Main Stage

From Mali to Dublin, from LA to Tralee and from Calgary to Clonakilty, the eclectic line up on the main stage has everything from Ragged Gospel to Desert Blues to Electronic Jazz

Afel Boucom

"Although he shares Toure's passionate immediacy, his music has a more distinctively and traditionally African flavor that sets him apart."--All Music Guide

An essential member of Ali Farka Toure's band for more than three decades, Afel Bocoum took his first steps into the limelight with his debut solo album, Alkibar: Messenger of the Great River, in 1999. It was recorded along the banks of the Niger River, during a five-day break from working on Toure's album Niafunke. Alkibar set finger-picked guitar melodies and soulful vocals, in the Sonrai, Fula, and Tamashek languages, to a musical tapestry of lute, monochord njurkle, calabash, spike fiddles, and a three-voiced choir. The BBC reviewed Bocoum's performance on the album as "gentler than the stabbing blues style of Ali Farka Toure.

Bocoum's sound is poly-rhythmic, warm, and enchanting with simple magnetic melodies and hummable choruses." The son of a njoika and njurkle player, Bocoum began playing with Toure, in Troupe Musicale De Niafunke, at the age of 13. Although he left the group to study agriculture at M'Pessoba in South Mali, in 1975, he reunited with his former mentor in Toure's band, Asko, in the early '80s. -- Craig Harris, All Music Guide

Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir

" ... the band's performances make people crane their necks at folk festivals and holler at the top of their lungs in crowded, rock bars."from the Fighting and Onions CD Press Release

Rare is the band that can captivate both punk rock kids and folk music fans. Rare still is a band that can do this by playing a ferocious combination of traditional blues, Appalachian folk, and ragged gospel. But The Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir does just that.

Formed from the ashes of several wildly divergent Calgary bands, the Agnostics began creating their strange brew just three years ago. Featuring Judd Palmer on vocals, banjo, and harmonica and Vladimir Sobolewski on stand-up bass (both of whom were members of the now defunct Great Uncle Bull), guitarist/vocalist Bob Keelaghan (formerly of the Puritans), and drummer Jay Woolley (note that Woolley departed in 2007 and was replaced by Peter Balkwill), the group claims they were "founded in an effort to forge a kind of gospel for the unbeliever." To judge by their performances, they have succeeded and then some.

Avatar

" ... strong melodies and a diverse array of instrumentation ... "--Steve Harvey

Avatar consists of James Kennedy on bass guitar and guitar and Tony O'Flaherty on sax, flute and keys. James write the tunes and Tony records them. Production and arranging are shared. Extra musicians are added to the mix as required. The studio is a great enviornment for us as we have established a solid working relationship which is focused and relaxed. Stylistically the music is a fusion of 70's Dub Reggae and Jazz. Further inspiration comes from Kerry's incredible landscape and years of "sitting quietly". These factors combine to give our music its own very unique sound. The debut album has recieved excellent reviews most notably in the likes of number one Bass Guitar Magazine and cudos from legendary producer/engineer Del Palmer (Kate Bush). The music has been described as both relaxing and uplifting and this we feel perfectly sums up what we are all about. Currently we are in the studio working on our second album. --www.myspace.com/avatarsounds

Chucklehead

"good music, good lyrics and good humour make for a damn good gig"--Lorcan McManus

Chucklehead are a four piece surf rock band form West Cork who have earned their local heroic status on live sets that blister with infectious enthusiasm and upbeat pop/rock-songs. The rhythm section is driven by the tight snaps, crashes and rolls of the multi-instrumentalist Anthony Noonan on drums and the vibeful bass stylings of Kev Reynolds whose own technique borrows much from Cloankilty's legendary rock star laureate Noel Redding, the original bass player with the Hendrix Experience. Floating on this grooving rhythm are the awesome vocals of front man and acoustic guitarist Danny McCarthy whose effortless lyricism and wit is the perfect embodiment of this great bands fun ethic. Danny's sweet voice digs glorious pop harmonies and sing a-long chorus's out of thin air that soon have audiences singing along in blissful glee, (whether they know the words or not!). Liam Aherne on Electric guitar is the thick dirty thread that weaves this great band together with his awesome guitar licks and shredding solos adding enough rocky meat to proceedings to make you stop short of calling these guys a pop band! This is surf- rock- pop at its finest! So much so you can almost feel sunburnt skin cracking on your back while you're listening to them! Just try to not stamp your foot while these boys are playing!

The Church

" ... an Evertonian, acoustic guitar virtuoso, whose ability to wring astoundingly complex solos from a seemingly ordinary acoustic guitar can only have its origins in some kind of Faustian pact ... "--Andy Mabbett

Matt Churchill was born in Liverpool in a medley of music, art, and football. From an early age he was introduced to the sounds of his heroes: Steve Vai, Jimmy Hendrix, Steve Ray Vaughan, and of course The Beatles. His musical journey led him to Clonakilty, West Cork where Matt has worked with many well-known musicians. He regularly tours with Roy Harper both opening for and playing lead guitar alongside him in the main performance.

