First ever micro-music festival coming to Galway this weekend
A first of its kind micro-music festival is coming to Galway this weekend.
The first Gig Economy festival will feature three acts representing the underground music scene in Galway.
The line-up includes performances by A Lilac Decline, So Cow’s Brian Kelly, and Field Trip.
A Lilac Decline is the musical counterpart for visual artist Cecilia Danell, whose songs have been described by Terrascope to have “a ghostly, hazy beauty that is hypnotic and easy to get lost in”.
Ms Danell said that this is her first time playing in Galway since 2019, and that she is excited to play a show in the city again.
“I’m really looking forward to it, it’ll be a fun afternoon. The other lads are playing as well, Brian Kelly plays with me sometimes in A Lilac Decline on drums, so I know him well, and Wayne from Field Trip is lovely as well.
“It’s just going to be nice to hear friends play as well.”
Brian Kelly, from Tuam based band So Cow, will be playing a solo set at the event. He said attendees can expect to hear new songs from his latest two albums.
“I think we’ll all find out together at the same time what they sound like live. I’ve never actually played them to any people. I hope they’re good, but I mean, who knows?
“It’s a bit of a celebration actually playing a gig, and it’s a novel experience still for a lot of people.”
Wayne Foy of Field Trip said that he’ll be playing a “stripped back” set, with new and old Field Trip songs.
“I haven’t played a gig in over two years, so I’m very scared, but I’m excited. It’s great to have gigs back, I missed them an awful lot.”
The festival is presented by music promoters Trusted Trail, the promotional unit of independent record label Rusted Rail. Keith Wallace, owner of Trusted Trail, said that the festival was supposed to happen two years ago, before the start of the pandemic.
He said that people now have an appetite for attending live shows like they used to pre-pandemic.
Mr Wallace said that he hopes this festival will help build a “live music ecosystem” within Galway.
“I think the fact that gigs are starting to spring up again is an amazing thing, particularly for a city like Galway which has this reputation for being a cultural capital.
“I think it’s important for things like that, even at a small level of a gig in the amazing beer garden of a pub, just for people to be able to gather again, I think is a really good thing.”
The festival was made possible with funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
The Gig Economy festival is set for this Saturday, 5 March, in the Caravan Club at Carroll’s Bar.
The festival starts at 3 PM, entry to the event is free and early attendance is advised.
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