Stevie G: 'This whole festival game isn’t for the faint-hearted'

Beyond the Pale took place last week in Glendalough Estate, County Wicklow, and for the second weekend in a row I travelled to see one of my favourite acts. This time it was Ezra Collective rather than Beyoncé, and for my first festival of the year I was ready for rain, mud and all of the other elements which typically make up an Irish festival! It was just a passing visit though, and I was up and down on the one night, with Ezra being my main priority.

This whole festival game isn’t for the faint-hearted and it’s not for everyone. Not camping certainly makes things easier, and despite the bad forecast, I arrived to a pleasant summer’s evening just as the Ezra Collective were taking to the stage. The Mercury Prize winners delivered the goods on the main stage in a set that lasted well over an hour. In a music game populated by artists who just phone it in, this was impressive. But with EZ, it’s quality even more than quantity. Ezra Collective has built a reputation for being one of the most exciting young groups in music today, and having previously seen them at All Together Now, I was buzzing for the show, which was worth the long journey.

They played a vibrant and energetic set that managed to keep the audience engaged, which is no mean feat for a largely instrumental group. Afrobeats, jazz, soul, house, and many more styles blended effortlessly, and the musicianship was top class, while the words coming from band leader Femi Koleoso resonated wonderfully with the crowd, and won the group many new fans. Femi spoke with a sincerity that simply can’t be faked, and by midway through the group’s set, the bond between crowd and band was undeniable. Everyone left the show smiling; I caught up with the lads for a couple of hours later and, again, you could not meet a more genuine group of people. Their rise has been amazing, let’s hope we can get them over to Cork some time soon!

Beyond the Pale is one of many smaller festivals that has emerged in the last few years. It’s much smaller than an ATN, Electric Picnic, or Longitude, but bigger than something like an Open Ear or Another Love Story.

The festival circuit is undergoing what seems to be an almost permanent period of transition at the moment and it’s been more uncertain than ever in the years following covid. There was a time about seven or eight years ago when there were new festivals springing up every year, but at the moment it feels like some are barely hanging on.

There was a scare just a few days before Beyond the Pale when it was widely reported that the festival had been cancelled, but after a period of uncertainty and confusion, the organisers made a statement confirming that funding had been achieved that secured its future for not only the 2025 edition but for others too.

It’s a tough climate out there at the moment, so we can only hope that more of our festivals can navigate the challenges that present themselves.

We have lost not only the Sea Sessions, Indiependence and Body and Soul for the time being, but other festivals such as Knockanstockan have also been and gone, and the outlook is probably not good going forward.

Electric Picnic, All Together Now, Forbidden Fruit, and Longitude are big-hitting festivals which should at least survive, while there are numerous smaller more intimate festivals emerging too. The music scene is very strong from a grassroots perspective, so maybe the move toward some of the smaller festivals is logical. One thing is for sure, financing a big festival in 2025 is a big challenge, so the next few years should be interesting.

At the moment, the summer festival season continues, and in Cork much of the attention turns to Virgin Media Park (Musgrave Park) and Live at the Marquee. June also sees the Cork Midsummer Festival in Cork, while last weekend the Summer Show was also in Cork. 

It all certainly adds to the buzz around the place and crucially, the larger activity usually benefits the smaller gigs and events that happen here all year round too. Cork is a great city and county for visitors and people love coming here, so let’s hope our music scene continues to grow this summer and throughout the year. 

On that note, best of luck to Swarmest in the Kino on June 27, which “aims to give young (local) artists a place to show off their talent and express themselves through music.”