As well as being a very competent collaborator, Matt has developed his skills as a solo instrumentalist and keeps writing both Electric and acoustic pieces. Matt released his first album of original instrumental acoustic and electric works in early January 2007. Titled Blue Stars, it draws musical influences from Rock, Blues, Folk, & Country, while thematically it charts Matt’s personal journey from urban sprawl to living by the ocean in west Cork. When Matt is not touring with Roy Harper or performing his solo acoustic work he unleashes his Stratocaster in his four piece electric rock ensemble The Church. -- www.mattchurchill.com

Cathy Davey

"I am similar to a man in many ways, like all females. I like the smell of my dog's feet. I do not enjoy hoovering but I can sing quite high and speak surprisingly low if I so wish." --From Davey's MySpace Page

"I'm not spiteful but I like the way spite comes across. Spite has more of an impact than la la la love. There's a nasty undertone to everything I do, emphasised by the pretty bits and the grit underneath".

Dublin girl Cathy Davey has got the counterpoint between nasty and nice just right. The 25-year old singer and writer, who appeared on Elbow"s Grace Under Pressure‚ mines a seam of hardcore love and hate, then turns them into stylistically broad songs which reference PJ Harvey and Bjork as well as a young Kate Bush. Whilst Davey admits a love of the latter, "I love Wuthering Heights and Running Up That Hill. They're so abstract and atmospheric which is always good" she purposefully avoids soaking herself in too much music.

Gorbachov

"Winners of Murphy's Live 2008!"--www.murphyslive.com

"SINCE THE BEGINNING THESE FECKLESS HALFWITS HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT THE HARD WAY, BUT IF YOU LIKE TO ROCK YOU WILL LIKE THE CHOV. SO UNDERGROUND, WE'RE ALMOST DEAD!!!" -- www.myspace.com/gorbachov

Jape

"The music of Jape is a breath of fresh air to the smoggy atmosphere of Dublin."--The Irish Times

"I was in a lot of hardcore punk bands when I was a kid, just got really into that scene," he begins. "And then I joined a band called The Redneck Manifesto. And we're still going. We made four or five DIY albums of, like, Fugazi-type underground stuff, and we toured Europe twice and America, totally off our own backs. That was amazing, but I was into songwriter-y-type stuff and electronic music as well, and I just wanted to do some of that. So I went to a little house for a week with a big bag of grass and an Adat machine, and that's where the first record came from."

That first Jape record was called 'Cosmosphere', and came out in 2003. Only 500 copies were pressed, so you'll do well to find one these days. Comprised of eight songs – "Like a Black Sabbath album!" – it's a charmingly lo-fi affair, split down the middle between skewed alt.folk songs and "really fucked up, weird Gameboy electronica." This was swiftly followed the next year by the quite awesomely titled (and nowadays similarly scarce) 'The Monkeys In The Zoo Have More Fun Than Me'. A less sketchy, much more focused long player, this is the album which contains 'Floating', and the record that typifies the Jape sound as you will soon know it.

Helios Jive

Helios Jive is an alluring cocktail of melodic sounds stirred with a jazzy electronic soundtrack emotionally tailored to the masses. Helios Jive was created by composers Rich Alick and Paul Newman and has risen up from the Los Angeles artist underground. The two are now joined by the sultry Latin vocal stylings of Fernanda Karolys. Their unique live performances boast a visual array of acoustic and electronic instruments and a hypnotizing beat that brings people to their feet. Among credits: their debut album "Heliocentric" was chosen "Best Independent Jazz Album " at the L.A. Music Awards '05. Their inspirational vision is currently capturing the attention of audiences at venues all around the United States including the Coachella festival and Burning Man festival. Their life experiences are fused by the invention of refreshing thematic music that supports a new generation of worldwide unity. -- Helios Jive myspace page

Television Room

"Their twisted genre of Indy pop could be described as what the love child of 'The White Stripes' and 'Oasis' would sound like."--muse.ie

Television Room are a band that for whatever reason came together in Dublin in 2007. We make music using Drums, Bass, Synthesisers, Melodicas, Glockenspeils, Guitars, Piano, Mandolins, Shakers, Singing, Shouting and whatever else we can think of. We hope you like it.

Our new single "Modern Boys & Girls" will be out on Feb 29th on download and CD single. Available from iTunes and similar digital media providers etc and in good record stores. --

The Walls

"The Walls have balls because no matter what life throws at them, they just keep on keeping on."-- Elaine Reilly

The Walls were formed from the ashes of 'The Stunning' by brothers Steve and Joe Wall in 1998. They started their own record label Dirtbird Records and released a string of singles as well as their first album 'Hi-Lo' in 2000. It went Gold in Ireland on the back of good airplay and constant touring. Their second album 'New Dawn Breaking' went Top 5 last year. "Their best work to date"-according to The Sunday Times. Some compared it to Wilco's 'A Ghost is Born'. It is amongst the top selling home releases of 2005. The Walls have supported the likes of U2, Bob Dylan and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers as well as touring regularly at home and abroad.

