Author: Press Officer

Has it really been 17 years since Other Voices first started its mission to take a stance on giving those on the periphery a piece of the action? Indeed, it is, and that provides (we’re shrewdly guessing) a number of the younger acts performing in Dingle across the weekend no small amount of serious thought. Some of them (and yes, we’re looking at you, PowPig) were barely out of Pampers when Other Voices first pitched its tent in the centre of Dingle. Many other acts and musicians were probably still in primary or secondary school. The former, it is fair to say, knew little of the transformative power of music. The latter crowd quite likely had some idea of what music could do – how it could change you as a person, how it could shape your thoughts about certain things, how it could make you feel.

It isn’t too much of a stretch of the imagination that to say that these musicians grew up with Other Voices; it was part of their cultural landscape in the same way that the Internet has been part of their lives since they were born or from a very young age. For them, there was no ‘before’ Other Voices – it has always been there. This was referenced in a recent article in the Irish Times’ Ticket magazine, when Other Voices Music Producer, Aoife Woodlock, told Una Mullally that young musicians are “citing Other Voices as an influence on them when they’re 13, 14, and they’re on the show in their 20s. It’s a nice nod, that you’re doing something right.”

Things change as years pass, however, and Other Voices is no different to the many other events that have gone through transformations of varying kinds. And yet, despite (or because of) such alterations, Other Voices has kept itself on its toes. Only the die-hards remember its early years, when it was virtually a secret, known only to those working in the media and the music industry. It had, as Una Mullally pointed out in her Irish Times article, “the curious intimacy of a festival that wasn’t a festival.”

Over the past five years, however, the notion that Other Voices is a secret shared only amongst clued-in media and music industry people is now nonsense. The extension of music acts performing only in the calm surroundings of St. James Church proved to be the first game-changer. For starters, the arrival of the IMRO Other Room provided a crucial impetus for more bands and musicians to head down to Dingle to tender their wares. After this, the gates were opened a bit more with the emergence of the Music Trail, the first year of which had just over a couple of handfuls of emerging music acts playing across the weekend. Now, the Music Trail is (controversial view alert) arguably more of a music fan magnet than the gigs in St James Church. If it isn’t (controversial view balanced with measured comment), then it is certainly a considerable contributing factor to the reason why more and more people have been travelling to Dingle each year.

But sure, lookit – here we are! Another year, another reason to have a blast of a weekend, catch up with your mates, have a meander around the town’s pubs and bump into people you haven’t seen in ages.

Today (Saturday) is when IMRO plays its part, of course. As you know by now, IMRO has been a supporter of Other Voices for many years, with IMRO’s Other Room an integral part of Other Voices that recognizes the talents of emerging Irish musicians and songwriters. In a second blog post, which will be online via the IMRO website from tomorrow, I’ll be reviewing all of the IMRO Other Room acts that are performing at An Chonair Bar from 1pm: I Have A Tribe, Mango & Mathman, Kitt Phillippa, Columbia Mills, and PowPig (who were definitely in playschool when Other Voices started!)

Tony Clayton-Lea

This year five music acts performed at An Chonair Bar, as part of the IMRO Other Room at Other Voices. Tony Clayton-Lea was there to review all of them.

I HAVE A TRIBE

Patrick O’Laoghaire has a knack – a very quiet knack, it must be said, but a knack nonetheless – to mine emotions from the most basic of instruments, notably his tranquil voice and minimalist keyboards. Under the umbrella title of I Have A Tribe he released his debut album, Beneath A Yellow Moon, two years ago, and has since aimed to maintain awareness in his music without any serious level of radio play. As any musician knows, life isn’t a bowl of cherries, but people like O’Laoghaire soldier on because he knows full well that what he does has worth. This is proven song after song during his set  – there is a gentleness to his music that belies its strengths. Even a fragile version of Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black manages to pinpoint what is really special about this guy: his vulnerability is his armour, and it fits him, protects him, like a glove.

POWPIG

The winners of the 2FM Listeners Choice for the IMRO Other Room may have yet to master the art of working a room as they stand around after a soundcheck, waiting for certain things to happen, but that Oscar Wilde maxim of youth being wasted on the young is nonsense when it comes to PowPig. The Limerick group (whose Twitter bio amusingly states that they are ‘a 14-piece boy band from Sligo’) haven’t been around too long either in years (they heard the news of their slot on the Other Room line-up when they were at school) or as a music unit. Not to worry – as is the case these days with pesky kids they display a maturity and skill set far beyond their age. You could argue that for a group of their experience they are still a work in progress (aren’t we all?), but what seems indisputable here is the potential.

KITT PHILIPPA

Recent winner of the NI Music Prize for Best Single (for Human), Belfast’s Kitt Philippa is the kind of singer-songwriter that casts an observational eye over all she sees. Over the past few years, she has developed in such a way that she has deservedly taken those several important steps up the ladder. Judging by her elegant performance in the IMRO Room it seems obvious that the way forward is just to keep on doing what she has done for the past while. Performing with just drums and piano – the latter played with virtuosic levels of skill, which is not surprising as she is classically trained, the former astutely understated – Philippa delivers a sequence of softly-softly tunes that perfectly complement the mid-afternoon vibe. She also looks the part, dressed down in black and white, and with her hair slicked back. It is an overall smart and sharp demeanour that is as compelling as the music is complete and calming.

COLUMBIA MILLS

Sometimes all your simple needs are taken care of by a band that knows how to solve complex problems. Columbia Mills are one such. They released their debut album, A Safe Distance To Watch, last year (“layered tunes that leave an indelible imprint”, noted the Irish Times review), and it hit the spots that so many other album didn’t by virtue of music that was influenced by classic post-punk greats as well as more contemporary acts. Influence, of course, is one thing, but they’re not worth a damn if you don’t know how to make something different out of them. This is where Columbia Mills come up with the goods. Despite a sound problem that is more apparent onstage than for those in the audience, the music sounds just fine. It is urgent, it is forceful, it is often eyes-closed beautiful.

MANGO & MATHMAN

‘Eyes-closed beautiful’ might not be the right way to describe Dublin hip hop duo Mango & Mathman, but if you’re looking for the kind of rhythms that shake the bones from tip to toe and back again, then you won’t go wrong with Karl Mangan and Adam Fogarty. The previous night in the same venue, the pair almost blew the roof off with a frantic performance that perfectly caught the mood of Dingle’s merry midnight ramblers. A Mango & Mathman late afternoon performance the next day may not have had the same effect, but there was still enough bouncy energy on display to make people forget the time and vibe them up for the evening ahead.

And then it was over. Another year of the IMRO Room at Other Voices comes to an end. It was exciting, original, emotional, heart warming, and enlightening. Next stop? 2019…