The 25 festivals and music events of the summer

Between now and September, a weekend will not pass without a festival or big music show of some stripe or other to tempt you with its wares. The big ones, the small ones, the artsy ones, the hipster ones, the community ones and the ones with the cowboys: the choice is yours. Here are the 25 events and festivals we're giving the thumbs-up to this summer. (Click here to read Jim carroll's intro to the summer)

FORBIDDEN FRUIT

Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin, May 31st-June 1st

[ forbiddenfruit.ie ]

A city festival that combines longstanding acts (Flaming Lips, Public Enemy (above), 2 Many DJs), evergreen Irish favourites (Bell X1), indie scene stars (Warpaint) and the interesting names of the moment (Little Dragon, Thundercat, Klangkarussell). “Comedy, fine food and festival fun” are the advertised extras.

DOWN WITH JAZZ

Meeting House Square, Dublin, May 31st-June 1st

[ downwithjazz.ie ]

Now in its third year, it takes its title from the colourful anti-jazz movement of the 1930s, which held sway in certain parts of rural Ireland, and has a bit of crack with it. A fine gathering of Irish jazz and blues performers, acts not to miss this year include DFF (composer Dave Flynn’s anything-goes collective) and the outrageously talented Ensemble Ériu (above).

LIVE AT THE MARQUEE

Cork, June 29th-July 15th

[ aikenpromotions.com ]

Cork’s long-running pop-up summer venue returns with another run of acts capable of enticing a crowd to the 5,000-capacity big top, including Pixies (June 30th), The Prodigy (July 2nd),

Brian Wilson

(July 4th) and Lana Del Rey, above (July 15th).

[ ]

BODY & SOUL

Ballinlough Castle, Co Westmeath, June 20th-22nd.

[ bodyandsoul.ie ]

One of the real stars of the Irish festival scene in recent times, Body & Soul has got things right, with both acts and ambience. Performers to pull the cognoscenti to the midlands next month include

John Grant

(above), Caribou,

Jon Hopkins

, Of Montreal, Mount Kimbie and Jessy Lanza.

ELBOW

Live at the Marquee, Cork (June 24th); Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin (June 25th)

[ elbow.co.uk ]

You know that after these shows

YouTube

will be cluttered with shaky videos of the band doing

A Day Like This

. Aside from the classics, you can expect

Guy Garvey

and his seasoned mob to feature tunes from current album,

The Take Off and Landing Of Everything

SEA SESSIONS

Bundoran, Co Donegal, June 27th-29th

[ seasessions.com ]

Sea, surf and sounds are the Donegal festival’s big calling-cards, and they’ve gained the trust of a sizeable community of music fans over the past few years. We’d happily surf to the northwest to see Kelis (above), Lonnie Liston Smith, Ella Eyre, Flight Facilities, Drenge and

Erol Alkan

. You can also check out what The Strypes are like two years after their breakthrough.

WESTPORT FESTIVAL OF MUSIC AND FOOD

Westport House, Co Mayo, June 28th & 29th

[ westportfestival.com ]

As you’d expect from a festival with both music and food in the title, as many chefs as drummers feature on the line-up. On the music side:

David Gray

, Kool & The Gang,

Bryan Adams

, Little Green Cars, Tinariwen, Bell X1, Daithi, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and the Kilfenora Céilí Band. And in food:

Darina Allen

Ross Lewis

, Neven Maguire,

Rachel Allen

and Clodagh McKenna.

ARCADE FIRE

Marlay Park, Dublin, June 29th

[ arcadefire.com ]

They’ll be plugging last year’s ambitious

Reflektor

album, but those still going on about seeing them at

Electric Picnic

in 2005 can relax, as the more seasoned classics should also surely feature.

THE NATIONAL

Live at the Marquee, Cork (July 14th); Big Top, Galway (15th); Iveagh Gardens, Dublin (18th & 19th)

[ americanmary.com ]

Another band who enjoy a strong affinity with Irish audiences, The National’s four Irish summer shows are proof that the long game works. It might have taken them five albums to become overnight sensations, but they’ve resolutely stuck to their guns rather than going for the quick fix.

[ ]

GROOVE FESTIVAL

Kilruddery, Co Wicklow, July 5th & 6th

[ groovefestival.ie ]

Having arrived on the scene last year, Groove showed that there’s always room for another event, especially one just on the outskirts of the capital. Acts this time around include David Gray,

Paloma Faith

(above), James,

Cathy Davey

, Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott and Big September.

ARCTIC MONKEYS

Marlay Park, Dublin, July 12th

[ arcticmonkeys.com ]

Last year’s

album showed that no one comes close to the Arctic Monkeys in delivering sleek, tough, audience-friendly arena rock. It helps, too, that

Alex Turner

appears to have borrowed a lot of his onstage tics and mannerisms from fellow Sheffield man

Richard Hawley

. The only rock band you need to see this summer.

[ ]

KANYE WEST

Marlay Park, Dublin, July 2nd

[ kanyewest.com ]

You probably didn’t get an invite to the wedding either but you are invited to (buy a ticket for) Marlay Park. It’s Ye’s biggest show to date in Ireland, but he has stellar company in Pharrell “Happy” Williams to help shift tickets. Support from ORB.

[ ]

LCS

Paulstown, Co Kilkenny, July 4th & 5th

[ lightcoloursoundfestival.com ]

It’s always good to see some new arrivals on the scene so hello Light Colour Sound. A huge line-up of acts are set to play, including Cathy Davey (above), Scroobius Pip vs Dan Le Sac, Wallis Bird, Jape, Clive Barnes,

Jerry Fish

, Come On Live Long, O Emperor, The Raglans and more. Bonus feature: a full-on funfair.

[ ]

LONGITUDE

Marlay Park, Dublin, July 18th-20

[ longitude.ie ]

Last year, the sun shone for Longitude’s debut and all raved about what was the line-up of the summer. Things are a little more muted this time around, although we’re looking forward to Massive Attack, Disclosure, Haim (above), Rudimental and James Vincent McMorrow.

GARTH BROOKS

Croke Park, Dublin, July 25-29

[ garthbrooks.com ]

As we’ll see with today’s election results, 400,000 people can be wrong, but rather you than me when it comes to arguing with these country music fans. It’s a mind-boggling piece of business and, yes, we’re concentrating on the business so we don’t have to write about the music. Or the hats.

[ knockanstockan.ie ]

[ facebook.com/mountaindew.com ]

[ castlepalooza.com ]

[ indiependencefestival.com ]

FLEADH CHEOIL SLIGO