There are three major music festivals on this Bank Holiday Weekend and we'll be choosing our top acts from The Beatyard, Indiependence and Castlepalooza in the lead-up to three days of great sounds and hopefully great weather.
It never rains but it pours. Well, hopefully not this Bank Holiday weekend but there are no less than three major music festivals taking place in Ireland in the coming days and let’s face it, many people out there will have the dreaded festival FOMO.
But whether you’re taking it handy down by the pier and harbour in Dun Laoghaire for Beatyard (boat rides, the DART home), heading down to Mitchelstown for Independience or scaling the rock 'n' roll ramparts at Castlepalooza we’ve pulled together our top acts not to miss in what is going to be one very busy weekend.
Check out our picks for Castlepalooza here and The Beatyard here.
Today we look at Indiependence, which runs from Friday to Sunday at Deer Farm in Mitchelstown.
Manic Street Preachers, Main Stage, Sunday, 10.45pm
Welsh rock trio The Manic Street Preachers will be closing the main stage at Indiependence Festival on the Sunday evening, and we think it will be unmissable. Having headlined the likes of Glastonbury, T in the Park and V Festival, they know a thing or two about getting the crowd going. Expect a mix of old and new tunes from the indie rockers. Here's one of our favourites from the band. Sarah McIntyre
We Cut Corners, Main Stage, Sunday 8.50pm
The name says it all with Dublin-based duo We Cut Corners. They are teachers by day and crack commandos of kinetic guitar rock by night and a short, sharp set from John Duignan and Conall Ó Breacháin may be just what you need as the festival winds down on Sunday night. We Cut Corners' two-pronged attack of slicing chords and powerhouse drums has dynamics, speed but also oodles of subtlety. They arrived with their much-acclaimed debut Today I Realised I Could Go Home Backwards in 2011. followed it with Think Nothing in 2014, and last year served up the terrific, Choice Prize nominated The Cadences of Others. If you're a fan of whip smart guitar music and passionate vocal delivery, these two belong on your Indiependence list. Alan Corr
All Tvvins, IMRO Big Top, Saturday, 11.35pm
Another Dublin-based duo you need to see this weekend comes in the form of Conor Adams and Lar Kaye's All Tvvins. Already festival staples, they are going from strength to strength and their sound is growing bigger and more energetic. You'll be singing along to hits like Darkest Ocean, These Four Words and Resurrect Me and while they sound just as good as they do on their album when they play live, it's all turned up to eleven at their shows. You are guaranteed a good time. Sinead Brennan
Fangclub, IMRO Big Top, Saturday, 7.45pm
Fangclub release their debut album this weekend so they'll be in the mood to celebrate when they hit the Big Top stage on Saturday night. Like The Strypes, they wear their influences proudly on their sleeves and their quiet/loud, stop/start dynamics can be traced back to the Nirvana and Pixies mother lode of the late eighties and early nineties. A ferocious live act, don't be surprised if the Galtee Mountains tremble behind Fangclub as they unleash their molten grunge pop. AC
Frank Turner, IMRO Big Top, Friday, 10.00pm
An expert at working the room, tent, arena and field, road warrior (and Celebrity Mastermind winner - specialised chosen topic - Iron Maiden) Frank Tuner could well end up stealing the weekend at Deer Farm, even though he's on Friday night. With 2,077 solo gigs in the rear view mirror, Turner doesn't do off days or nights and is evangelical about leaving a crowd in better form than he found them - arm-folders may well meet their match here. Mixing we're-in-this-together balladry and bonhomie with between song humour, the punk troubadour is big on audience participation, so expect wind-ups and walkabouts as part of the set. Don't be surprised if he's headlining the Main Stage next year. Harry Guerin
The Coronas, Main Stage, Saturday, 22.45
After being let down by their label in the UK, the Coronas are back making music on their terms and are ready to delight their huge Irish fan base once again. It's been three years since Danny and co packed their cases and headed across the Irish Sea with a promise of international stardom, but when their single Closer to You failed to make the BBC Radio 1 playlist, their UK management dropped them, despite promises otherwise. Fast forward to this summer and the Irish love for The Coronas is still as strong as ever. Their new album Trust The Wire hit the top of the Irish charts and they quickly sold-out The Marquee in Cork earlier this year. The lads are back with a determined sound and now is the time to see them live before they depart these shores once again - surely the big time has to happen for them the next time round. Suzanne Keane
