Carlow Arts Festival Announce Music Events Ahead of Full Festival Launch this April
Rusangano Family, The Strypes, Stomptown Brass, Emmet Kirwan, Sarah Kolefo, Crash Ensemble, all set to perform plus Philip Glass’s epic opera 'Einstein on the Beach' On The Big Screen Carlow Arts Festival from 7 -13 June 2017 Carlow Arts Festival, the first big cultural event of the summer, is excited to announce details of their music events for this year’s festival which takes place from 7 - 13 June 2017. Now in its 38th year, Carlow Arts Festival will launch their full programme of events in April. O'Hara’s Pavilion, sponsored by O’Hara’s Irish Craft Beer, St Patrick's Carlow College will come alive this summer with performances from RTE Choice Music Prize winners Rusangano Family on 9 June, live favourites The Strypes on 10 June and 10-piece urban-street funk band Stomptown Brass on 11 June. Writer & performer Emmet Kirwan, of internet film sensation Heartbreak will kick off proceedings at O'Hara's Pavilion on Friday night. Newcomer Sarah Kolefo - a talented Irish-Nigerian songstress from Carlow, currently based in Berlin – whose music encompasses neo-soul and neo-folk, will launch her debut EP at O'Hara's Pavilion on Sunday 11th June. A limited number of early bird tickets for all shows will go on sale this Thursday 30 March at 9am from www.CarlowArtsFestival.com. Full price tickets will go on sale in April. Other music highlights this year include a very special treat for opera fans as well as the ‘opera curious’, as Philip Glass's epic opera Einstein on The Beach will be brought to the big screen at the G.B. Shaw Theatre for a world festival first. Crash Ensemble, Ireland’s première contemporary music group, will provide a beautiful end to the festival with a unique performance at the ruins of the gothic revivalist Duckett's Grove at dusk on Tuesday 13 June. Both are free events however tickets must be booked in advance for entry via www.carlowartsfestival.com. Rusangano Family was awarded the RTE Choice Irish Music Prize for their debut album ‘Let The Dead Bury The Dead’ last month. The award-winning album, released last year, drew high praise in the music world and followed on from their riotous appearances at SXSW and Eurosonic 2016. A sold out Irish tour in support of the album followed along with European and Irish festival slots notably, Electric Picnic (IRL), Winterthur Musikfestwochen (Switzerland), The Great Escape (UK), Shambala (UK), Festival de la Cité (Switzerland). Formed by four friends in Cavan inspired by artists such as Dr. Feelgood, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and the early Rolling Stones, The Strypes have performed at many of the major clubs and festivals of Ireland, England and Europe since 2011 playing a no nonsense set of "speed blues", mixing reworkings of rhythm and blues classics with their originals. In April 2012 they released the EP, "Young, Gifted & Blue" and hit no. 1 on the iTunes Blues Chart. They signed a record deal in December 2012 with Mercury Records (now known as Virgin EMI) and released their debut album, “Little Victories”. Since then they’ve toured the world, including South America and Japan, sold out Dublin’s Olympia Theatre two times over, and written their follow up to “Little Victories” to be released summer of 2017. Elton John, Jeff Beck, Paul Weller and Dave Grohl are all known fans of the band. Stomptown Brass is an urban street-funk brass outfit from Dublin. With musical roots in the New Orleans tradition of street-stomping horn players, they have spent the last number of months bringing Dublin pedestrians to a standstill around the city. The band focuses on original material composed by trombonist James O’Leary. Add to this original takes on artists as diverse as Outkast and Brendan Behan and you get a band determined to give listeners something they haven’t heard before. If early performances are anything to go by, their infectious grooves are here to stay and the coming year promises to be a stomper! Announcing details of Carlow Arts Festival music events, the Festival Director Jo Mangan said: “We are thrilled to be able to bring such high quality musical acts to Carlow Arts Festival this year with the crucial support of O'Hara's Craft Beer. The Strypes, Rusangano Family, Stopmtown Brass, Emmet Kirwan and Sarah Kofelo are among some of the most exciting live acts we’ve seen in Ireland over the last year. Our free musical programme will see audiences immerse themselves in a rare cinematic/operatic experience, with the world festival première of the screening of the 4.5 hour long Philip Glass Opera – Einstein on the Beach. They can also witness Ireland’s foremost contemporary music ensemble Crash Ensmble, close out the festival as the sun sets behind the gothic ruins of Duckett’s Grove. This announcement is just the tip of the iceberg for us this year as the broader programme focuses on international work from France, Switxerland and Italy as well as the visual art programme,
spectacle, outdoor cinema, theatre, dance and family friendly programming. Prepare for a beautiful immersion for all ages in our 2017 festival” Carlow Arts Festival, the first big cultural event of Summer 2017, runs from 7 June to 13 June 2017 and is filled with cultural treats for everyone, including live music, theatre, art, outdoor big-screen movies, dance, comedy, circus, spectacle, surprises and lots of family fun! Full programme to be announced in April. Visit www.carlowartsfestival.com for the full programme and ticket details. facebook.com/CarlowArtsFestival / twitter.com/CarlowArts #CarlowArts LIVE MUSIC LISTINGS & TICKET INFO Rusangano Family & Emmet Kirwan Date: Friday 9 June Venue: O'Hara's Pavilion, St. Patrick’s Carlow College Tickets: €18 / early bird €15 Book Tickets from: www.carlowartsfestival.com The Strypes Date: Saturday 10 June Venue: O'Hara's Pavilion, St. Patrick’s Carlow College Tickets: €25 / Early bird tickets €20 Book tickets from: www.carlowartsfestival.com Stomptown Brass & Sarah Kofelo Date: Sunday 11 June Venue: O'Hara's Pavilion, St. Patrick’s Carlow College Tickets: €18 / Early bird tickets priced €15 Book tickets from www.carlowartsfestival.com Crash Ensemble Date: Tuesday 13 June Venue: Duckett’s Grove Tickets: Free but must be booked in advance Book tickets from www.carlowartsfestival.com Einstein on the Beach Date: Saturday/Sunday/Monday 1pm - 5.30pm Venue: GB Shaw Theatre Tickets: Free but must be booked in advance Book tickets from www.carlowartsfestival.com Carlow Arts Festival is funded by the Arts Council.