Galway’s electronic music scene has always been a key aspect of student nightlife.
Famous DJs from all over the world stop off in Galway during their tours. The city has produced some of the biggest names in the electronic music scene, including Kettema and Tommy Holohan.
Galway also has some amazing emerging artists and collectives at the minute, such as Datsko, Fionn Curran and DJ Shampain.
Mannio: behind the DJ decks
Galway Pulse sat down with Aran Mannion, AKA Mannio, an up-and-coming Galway DJ and co-founder of the collective Tús, to ask him questions about his career, techno, and the electronic music scene in Galway.
Aran introduces himself as a “DJ/ Bartender/Producer” and has been “DJing for about a year and a half”. Aran previously worked as the bar manager of DNA nightclub for two years, which sparked his love for electronic music.
He admires DJs like Translucent and Reboot and “learned from their performances, which influences his approach to DJing”. Aran is also passionate about a creative approach to DJing that allows him to express himself through electronic music.
Tús collective
Aran Mannion and Dylan Buckley, AKA Takeaim, started Tús Collective in August 2023 and since their first gig, they have run 17 events in the last 12 months.
They aimed to distinguish themselves from other collectives by running gigs not only on student nights but also on weekends and throughout the summer for the wider ‘rave’ community.
Aran outlines the importance of appealing to the non-student techno community as he believes that “electronic music appeals to all ages”.
The idea for Tús collective came from Aran and Dylan’s desire to start DJing and provide a platform to promote themselves as artists.
Tús run events in various clubs all over Ireland, they focus on creating an experience for dancers rather than running events for money or just playing popular ‘club’ music.
They focus on sound, lighting, stage build, and curated lineups. Aran says they “aim to provide a space where people can go out and enjoy music without feeling the need to get intoxicated”. Many of their dancers attend sober which aligns with their goal of promoting a healthy nightlife experience.
Challenges and evolution of Galway’s electronic music scene
Aran Mannion discusses the simultaneous growth and decline of Galway’s electronic music scene. He says that it’s the “easiest it’s ever been to run a techno gig in Galway” but also that “it’s difficult to sustain” a collective because of the economic aspect.
The economic aspect is becoming a huge hurdle for nightlife in general, this is evident with the closure of Cuba nightclub which was only open for 4 months before having to shut.
Now more than ever, students are struggling financially as nights out have become increasingly expensive. High drink prices, ticket prices—due to the cost of renting a venue—and taxi prices, for example, are barriers to students being able to afford nights out.
Aran notes that because of this, “students are becoming more selective about their nights out,” which makes it difficult to compete with big headliners coming to the city.
But Aran is optimistic about Galway’s electronic music scene saying that it “remains alive”, with new collectives starting and new talented DJs emerging. He also outlines that ‘local’ nights with emerging DJs always draw a good crowd as people love to go out and support their friends.
Gigs and artist recommendations
Aran Mannion shares some of his favourite gigs in Galway in the last year including X Club in Monroes and Mall Grab, Effy in The Roisin Dubh, and a Basement Project show in Galway.
Ryan Sheridan, AKA Data Rider, is one of Aran’s favourite DJs, known for his hybrid sets and musical knowledge. Aran also mentioned some up-and-coming DJs to keep an eye out for in Galway including; Supergross, Martin Flaherty, DJ Rúibí, Lana Haze, Rob Mcintyre, and Ryan Conway to mention a few.