In March 2006 they went to the United States where they played to packed houses in New York, LA and Austin Texas as part of the SXSW Music festival. KCRW’s Nic Harcourt has been playing tracks from the album and invited the band to perform a live session on his show “Morning Becomes Eclectic”.

Since then they have gigged in the Czech Republic, Dubai and even the Bahamas. In Nov 2007 the band made their first trip to Australia where they supported Crowded House and promoted the release of New Dawn Breaking on MGM.

The band are currently writing and recording material for their third album. -- The Walls myspace page

Rula Bula Tent

Hosted by Rula Bula, this Circus Tent will have it’s own collection of ‘clowns, acrobats and wildlife’ all groovin’ to the sounds of national and international dj’s and dance acts.

DJ Richie Allen

I'm in the dark, where the real underground is. Dark room, smokey atmosphere, crowded dancefloor, pssh thats what we talkin about. Everybody's eyes are closed, you see the crowd hoopin to a fat jam, you just lose your mind.--Bebo

My love for house music started when I was seventeen. A buddy of mine gave me a mix tape and from the first listen I was addicted. I loved everything about it. The 4/4 beat, the funky basslines, the jazzy chords, the soulful vocals. On the tape were tunes like Sweet Love by Blue 6, Bring you up by Romananthony, Always by Miguel Migs feat Lisa Shaw, Shades of Jae by Moodymann. I had to get my hands on some more of this music so I started listening to Greg Dowling and Shane Johnsons Sweat mixes. Upon hearing these mixes I decided I had to have a go at mixing myself so I bought some turntables for my 18th birthday. Nearly six years on and my enthusiasm for house music is greater than ever. With the help of well known Dj Adam Dunbar I got to spin some tunes in Bar Bucha and Audio in Club Isobar and I've played gigs in The Tikki Lounge. This past January I won the UCC Battle of the Dj's which was a proud moment for me. It's great to be among such a great line up of Dj's at Cork X Southwest and I'm really looking forward to the gig. See ye there.

DJ Ollie Brooke

"Ollie is as happy playing a set of chilled downtemp soul on a Sunday afternoon as he is banging it out to a dancefloor of bass hungry nutters" --purehousemusic.net

Ollie has been DJing for over 10 years at this stage and has covered a lot of physical and musical territory in that time. With a wide appreciation for any music that he deems good, his sets vary wildly depending on where and when he's DJing.

Ollie is as happy playing a set of chilled down tempo soul on a Sunday afternoon as he is banging it out to a dance floor of bass hungry nutters. He currently holds residencies at Port Macquarie venues "The Beach House" and "The Pier" where he is more often than not to be heard playing his beloved House Music. -- www.purehousemusic.net

Fish Go Deep

" ... sumptuous ... "
--Blues & Soul and England's Inspirit Music

Greg Dowling and Shane Johnson have been playing records in public since the late 1980s. Their residency at Irelands longest running and best known house club, Sweat at Sir Henrys in Cork, spanned more than a decade and influenced a generation of Irish clubbers and DJs.

Over the 1990s Sweat built up a huge international reputation, being variously described as "a gorgeous blend of underground house" (i-D), a "deep house frenzy" (The Face) and "the best music on that side of the Irish Sea" (DJ Magazine). The night was one of Muzik magazine's ten best of 1998/99 and was named best regional club on three occasions at the Smirnoff Dance Club Awards.

Some of the many guest DJs Greg and Shane hosted at Sweat over the years include Joe Claussell, DJ Deep, Miquel Migs, Laurent Garnier, Herbert, Derrick Carter, Glenn Underground, Jovonn and Kerri Chandler.

Since finishing Sweat in November 2001, Fish Go Deeps travels have taken them to clubs across Ireland, the UK and Europe and throughout the US and Canada. Although in recent years Greg and Shane have settled back into a weekly Go Deep residency in their hometown, they still guest regularly overseas.

The duos CV also includes a six-year stint on Cork's Radio Friendly, where their Saturday night show was one of the most popular on the station. Since early 2004, they have hosted the Go Deep show on Red FM and have also contributed numerous mixes to Irelands national music station, 2fm, Dublins Spin FM, Nova (Paris), FMR (Toulouse) and Planet Soul (Toronto). -- Fish Go Deep myspace page

DJ Colm Kenefick

Colm Kenefick is one of Irelands hardest working dj's. He specialises in Hip-Hop, Soul & Funk, but has an extensive collection of music that includes Disco, Jazz, Latin, Reggae & House. A real lover of all things soulful, he's always been a fan of music for as long as he can remember and a positive step into DJ'ing came at the age of 15. He's been dj'ing in his hometown of Cork as well as around the country for well over 8 years now. Colm began his career at the legendary Sweat club night in Sir Henry's, playing in the Back Bar alongside Irish legend Mr Stevie G. From there his dj'ing career progressed to numerous residencies in reputable bars and clubs around the country including: the Savoy (Cork), Ri Ra (Dublin), Trinity Rooms (Limerick), GPO (Galway) as well as stints on pirate radio for over 2 years. Through the years Colm has played alongside Run Dmc, Jazzy Jeff, Afrika Bambatta, Kenny Dope, Nicolle Willis & The Soul Investigators, Mr Scruff, Aim and many more besides..

