Watch The Festival of Now
Updated / Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020
22:19
Pillow Queens get ready for their close-up. Picture credit: Greg Purcell (Collective Films)
Will Rolfe, POD s festival curator, writes for RTÉ Culture about a strange year for the live music sector and previews The Festival of Now
Over 20 Irish artists Blindboy, Gemma Dunleavy, Jafaris, KOJAQUE, Mango X MathMan, Pillow Queens, and Sorcha Richardson took part in The Festival of Now, a unique festival film celebrating the heart of music and arts in Ireland today.
We need your consent to load this YouTube contentWe use YouTube to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Updated / Tuesday, 22 Dec 2020
18:20
Host Tommy Tiernan, himself a veteran of Vicar Street, where he has performed many sold-out shows
Christy Moore, Lankum, Lisa O Neill and Vicar St founder Harry Crosbie are the guests on the first programme in a new six-part online series which begins this Christmas.
The first episode of
YouTube channel
on December 27.
Vicar St first opened its doors on a corner in the heart of The Liberties in Dublin on August 30, 1998 and it has played host to many local and international acts in the 22 years since.
However, the venue was forced to close in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coughlan’s is back live and online
Ronan Leonard has been looking forward to the return of an institution in Cork as it takes its first steps back to a full return to live music
‘It’s our first time having SON [aka Susan O’Neill],’ says Edel of Coughlan s, who describes her as a ‘brilliant artist’.
“I’ve missed having our doors open it’s like a part of you is missing.”
Not seeing customers or having live music has been very difficult for Edel Curtin, who runs Coughlan’s (current holders of the IMRO National Live Venue of the Year award).
While others have opted to use their government Live Performance Support Scheme grants to stage gigs to audiences of just 15 people, Crown Live in Wexford are taking a different approach as they use their government funding to film shows with nationally renowned artists for streaming on Facebook.
The scheme brought forward by the Department of Arts and Culture aims to create employment for those working in the entertainment industry, from performers to sound engineers, lighting crews, promoters and videographers. The funding was granted to venues who committed to staging gigs before the end of the year and The Crown Live has now revealed the line-up for its series of virtual gigs.