The Vespertine Quintet is a collection of musicians from West Cork, comprising the traditional string quartet and piano with added electronic sounds.
Made up of 5 West Cork musicians (including 2 composing members), the quintet was born last winter as an idea by violinist Justin Grounds to gather some friends and play some sparse and wintery minimalist music by Icelandic composer Olafur Arnalds and Estonian Arvo Pärt. They put on a series of house concerts, gathering friends in houses in West Cork, sharing warm food and wine and playing their program. Word soon got out and the quintet were invited to play to a sold out audiences at Glebe Gardens, Lissard House for the Skibereen Arts Festival, and most recently at the Ballydehob Arts Festival.
In July they hosted a unique concert in De Barra’s, collaborating with acclaimed composer Clodagh Simonds of Fovea Hex, melding their soulful live strings and piano in new arrangements of her pieces.
From this show followed a DeBarra’s Winter Residency that saw the Quintet perform SOLD OUT shows with the following artists: Farewell J.R., Liam O Maonlaoi (the Hothouse Flowers), Adrian Crowley & Camille Grieshal.
“They’re a five-piece from Cork, and they make damn good tunes”
– Dan Hegarty, 2FM
Transmission Club are a five piece indie band from Cork, Ireland. Transmission Club’s diverse sonic palette combines elements of indie, folk and grunge, textured with harmonium, violin, keyboards, guitars, drum machines and loops.
Recording takes place in bedrooms and living rooms around Ireland, allowing for songs to be captured on the spur of the moment – sometimes freshly-written – and giving the music a raw, untrammelled feel.
In late 2015, Transmission Club released Salt, an E.P collection of demos. Salt gained airplay from the likes of Dan Hegarty, 2fm and Paul McLoone, Today fm. Salt was also voted no.1 in The Last Mixed Tape’s Reader’s E.P of the Year 2015 Poll.
“Salt works as a solid introduction into Transmission Club’s music,” said TLMT, “but the most exciting aspect is how this sound expands in the future.”
Salt was again recently nominated for E.P of the Year 2016 by Pure M. The band are currently beginning to record their follow up to Salt and hope to release it at the end of the year.
Having previously drummed for Robbie Williams on the Life Thru a Lens album and tours, Barnard joined Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros after Ged Lynch left. Barnard drummed on the “Forbidden City” track of the Rock Art and the X-Ray Style album.
Following the Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros debut gig at the Sheffield Leadmill on 5 June 1999 The Mescaleros toured extensively throughout the UK, Europe, Canada, US and Japan for the next six months. Further tours followed in early 2000 that included Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. The final night of a ten-date British tour supporting The Who, at Wembley Arena in November 2000, proved to be his last for The Mescaleros.
In 2001, along with Johnny Wilks, formed one*iota, who later became King Louis. Barnard drummed for The Mock Turtles on their return to the charts in 2003 and is currently drumming for Archive, who though relatively unknown in Britain are reaching massive proportions on mainland Europe.
In 2009 Smiley joined fellow Mescaleros Pablo Cook, who together with Mike Peters (The Alarm), Derek Forbes (Simple Minds) and Steve Harris (Archive/Gary Numan) formed Los Mondo Bongo, and have toured the UK, Canada and elsewhere celebrating the music of Joe Strummer.
In 2010 Smiley replaced Steve Grantley (Stiff Little Fingers) as the drummer in the The Alarm. He drummed on the latest Alarm album, The Sound and The Fury.
In 2013 Smiley played alongside original The Jam member Bruce Foxton when he took over drums from Mark Brzezicki in From The Jam.
“catch them before they’re famous and only perform for royalty and astronauts” – The Brag
All Our Exes Live in Texas is a fantasy draft of Sydney’s finest singer-songwriters – Elana Stone, Katie Wighton, Hannah Crofts and Georgia Mooney – here combining in four-part indie-folk heaven. On mandolin, ukulele, accordion and guitar, the Exes deliver tunes that are tastefully crafted within the context of a playful and utterly charming live show.
With four songwriters and four unique voices, the Exes make music that draws from traditional four-part harmony, creating a new brand of modern folk. Fair warning: You’ll need your charisma sunnies or you’ll walk away a little bit in love.
All Our Exes Live in Texas has shared the stage with a range of acts from the Backstreet Boys to Megan Washington, Mama Kin and Ainslie Wills.
Fresh from a national run of sold-out shows, whilst solidifying their reputation as darlings of the festival circuit, the Exes wooed audiences from Port Fairy Folk Festival to the National Folk Festival and beyond.
With their debut album due for release in mid-2016, the Exes are a powerhouse of harmonies, charm and songwriting prowess, proving they truly are the most badass girl folk group ever.