In 2004 he was accepted to go to the RBMA in Rome, this was both a memorable experience and a great achievement for him. Colm was one of the 60 people worldwide to get chosen to represent his country in Rome. He thoroughly enjoyed his time at the RBMA and would highly recommend the academy to anybody considering application. At present Colm is holding residencies at Bar 903 (Galway) the Wicked Chicken in Limerick, the Long Island, and the Bodega, as well as still playing on pirate radio! He works hard and is always on the cutting edge musically. He is concentrating as well a lot on his production at the moment and is really enjoying that aspect of things. Currently Colm's in the process of releasing solo material featuring collaborations with The Good People (Brooklyn NY), Tiffany Paige (LA), Kid Sublime (Amsterdam) & many others as well completing remixes of Lupe Fiasco, Nas and more... A busy one indeed… and one to check out!!!!!! -- www.myspace.com/colmkenefickmusic

DJ Kormac - Scribble/Bodytonic

"Very good, well produced and funny. Reminds me of a cross between Kid Koala and Fingathing"-- - DJ Food (Ninja Tunes/Solid Steel)

Kormac’s debut solo release (The Scratch Marchin’ EP) was released worldwide in 2007 and sold out 2 re-presses having received support from established DJs and stations including Bonobo (Ninja Tunes) DJ Craze, Joe Ransom (Kiss FM, London) DJ Food, Crazy P and a host of others. DJ Yoda is currently giving the track a lot of plays during his sets and included the title track from the EP on his BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix. Tracks from the record also featured on the highly respected Solid Steel Radio Show . The EP picked up plays in clubs and on the air the world over while the video for Rainstorm also picked up plays ..s of telly stations!

His next EP (The Good Lord EP) will be released March 08 and fuses much sampling of 20/30/40s gospel music with live trumpet, scratching, banjo and a barbershop quartet.

His music also takes the form of a live show featuring, alongside Kormac on turntables and keys, a double bass player, a barbershop quartet, a trumpet player and percussionist literally playing everything from drums to kitchen sinks. The show is constantly developing and the band have played alongside DJ Numark (Jurassic 5,) DJ Food (Ninja Tunes,) DJ Craze (USA,) DJ Premiere (Gangstar,) Nas, The Herbaliser Band and also performed to a packed tent at this years Electric Picnic Festival. -- Scribble DJ Kormac myspace page

Andrew Weatherall

"I'm what you might describe as the classic underachiever. I tread that fine line between boffin-dom and the grand amateur."--Two Lone Swordmen myspace page

Andrew Weatherall Intro: Andrew Weatherall has carved out a well-respected career in British techno. As a producer moving from the sounds of Madchester to downbeat to experimental techno through the '90s, Weatherall could've easily ridden the big beat (Chemical Brothers) or high-profile-DJ (Paul Oakenfold) waves at the end of the decade, choosing instead to pursue -- and in many ways define -- a more cutting-edge, IDM approach. He participated in two big-name collaborations which would appear on Warp Records, beginning early on in the label's now highly respected run and remains one of the world's most dedicated and top DJs.

Weatherall founded a fanzine called Boys Own in the late '80s and soon established himself as a leading DJ in London's acid house scene. That association led to Weatherall remixing New Order's "Worlds in Motion" and, along with Paul Oakenfold, the Happy Mondays' "Hallelujah." Primal Scream, which at the time was a middling band on Creation's roster, sought out Weatherall for what would become the Top 20 single "Loaded" and production on the groundbreaking Screamadelica. The overwhelming success of Screamadelica led to Weatherall's place as one of the U.K.'s top remixers and producers. After a stint DJing on London's influential KISS-FM, he ran two clubs in London, and in 1993 worked fairly extensively with techno-pop act One Dove. That same year, Weatherall formed the Sabres of Paradise with Jagz Koomer and Gary Burns, who released a series of pioneering, ambient experimental techno singles and EPs on Weatherall's Sabrettes label (also collected on two Warp Records compilations). He went on to produce and remix several tracks by Beth Orton and, in 1996, form the Two Lone Swordsmen with Keith Tenniswood and the Emissions Audio Output label.

After working again with Primal Scream to produce the track "Trainspotting" for the movie of the same name, in 1999 Weatherall mixed the third volume of the Heavenly Presents: Live at the Social series. The disc showcased, as had become the norm, his finger-on-the-pulse awareness of electronic music both old and new, proving that a decade of work in the semi-spotlight had in no ways dulled his senses. 2000-2001 saw two more mix records from Weatherall, as he and Tenniswood began the decade focused on DJing across the globe. Stating in a 2000 interview with NME that "dance culture now is the predominant pop culture, and sometimes pop culture annoys me," Weatherall -- as a DJ, producer, and collaborator -- continues to shape the more progressive landscape of British electronic music. -- outlar.com

De Barra's Sitting Room

We’re delighted to have the famous Clonakilty venue at the festival this year. Their Sitting Room is coming to Skibb for a day and will host an amazing programme of acoustic acts from New York to Cork

Armoured Bear

quote--source

Armoured Bear take their name from the fantastic 'His Dark Materials' trilogy. Based in West Cork, Ireland the band was formed by Anthony Noonan in 2006.

