Glounthaune’s annual festival is a rock 'n' roll Upstart  

Three years in, and Upstart Festival has easily transcended its covid-era novelty. An initiative of the village’s community association, the outdoor all-dayer takes place this Saturday in Glounthaune, along the city’s harbour, and provides gig-goers with the best of both worlds — a well-curated event with a big-day-out feel, that kicks off early, and wraps up in good time to either be home in your own bed, or head to town and see what else the evening brings. 

“The response has been great,” says committee member Jesper Pedersen. “The village is doing its own summer party to coincide with it, so they can sit and have the music in the background, which is really nice. It just tells us they’re enjoying it, they’re on our side. Word of mouth has gone around locally, and in the city. There’s a lot more people aware of it, when we’re talking to people.”

On the lineup this year are Belfast indie/post-punk outfit Junk Drawer, whose momentum has built this year with a trip to SXSW festival in America; Leeside “sad dancey metallers” God Alone, who have been a rare sight in Cork in recent times while they test the gigging waters elsewhere; DIY four-piece Any Joy; folk/pop folks Pinhole, and in the now-traditional UCC Battle of the Bands winner’s slot, Kane’s Basement.

“This’ll be our first time playing it,” says God Alone bassist Cian Mullane. “They’ve been really, really sound to us, and the lineup is cool. I haven’t seen Junk Drawer before. The only other band I’ve seen on the lineup is Any Joy, and they’re class, so it’ll be nice to see them again. Fitzpatrick’s, the shop out there, do an unreal chicken roll, probably the best in Cork, which is nice.”

“We’re playing two new songs at Upstart,” chimes guitarist Jake O’Driscoll, “and there’s loads of songs we’ve made for this next album. They were all made during covid, between myself and Cian as Ableton projects, which was the first time we’ve written something in that way.

“But now we’re just taking the ideas we made in Ableton and actualising them in a band capacity, make them our own. It’s still very dancey, but it’s a lot faster, ‘faster’ is the concept we’re going for, and this one sounds more like [Wexford math-rockers] Adebisi Shank mixed with the Prodigy.”

Kane’s Basement’s victory at this year’s UCC Battle of the Bands sees the Leeside indie-funkers join the lineup, a milestone for a band that’s very much a product of the post-covid circumstances in the city.

“We only played our first gig last November, so we didn’t have, as far as being a four-piece, any real experience performing,” says singer Cormac.

“As we were venturing out there was a little apprehension, a little bit of nervousness, but I think it’s just down to tunes, performance, being up to scratch. [Along the Battle of the Bands process] we managed to get crowds going, Cyprus Avenue was full, and we actively encouraged people to dance. I think that’s what we bring with our music.”

It’s a distinct addition to the city’s cultural calendar, albeit one that reaches across from your average gig-goer and into sharing a space with a community for whom a big-gig atmosphere might either be entirely new, or a fond reminder of a previous life.

Either way, the event is a good way for those who may not be acquainted with the current state of Irish independent music to find their new favourite band.

“You’re going to be surprised by some of the bands,” says Pedersen, “that are often not names that you would know, and people leave loving a couple of them, and that’s what we’re after, that we can expose an audience to bands they didn’t even realise are almost on your doorstep.

“We’ve got things like Sounds from a Safe Harbour, Uncorked, fantastic community events supporting our local bands. Cork is bursting with music and events at the moment. I would just say to people, get out there, and enjoy it.”

Upstart Festival happens on Saturday, September 16, in Glounthaune village. Gates open at 3.45pm, tickets €30 from upstartfestival.ie. Supported by the Creative Ireland Programme and Cork County Council.

Organisers ask gig-goers to remember this is a ‘no-car’ event, with no parking supplied; patrons are asked to cycle or take the train out, with the event finishing in time for late trains.

Any endorsements of chicken rolls, or any other foodstuff, are those of this article’s interviewees!