‘All Our Exes Live in Texas have been touring over the past couple of years selling out venues all over Australia – its hard to feel sorry for someone singing a sad song when their talent is completely blocking any feelings of pity you could ever feel – they are the most badass girl folk group ever’ Hhhhappy.com
‘From the moment they stepped onstage, the Exes delivered exactly what they are renowned for – their harmonies are so good its actually a little ridiculous and their instrumentation is strong as it is disparate. Catch them before they’re famous and only perform for royalty and astronauts’ – The Brag
“I saw some great artists while up in Brisbane, and a few of them completely floored me with great songs and performances – heavy shout-out to All Our Exes Live in Texas…’ – Anthony Fantano ‘The Needle Drop’
‘A person could roam far and wide and never find finer harmonies, and the songs themselves are as disparate as they are captivating. A clear audience favourite, their improvised banter was an enduring highlight, their instrumentation (guitar, mandolin, ukulele and accordion) catchy and winsome.’ – The Brag
Sweet and charming, All Our Exes Live in Texas were a festival highlight. Soaring vocal harmonies, tight melodies, an accordion and a set peppered by the girls’ random audience banter left the audience in total adoration, with a standing ovation given to them – and rightly so.’ – The Music
‘Crammed into the corner of a chapel pew, as the church filled to its utmost capacity, the four young beautiful Sydney women made the squeeze worth it. They had us immediately eating out of their endearing little paws as they blew us away with their impeccable four-part harmonies. Their sound was both punchy and sweet and covered in lyrics you wanted to listen to because they told the most beautiful love stories.’ – Xpress Magazine Perth
“All Our Exes Live In Texas filled the Howler bar with incredible harmonies and a folky vibe. They clearly enjoy performing, and their talent combined with their relaxed and funny banter caused the audience to instantly fall in love with them. Their accordion and mandolin accompaniment in tandem with ukulele and classical guitar adds a unique dimension to their music, ensuring everyone who sees them play won’t be able to forget them. These guys certainly make a big impression” –- The AUreview
With gritty sonic depth, Irish songwriter Marc O’Reilly attacks his muse with a bipolar verve that swings from reflection to sheer riotous joy. Backed by the tightest band in Christendom, rare and beautiful songs slam into wild blues fragments and effortlessly back to clean vocal harmonies.
Marc has released two critically acclaimed albums to date, ‘Human Herdings’ and ‘My Friend Marx’ and has established himself as one of the most exciting artists within the folk/blues genre gaining comparisons with artists such as John Martyn and Bon Iver.
Marc has toured all over Europe including appearances at major festivals like Glastonbury, Electric Picnic, Beautiful Days, Boardmasters, Shambala and Dranouter. He has also played in the US appearing at the Live in the Vineyard Festival in Napa, California.
His alter-ego side project with his brother Pierre, the electro-pop duo ‘R’, recently receieved excellent radio support for their debut single ‘Change’ from tastemakers such as Steve Lamacq (BBC 6music), Janice Long (BBC Radio 2) and Paul Mcloone (Today FM) and reached Number 1 on the Amazing Radio Chart.
As if that wasn’t enough to keep him busy, Marc has also provided vocals on 3 tracks for the new album by MOBO winning act Karios 4tet which was recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios, has received 4 star reviews from Mojo, The Independent and Guardian and has led to the recording of a live BBC Maida Vale session for the Jamie Cullum Show on BBC Radio 2.
For nearly four decades, American fingerstyle wizard Richard Gilewitz has fascinated listeners with 6 and 12-string finger gymnastics while spinning enchanting yarns of a seasoned raconteur. His concert performances around the world spill over with unexpected turns of the funnies, thought-provoking takes on life on the road, and tunes that propel the audience on a magical journey of sight and sound. His signature playing style delivers a technical diversity of banjo style patterns and classical arpeggios with a rhythmic percussive approach, exploring the history of guitar with sounds of folk to Americana, the blues to the classical, ragtime to pop, and somewhere in between.In addition to his concert performances, his GillaCamp Guitar and Ukulele Workshops, Meet the Artist Seminars, Clinics, and Avenues for Success educational program for schools inspire players worldwide, providing opportunities for music lovers to work on their craft and young players to learn fingerstyle techniques and tips of the trade.
Growing up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey and Huntsville, Alabama, Richard embraced such diverse artists as The Beatles, Andres Segovia, Kraftwerk, Leo Kottke, J.S. Bach, Arlo Guthrie, John Fahey and Flatt & Scruggs. Soaking up the wealth of inspiration supplied by the assorted acts featured at the Renfro Valley festivals, “The Dr. Demento Radio Show” and “The Midnight Special”, Richard welcomed the challenge of mastering and adapting many styles of music for the acoustic guitar — a trait that continually places him among a multitude of genres.