Anthony performed previously under the moniker Anto' but decided to change the line-up from solo artist to a full band. In 2003 after touring and recording, Anthony returned to West Cork to begin his own recording project and within six months released his debut album 'Faster'. Since its' release Anthony has toured Ireland extensively. Sharing the stage with acclaimed Roesy in 2003 and again in 2006, played at the return of Lisdoonvarna in the RDS, and Witness. He also toured in California in early 2006 and played a solo acoustic Armoured Bear set at 2007's Electric Picnic. Anthony also plays drums for Ian Whitty, Lerner, Chucklehead and will be playing with Interference for this years' filming of RTÉ's 'Other Voices'.

Armoured Bear will be releasing their debut album 'Honeycomb Moons' in April 2008. Anthony and Liam of the band will be touring their Night-Time Garden Gigs Acoustic Tour from Febuary, and m dates will be announced soon. -- Armoured Bear website

Ceili Allstars

"Don't mind the f**king chords, only DRIVE IT ON!" --The Ceili Allstars myspace page

The Ceili Allstars are a fresh and exciting five piece traditional Irish music band from Cork. They evolved from a group of friends playing on the session trail in Cork city in the late nineties. They all have similar tastes and styles and originally hail from the Sliabh Luachra area near the Cork-Kerry border. The line-up has changed quite a bit over the years, with past members including: Danny Murphy (fiddle), Brian Murphy (accordion), Mick Hayes (guitar), Aidan O'Halloran (vocals), Declan O'Mahony (uillean pipes) and Derek Mooney (accordion). The group have been gigging regularly for the past few years and have been causing quiet a stir on the local scene. As well as having several regular gigs in some of Corks top venues they are no strangers to the big stage.

Highlights for the group so far have been playing support to Mosaik (featuring members of Planxty) in the Cork Opera House and travelling to Sri Lanka as part of the 2004 St. Patricks Day celebrations in Colombo. For the past two years, they have also played in Amsterdam as part of the St. Patrick's day celebrations there. The band were the resident trad band every Sunday in The Lobby Bar, this was followed by a stint in the Far Side Bar, now closed. The group appeared on a documentary entitled Magic nights in The Lobby Bar which was hosted by John Spillane and broadcasted on RTE. The show featured top Irish acts who have cut their teeth in the legendary Cork venue. Also one of last shows in The Lobby was recorded for The Cork Live 2005 cd, currently available to buy. The Céilí Allstars also received a mention in the book "The Atlas of Cork City", produced to coincide with the European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2005." Ceili Allstars myspace page

Tadgh Cook

"eminently likeable, utterly enviable"-- The Irish Times

Hailing from Dunboyne, Cooke began his musical adventures at fourteen with the purchase of a guitar and a few lessons. He claims the tender age of sixteen as the year he wrote his first real song. Through the Junior and the Leaving, Cooke continued to write and play, form bands, suffer artistic differences and take the lonely solo route. He found himself a few performance slots in various songwriters’ havens and honed his musical skills to a mixed audience of peers and oul fellas at the bar. With the Leaving Cert out of the way, and a place in Dublin City University wrapped up, he headed to Germany for the summer with a few mates. It was here that he met with producer Shane Brady, an uncle of a friend. Shane had holidayed in Germany in the 70’s and never came home, working there as a musician and producer. Spurred on by his friends, Cooke asked Shane to listen to some of his bedroom recordings. Shortly after the gang had returned to Ireland, Shane was in receipt of two jammed pack ninety-minute Maxell tapes, nearly thirty songs in all, that Tadhg had written over the course of his teens. Shane immediately recognised the potential and invited him to come to Germany to record an album.

On the non-optional ‘advice’ of his parents, Tadhg deferred his trip to Germany and headed for DCU, where he managed to learn how to build a computer. Nine lonely months spent in Paris during his third college year provided him with much musical inspiration : he lived in a small flat in the Chinatown district of the city, and with only the movies to go by, Cooke was convinced the Triad were living next door. Summer breaks were spent in the bars and clubs of New York and Long Island, playing his way through the months, learning to sing over drunk punters and giant TV screens. After his second summer trip to the States, Cooke returned to Ireland determined that if he was willing to put the hard graft in, he might, just might get an album together. Heading into his final year exams, Tadhg did what every self -respecting computational linguist would do, and went and recorded his debut EP. With the help of BellX1’s Dave Geraghty, The Sparks EP was recorded in a flat in Dublin’s Docklands and immediately became an A-List hit on Dublin’s indie pirate, Phantom FM.

With college over, Cooke spent just over a year establishing himself on the Irish live scene. He is a seasoned performer, having shared the stage with the cream of the Irish crew : Damien Rice, Glen Hansard, Mundy, Ronan O’ Snodaigh, Damien Dempsey, Jerry Fish et al. He even managed to blag a number of supports in the UK with Jem Finer, ex-Pogues man and co-writer of Fairytale of New York and a nationwide support tour with BellX1.

