There are approximately 200 acts playing at this year’s Electric Picnic. You know the headliners, hot tips and must-see new acts, and you know who are the jokers in the pack (hello Mark McCabe and The Vengaboys). Here, then, are 10 Irish acts playing this weekend that you should make it your business to see.
Girl Band
Prediction: Girl Band's forthcoming debut album Holding Hands with Jamie will knock your head off – and win next year's Choice Music Prize. The Dublin band are getting better and bolder with every passing show so don't miss out on what should be one of the experiences of the weekend.
Roísín Murphy
The first lady of Irish pop, Murphy goes deep on her latest album, Hairless Toys, with a stylish rendering of electro, melancholic disco and subtle pop hooks.
Wyvern Lingo
We expect great things to come from Bray trio Karen Cowley, Saoirse Duane and Caoimhe Barry with their knockout, soulful harmonies and infectious, folky pop.
Bleeding Hearts Pigeons
The future sound of Limerick. A trio of talented young bucks creating music which soars with jazz-like intensity and zings with strong, wonky, melodic thrills.
Young Wonder
Producer Ian Ring and vocalist Rachel Koeman's debut album, Birth, is one of the stronger homegrown releases of the year, a smartly crafted wash of electronic pop with range galore from the Cork duo.
Hare Squead
Punchy, zesty tracks with oodles of infectious hooks and pop kicks from the Dublin kids who have been grandstanding with glorious intent over the last 18 months and are now ready for takeoff.
HamsandwicH
First act of the weekend on the main stage, expect the Kells band to give songs from current album Stories from the Surface a good shake. Take note especially of tracks like To Replicate and All Worthwhile, with their bittersweet, graceful drama and radio-friendly hues.
The Redneck Manifesto
In a perfect world, The Redneck Manifesto would be showboating on the main stage. Instead, it’s the Salty Dog stage which will host one of the country’s most vital live musical forces. Heavyweight rock instrumentals with a giddy, gleeful, powerful heart of gold.
Fierce Mild
One of the most promising new acts in the capital. An unmissable occasion for those who dig post-punk shenanigans, art-funk grooving, rebel yells about feminism and other isms and big, smiley riot grrrl pop.
Everything Shook
Dublin group featuring Jessica Kennedy and Áine Stapleton from You Can Call Me Frances and Robyn Bromfield (Catscars), their Argento Nights EP is a good introduction to their broody, punkish, rough-around-the-edges noir-pop. The only band playing the festival who will be using a food blender onstage.
YOU’VE GOT TO HEAR THIS
Terence Blanchard - A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina)
A decade on and the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina still hurts and haunts New Orleans. From 2007, here's NOLA son and jazz don Terence Blanchard casting a majestic spell with heartfelt music of raw power and emotional, nuanced a
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ETC
Two events from the Young Hearts Run Free team as part of Dublin Fringe. Life Has Surface Noise (Sep 14, Peacock) sees writer Karl Whitney, designer Annie Atkins, blogger Nialler9 and DJs Stevie Grainger and Peter Toomey talk about the soundtracks to their lives. The Nineteenth Autumn (Sep 19, Freemason's Hall) has performances from Alasdair Roberts, Mafama, Sunken Foal, Jet Setter and others. As always since YHRF started in 2008, all proceeds go to the Simon Community. youngheartsrunfree.ie
