kate and her band are the heart and soul of every festival she plays.

There’s very little, if anything, known about Limerick band Theatre, who seem to be moving in the shadows of Ireland’s explosive music scene.

The band, made up of Dara, Oscar, Sonny and Sean, have whipped up a storm of excitement through their outstanding live shows; gorgeous, emotive melodies and the stunning vocals of lead singer, Maeve.

Blending ethereal rock music with folk and shoegaze, the music is understated yet feels timeless, and their songs seem to enter your body, trance-like, and never leave.

Despite the spotlight shining so heavily on Irish music at the moment. Keeping a minimal online presence, the band are proving that when the music speaks for itself, it resonates the loudest.