Finally with a bit of cash together, Cooke headed for Freiburg, Germany, where he put a new band of red hot musicians together and recorded Wax & Seal, his accomplished debut release.

Since releasing the album, Cooke has appeared on two prime-time Irish television talk-shows (Saturday Night with Miriam and Ardan) and two other shows (Sattitude and POP4). His other television performances include BBC’s An Stuif Ceart (The Right Stuff) and Phil Coulter’s music show "Coulter & Company" with The Troggs, Paul Carrack (of Squeeze, Ace and Mike & The Mechanics) and Paul Jones (Manfred Mann). Prime slots at the Hard Working Class Heroes, Bud Rising, Tennents Intro and Birr Vintage festivals alongside many Irish legends only served to highlight Cooke’s rapid rise to the top in Ireland. Daily spins on Gerry Anderson’s morning radio show on BBC Ulster led to a huge upsurge of support in Northern Ireland and led to regular live slots on various BBC radio shows. In February 2006 he was the special guest performer at the 2FM Perri Song Contest at Dublin’s Vicar Street.

Tadhg recently lent his vocals to "Flame", the latest single from BellX1’s Irish #1 album "FLOCK".

Cooke's "confident impressive debut" (HotPress), Wax & Seal, was well received in Ireland and led to a host of TV appearances, national and local radio sessions and excellent press coverage throughout 2005. Cooke’s jazz-tinged acoustic pop has been described as "eminently likeable, utterly enviable" by The Irish Times. -- www.tadhgcooke.com

Juno Falls

"Juno Falls (aka Myles O'Reilly and sundry travelling compañeros) float free of the tethers that keep many of their contemporaries on terra firma"--Siobhan Long

So, what do you do when you sign your first big record deal ? Head for the bright lights of London, take the plaudits, and listen to everyone telling you how wonderful you are ?

Not for Juno Falls frontman and songwriter Myles O’Reilly.

Packing his bags, Myles left behind his native Dublin and headed for the tranquility of Dingle, on Ireland’s rugged west coast. “Don’t get me wrong”, says Myles, “I love Dublin. It has a great energy and the music scene is very healthy there, but for me the remoteness and honesty of somewhere like Dingle makes the creative process so much more natural”.

Living in Dingle while writing material for the new album brought it’s own perils. While returning to Dingle from Dublin in the early hours of a winterly morning, Myles knew that he was almost home. The grey silhouette of Mount Brandon loomed ahead, as the narrow country roads snaked onwards. Nearly there.

“Suddenly I’m fighting with the car, battling to keep it on the road. Failing!”.

Upside down and compressed into the only space left inside the car, Myles struggled to pull himself free. “I remember making my way back onto the road and looking back at what was left of the car”, he says. “It wasn’t until several days later that it dawned on me just how lucky I was to have walked away from it without a scratch”.

“Some of what I had been writing about prior to the crash now seemed trivial to me”, says Myles. "I had been given a second chance. After the accident I became more engaged with my art than ever before. It was imperative for me to immerse myself in music and lyrics and to draw from every inspiration. The floodgates were open".

Returning to Dublin several months later with a lap-top full of songs, Myles began the process of “putting meat on the bones of the songs” with the rest of the band

"They brought something really special to the songs," explains Myles."They made the songs sexy, adding a 'groove' and taking them out of the whole singer-songwriter genre“.

Recorded at various points over the course of the last year, including Wicklow, London, Dublin and Nashville, the result is a collection of beautifully crafted songs, sometimes intimate, sometimes fragile, always honest and unmistakably Juno Falls.

"I've always loved pop songs because they're braver than any other kind of music: you're trying to be universal and appeal to a whole lot of people. But there's a side of me that's always been attracted to the beauty and the sadness of artists like Elbow or Rufus Wainwright”.

Road-tested on a month-long tour of the UK and Ireland with Travis, the new songs have already found their live legs. "Fran [Healy, Travis singer] heard 'The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off' on my Myspace page and liked it so much, he asked us to come on tour with them," explains the frontman -- Juno Falls myspace page

Gavin Moore

"A nephew of the famous Moores and Blooms from Kildare, Gavin is admirably in thrall to neither, setting out his own stall with confidence and much vigour, purveying a bunch of ten tastily-crafted self-penned songs which blend elements of folk and soft rock."--Jackie Hayden review of Until Today

Born into what is arguably Ireland’s most famous music family, Gavin Moore respects the influences of his uncles Christy Moore and Luka Bloom, but musically, this singer songwriter is most definitely his own man.

Gavin grew up in Cork, his family having settled there in the late ‘80’s. His musical journey started when he learned to master the clarinet at a young age, while attending the Cork School of Music. At fifteen he switched to the guitar and started singing. When dream filled school days came to an end Gavin went to study his craft further in Colaiste Stiofan Naofa in Cork, where he got his foundation in song writing and performance.