Richard began honing his skills both as a performer and composer during the late 1970’s at the University of Alabama, playing the local coffeehouse circuit while pursing degrees in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Music. Following graduation, Richard placed his musical calling in the background and joined the world of flight simulation design, telemetry and satellite systems.
The 1980’s brought Richard to Florida where he released his first LP recording, Somewhere In Between. As the pull of his passion for performing and recording became so compelling, Richard left corporate life to teach and perform full time in a career that has propelled him into an international music arena. He has gone on to release seven more recordings plus a number of educational materials.
Students around the globe attend Richard’s roving GillaCamp Guitar/Ukulele Workshops and Guitars, Gear, and a Bit of Ukulele Clinics. These interactive experiences provide players an avenue to renew their love of the instrument and hone their craft. Designed for all level of player, these events explore a wide variety of topics in a group and individual setting. Richard also has a number of international students that study with him through Skype and is guest instructor at a number of international guitar retreats including Winterbreak in Australia and Guitar Retreats in the UK. Meet the Artist Educational Outreach takes him into the learning environment at grade/middle/high schools, colleges, and universities as this 1-5 day residency program introduces students to the professional musician. Classes include lectures and instruction.He is on the faculty of Master the Possibilities of Ocala Florida, and is a Sherpa Classroom Instructor with TrueFire.
Today, recognized world-wide as a performer who has a quirky take on everything around him, Richard continues to live up to this depiction with rousing shows filled with offbeat observations combined with his right-hand wizardry and heaps of technique. With Richard’s performances teeming with sparkles of mood mastery and wonderment, he shares a fresh impression of sound to the listener during his concert appearances and at his workshops.
Says Spectrum Magazine, “Much of the charm of a Gilewitz performance is in the stories he tells. He wondered aloud to the audience how many ducks he could take out in a fight if he were to be attacked by a flock of the sneaky waterfowl.”
Whether playing solo, conducting guitar seminars and school programs, or sharing the stage with folks such as Stephen Housden of the Little River Band, Brooks Williams, Michael Fix, The California Guitar Trio, John McCutcheon, John Renbourn, Mose Allison, the late John Fahey, Leo Kottke, Norman Blake, Indigo Girls, or John Hammond, Richard always invites the audience to join his journey filled with twitters, twists, and turns at every tune.
“Ear-boggling” The Washington Post
“His complex, energetic originals have made Gilewitz popular on the festival and club circuits as a solo performer.” Guitar Player Magazine
”His performance style is very crisp and precise, allowing the personality of the music to shine through.” Dirty Linen Magazine
“His quick wit and twisted sense of humor has made him an entertainer as well as a fine guitarist.” Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine
The Acoustic Forum is an eclectic event unlike anything else you’ve ever seen which sees five of our artists play in an intimate and informal concert in the round, with each artist staying onstage for the duration. Guided by the guest host, each performer gives an insight into their craft and performs a short selection to whet the appetite for the weekend ahead. It’s off the cuff, it’s friendly and it provides the listener with a varied and spontaneous night that never fails to surprise!
In a fresh twist to this year’s Forum guest host will be Internationally renowned luthier & all round amazing guy George Lowden, with guests Celtic guitar druid Tony McManus, Dutch Ragtime virtuoso Leo Wijnkamp Jnr. Jazz pop siren Eve Clague & one more special guest yet to be announced!
The Church, led by electric guitar high priest Matt Churchill is an instrumental, brain exploding, wig out machine that comprises some of the finest session musicians in the country, every lick, chop and lead that Churchill unleashes causes synaptic explosions in the central nervous system!
Their shows are a rare event making their annual Clonakilty International Guitar Festival not only one of the highlights of the festival but a highlight of the YEAR!
Ukulele-le-chéile is part community group, part artistic movement which exists to get people of all ages and levels of musical ability playing the world’s easiest instrument: the ukulele! Established by The West Cork Ukulele Orchestra and run with infectious enthusiasm by Christine Deady & Isobel Towse, the songs and the tuition you need to get up and strumming are provided, picking popular but simple tunes to work on. In this welcoming and light-hearted environment you’ll be surprised at just how quickly you pick up all the skills you need, just bring a uke and join in!
Keep your eyes & ears peeled for the vintage VW “Jam Van” which will be cruising around clon on the Saturday afternoon of this year’s festival.
‘Heavy Billy and the Just-a-Minute Battery Hens’ will be blasting out some blistering psych punk n’ blues as this moveable musical feast rocks up on a few unannounced street corners between 2-5pm!