The last time over 20,000 people flocked to Waterford for the All Together Now festival, the experience was marred by traffic jams, heavy rain, sound issues and wasps. But after three years away, and with a pandemic that pushed the live gig industry to its knees, those were distant memories.
Having set up the tent in that just-right, not-too-far but definitely not-too-close-to the portaloos spot, it was time to explore the beautiful grounds of Curraghmore House.
Trinity Orchestra got the crowds dancing for a perfectly chilled start to the festival weekend that was finished off with a crowd-pleasing cover of A-ha's Take On Me. I wandered on to see West Kerry concertina player Cormac Begley somehow keep a small but dedicated crowd hooked while the bass threatened to overpower him from the stages nearby.
Sheriff Street’s Gemma Dunleavy then brought 90s vibes and a huge crowd to the lawn. The Dublin R&B singer proved she’s already more than worthy of the main stage after her breakthrough Up De Flats, which she finished the set with having dedicated Stop The Lights to Terence Wheelock, who died in 2005.
After grabbing a quick bite to eat it was time for a set I was particularly excited for. Self Esteem (Rebecca Lucy Taylor) blew the roof off the Something Kind of Wonderful tent with a powerful show that belongs on an even bigger stage. The next time she headlines in Ireland will be at the Olympia, Dublin in 2023. But after that, who knows?
The surprise performance of the day was an acoustic set from Mercury Prize-nominated duo Jessie Buckley and Bernard Butler in a packed Live on the Lawns (Here) tent. Buckley’s delight at playing a gig in Ireland was clear ("It’s so good to be home, up the Kingdom!") and her raucous laugh punctuated each track, performed effortlessly with her hands in her pockets.
Buckley and Butler closed out the set with a powerful rendition of Bob Dylan's Just Like a Woman followed by the closing track on their album, Catch the Dust, which they performed sitting on the ground in front of the stage, unwilling to say goodbye. A standout moment from this year’s festival, up there with Patti Smith’s intimate gig in 2019.
Friday gigs I wish I hadn’t missed: Gilla Band and House Plants
Saturday had a heavy schedule that made me feel I was chasing my tail all day. It started with coffee and a crepe while David O’Doherty entertained from the Belonging Bandstand, followed by a look in at Martha Skye Murphy (who counts Nick Cave as a mentor) and her haunting performance.
In a total gear-change, music ensemble Glasshouse had thousands singing along to covers of Prince and Kate Bush, with Raspberry Beret and Wuthering Heights the stand-outs for me. Halfway through the set the rain started coming down for the first time that weekend, but it dampened nothing.
I took in a couple of songs from Iarla Ó Lionáird before joining hundreds of dedicated fans in the Road to Nowhere tent for Sorcha Richardson’s gorgeous pop tunes. I then headed to the bandstand to sing my heart out with the Sing Along Social craic mechanics, who never fail to make people smile and dance. Leader Aoife McElwain crowd-surfed to Yellow by Coldplay and then again to Running Up That Hill.
For Pillow Queens’ second appearance at ATN since the festival’s inception, the band took to the main stage in a prime-time spot on Saturday evening, drawing a huge crowd. After their performance of Hearts And Minds, co-lead singer Sarah Corcoran, took a moment to speak about the importance of trans rights. On Saturday, the festival apologised for two of their programmed speakers and issued a statement confirming their support for trans rights.
Jaysus that was some weekend. Cheers @ATNfestival. You were an incredible crowd. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/wvzo1J5Vqr
— Pillow Queens (@PillowQueens) August 2, 2022
In a decision I may never live down, I was one of the very few who didn’t witness Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ two-hour-long sensation. But I did witness something very special with a small crowd eager to see Limerick’s Emma Langford. Birdsong and The Winding Way Down to Kells Bay were standouts from the folk singer-songwriter who got a standing ovation at the end of her performance.
I caught the end of an energetic set from Mango X Mathman at the bandstand followed by Saturday’s surprise intimate performance from Saint Sister in a jammed tent where you could hear a pin drop. I finished off the night with Groove Armada and a dance to a thumping DJ set from Romy (one half of The xx), a set that was seamlessly handed over to world-class DJ Honey Dijon who played well into the night.
Hot off her recent collaboration with Beyonce, @HONEYDIJON is an inspiration for female/gender non-conforming artists and DJs. Check her out rocking the @ATNfestival. #misshoney #alltogethernow #femaledj #trans #nonbinary #womeninmusic #femaleproducer #weekendvibes #festivaldj pic.twitter.com/RYLn3Iqv1b
— 23by23 (@23by23official) August 8, 2022
Saturday gigs I wish I hadn’t missed: Soda Blonde, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Flight Facilities, The Mary Wallopers and PowPig
On Sunday, the sun finally arrived at Curraghmore. While waiting for coffee, I listened in on Brunch with Blindboy at the Belonging Bandstand, who invited singer Jess Kav onto stage for a chat. The growing attendance at the festival really showed that morning, with long queues unavoidable at every vendor.
First up I headed for Ezra Williams in the Road to Nowhere tent. Ezra is on RTÉ 2FM’s Rising list for 2022 and was announced as an emerging talent finalist in the Glastonbury 2022 competition. Their set was the perfect start to the day, full of introspective and honest lyrics.
Hearing Rufus Wainright’s unmistakable voice was another highlight of the weekend. Going To A Town was a particularly poignant moment and his closing performance of Hallelujah brought goosebumps even in 21-degree heat, reminding everyone why the Leonard Cohen song has endured even after The X Factor tried to ruin it.
Cover band The Classic Beatles provided a bit of a dance and a singalong with voices that sounded remarkably like the real deal... and after that, it was time for CMAT.
By now, Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson is well on the way to living up to her self-styled title as a Global Celebrity Teen Pop Sensation. CMAT arrived to thunderous applause on the main stage with the sun beaming down. She played her set against the backdrop of a trans flag on the big screen and to a crowd that knew the words to every song. Before ending the show with I Wanna Be A Cowboy, Baby! the singer addressed the crowd to share the importance of the trans community to her, saying "the trans community have given me my career".
thank you all so much for coming to see me at All Together Now. I love you all very much 🏳️⚧️ pic.twitter.com/5Gi5t7NUg7
— cmat (@cmatbaby) July 31, 2022
Limerick rapper, singer and poet Denise Chaila took over the main stage as the sun set on another year in Waterford for All Together Now. Giving the crowd a lesson in Jazz history and talking about the importance of staying true to yourself, Chaila had everyone shouting 'Anseo’ for her final number of the night.
I didn’t have them on my list, but Australian rockers King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard proved they were as mad as their name suggests, with a mix of intense metal and some more accessible rock tunes for the newcomers like me.
Wrapping up my night — but not everyone else’s — sixth-generation fiddler and singer Clare Sands led a tightly-packed group of revellers in what can only be described as a trad rave.
Sunday gigs I wish I hadn’t missed: Dónal Dineen in conversation with Brian Cross
Monday morning it was time to pack up and begin the long trek back to the car for the journey back to Dublin... The countdown to next year has already begun.