Gavin’s distinctive, soulful voice, with its great range, sets him apart, not just from the sound synonymous with his family, but also from his peers. His collection of songs to date, reflect sensitive observations on life, about coming of age, self-discovery and awareness. “I don’t like to just churn out songs, or find two words that rhyme, I prefer to be patient, and take my time when crafting a song”, said Gavin. -- www.gavinmoore.com

Preston Reed

"The word virtuoso doesn't even come close."--Preston Reed myspace page

Auspicious genius Preston Reeds entrance onto the music scene, supporting beat legend Alan Ginsberg at the age of 17 goes a little way to explain his significance in the annals of pop-culture.

A better explanation is that Preston Reed has single handedly reinvented acoustic guitar playing. Fact. Listening to his records it's impossible to imagine such a symphonic sound coming from just one man and one instrument. Seeing him live, however, he attacks the guitar with such fervour, such spooky synergy, that all the bodyslaps, polyrhythms, harmonic tickles and his two handed percussive fretboard maul, astonishingly haul out an orchestra you never knew was hidden inside. The word virtuoso doesn't even come close. -- Preston Reed myspace page

Roesy

“It’s got an edge that will lodge him comfortably apart from the mainstream"--The Irish Times

At 17 he left school and studied Fine Art and Design in Galway but after 4 months packed it in as writing music was taking up all of his time. Two years later he signed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell and was introduced to Bernard Butler and they began recording in Edwin Collins London studio with Bernard producing. ‘Sketch the day, paint the night’ was his first album made up of the Bernard Butler recordings and recordings co-produced with Conor Brady in Dublin. Over the next few years he would travel for a few months at a time through Europe, Asia, USA and South America and return home in between to record the new material which became the self produced, The Spirit Store and Only Love is Real.

He was nominated for Best New Irish Act in the 2004 Meteor Music Awards and voted No.8 in the Trad/Folk section of the Annual Hot Press Awards 2005.

Now based back in his native home of Birr, Co.Offaly and quietly tucked away in the countryside he began to write his 4th album. He then signed with N4 Records and moved to Dublin to work with producer Ken McHugh (Autamata). After some months in the studio ‘Colour Me Colourful’ was released in March 2006 and the live shows by now were demanding bigger rooms with more national radio and tv appearances. He later signed a new publishing deal with Wardlaw Banks in London (The Pogues, Declan O Rourke). By June 2007, hungry for new inspiration he moved to Amsterdam where he has been performing and writing for his next album ever since.

Through his career he has shared the stage with Bert Jansch, Joan Armatrading, The Waterboys, Badly Drawn Boy, Billy Bragg, John Martyn, Donovan, Shane MacGowan, plus celebrated Irish author Paul Durcan. -- Rosey myspace page

Saint Bourbon

quote--source

SAINT BOURBON are a crossbred country/folk/rock band creating music in the heart of West Cork.

Formed in Septemeber 2007, after Tobs returned from his adventures in Australia with a pocketful of songs.He gathered together a collective of friends. Tobs and Fear Beag had previously been in bands together. While recruiting Sam and Sonny came with time.

Sam has spent his entire existence sharing memories with some of music’s greats. His Dad runs the musical opus of Connolly’s of Leap. Here the four musicians planted the seeds which eventually provided the malt for ‘SAINT BOURBON’.

Similarly, Sonny’s musical interest come from his Dad, who drummed with Noel Redding (ex-Jimi Hendrix) for many years.

Tobs have spent many of his years walking on a solo path which has taken him on a journey of awards and TV appearances.

Fear Beag is the creative soul in the audio and visual elements of SB -- www.alantobin.com

John Spillane

"[His compositions are] highly original in concept, full of imagery and wonder"--Oliver Sweeney

John is a native of Cork, the county he lovingly describes as 'the centre of the universe' and it has been a huge influence on this singer / songwriter. Vocally, Spillane is quite unique with an almost sean nos like element and has been described as having a voice 'full of honesty, commitment and sensitivity'.

His debut solo album The Wells of The World (1997) was described by Hot Press's Oliver Sweeney as, "not only a striking and individual musical statement, but one of the albums of this or any other year." His compositions have been described as, "highly original in concept, full of imagery and wonder". -- source

Thomas Truax

"Thomas Truax is that rare beast - a total one-off" --Martin Lilleker, Sheffield Telegraph

"There's a fine line between the unique and the insane, and it's a line which New Yorker Thomas Truax (pronounced troo-aks) straddles with his chin held high and The Hornicator firmly glued to his left ear. His collection of home made instruments look as though plucked straight from the mind of Tim Burton and are combined with loop pedals, guitars and lashings of imagination to create one of the most unusual and entertaining live shows you will ever see. Splendid magazine calls him "one of the five or ten best singer/songwriters in the world that you've never heard of...an exceptional talent, unique and resistant to comparison, yet fairly accessible even to casual listeners." His Wowtown News radio show airs on Resonance FM in London. -- www.thomastruax.com

Festival Fringe

On Friday 25th some of Skibbereen’s finest bars will host live performances from the cream of up and coming Irish bands to kick start the weekend

The Civilians

We're cool.That's all you need to know!! Listen to the tunes!

www.myspace.com/lescivilians

Moebius

"A twist in the fabric of space where time becomes a loop"--Moebius web page

Based in Dublin, Moebius, have evolved into a quintet over a two year time span. In that time they have built themselves their own recording studio, independently released 3 ep's, 1 IRMA charted single, produced a video, received nationwide and international airplay and plunged themselves onto the live circuit.

In April 2007 Moebius released their official debut ep, Under Wraps, independently on their own label Laptar Music. The ep was selected as CD of the fortnight by Jackie Hayden in his First Cuts column in Hotpress. The band have played in various venues across Dublin and Ireland, most notably they have played in the excellent Castle Palooza festival in Charleville Castle in Tullamore, the Cork X Southwest Festival in Skibbereen, Crawdaddy in the Pod complex and The Village.

August 2007 saw Moebius release their debut single Bring It On , again independently, which charted at no. 38 and rose to no. 34 the following week, without any backing or marketing! It has received lots of radio airplay, tv coverage and positive press reviews, and claiming CD of the fortnight for the second time in Jackie Hayden’s HotPress column and The Evening Herald‘s Eamon Carr giving it a very favorable review.. To take the band on the next step, Moebius recruited a drummer and bass guitarist. Now armed with the necessary rhythm section plans were made for the band to record their debut album.

In October 2007, the band fervently began laying down new tracks, which resulted in over 40 demos being recorded. In January 2008, Moebius decamped to Poland to work with two of Poland’s top producers, Marcin Limek and Poitr Matysiak in the Ninetysixproject Studio in Radom, south of Warsaw. The new, as yet untitled, album has been recorded and will be unleashed very soon to an unsuspecting public. This album will see Moebius rise above the parapet and will make them one of the most talked about bands to emerge from Ireland in the last few years and propel them to even greater things with their international sound. Believe me, I’ve heard the album and it truly is special. Watch this space!!!!! Moebius are coming. -- Moebiua web page

Setmaker

" ... Setmaker flirt between subtle Bell X1-style tunesmithery and the sort of big music that The Waterboys made in their commercial heyday ... "--Hot Press

Proudly hailing from Clonakilty in West Cork. 2007 saw Setmaker reach the final of the Coca-Cola Blast: Beat Battle of the Bands. Finishing in the top three after a storming set in Dublin’s Vicar St. venue, the competition was the highlight of a year that saw them play live on stage with Mundy in De Barra’s of Clonakilty and support bands such as The Walls, David Kitt, BellX1 and The Frank and Walters. Having met in the local community college Music Society in Clonakilty, Setmaker formed in 2004 and began gigging in the their local well-known live music venue, De Barra’s in Clonakilty. They have played the Clonakilty International Guitar Festival’s for the last three years and cite The Frames, Bell X1, The Walls and Jeff Buckley as influences. In the past year Setmaker reached the final sixteen of the prestigious Murphy's Live 2008 competition, along with establishing a steady following in Cork city and indeed further afield. -- Setmaker myspace page

Stanley Super 800 Country Set

"Sterling pop chops.......where demented low fi, rag time weirdness and experimentalism flourish. Stanley Super 800 channel the universal underdog."--Hot Press

copy -- source

Ian Whitty and The Exchange

"A set of such sterling quality you’d be forgiven for thinking he has a huge back catelogue of classics to call upon. It bodes well for his forthcoming album" --Don O Mahony, The Evening Echo

Houndstooth Shirt is the first single to be taken from the Ian Whitty and The Exchange full length debut album. The song was written about a shirt that Ian bought in a thrift store in New York whilst doing some gigs there a couple of years ago. “I guess the song itself is about the feeling of promise and release that comes with a Friday after you have been dragged by the eye balls across your working week,” is what Ian himself says about the song.

The single features vibrant string and brass arrangements, and was recorded by Ian Whitty and his band ‘The Exchange’ with top Irish producer Ken Mc Hugh last year. ‘Houndstooth shirt’ has been playlisted on stations nationwide and has spent the last month on the RTE radio one playlist.

Since Ian’s emergence, he has been a highly active figure in the thriving Cork scene as well as being invited to perform with many of the luminaries of the Irish scene including Declan O’Rourke, Bell X1, Josh Ritter, Damien Rice, The Frames and Roderigo y Gabriella, to name but a few. Most recently Ian has been incuded as part of the IMRO tour and compilation 2008 and Ian Whitty and The Exchange were amongst the winners in the Spring Hot Press/Tisch video competition.

Ian is a songwriter who firmly believes in craft and in always placing substance over style. He is most often praised for his distinctive vocal delivery and lyricism that manages to be urgent, humorous and razor sharp without ever sacrificing the storytelling that underpins his songs.

Some of the new Ian Whitty recordings have already been selected for use in multiple documenataries, compilations and short films. -- www.myspace.com/ianwhitty

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Cork X Southwest Festival Goers urged to consult drinkaware.ie 2008 Festival Survival Guide