Roundup from Belfast/Nashville Festival
ÌýATL sent our roving reporter Scott Edgar toÌýgalivant around the festival and report back to us with his findings. Here is how he got on.
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With so much to see, ATL’s festival kicks off with a fairly ramshackle show in Madison’s basement, lacking a crowd, a soundman, and a PA, but the Belfast never-say-never attitude kicks in and before too long, bands are on stage and we’re underway. Master and Dog seem to be going through the motions, maybe a little thrown off their game by the preceding disarray, but by the time Louisiana Joyride take the stage, the crowd has built up nicely and it’s time for a Wednesday night hoedown. The highlight of the night is a delightful acoustic set from Seven Summits, a stripped down set really highlighting the songwriting talent behind the band.
Night two is an evening of local songwriters at differing stages in their respective careers. The Crescent Arts Centre plays host to John D’Arcy and Silhouette’s Shauna Tohill. These two emphasise the brave new hope of Northern Irish writing and approach it from vastly different angles. D’Arcy flirts with punk pop rockabilly and has no fear of a cheesy lyric or crass rhyme. Tohill conjures up darker images and talks of running off to the woods with the foxes as she pounds her piano like a woman possessed. Both acts are given a run for their money by their ‘in the round’ partner Billy Bragg, whose social commentary, razor sharp wit, and cutting lyrics are as relevant today as they were twenty five years ago.
A quick run up to The Empire Music Hall sees Foy Vance already on stage and on form. He’s got that Van the Man balladry down to a fine art, and he’s revelling in the hometown atmosphere, cracking jokes about writing songs about sausages and stunning the crowd to virtual silence with a brand new track we’re simply calling ‘Belfast is Born Again’.
While the bigger artists are enjoying the grandeur of packed venues and massive shows, there’s a wealth of up-and-coming local talent who are wowing industry folk and festival hangers on down at the PRS parties in Madison’s. Over the course of three nights there are sets by Aaron Shanley, Allie Bradley, Ricky Warwick, Gareth Dunlop, Foy Vance and Joe Echo who’s giving everyone a sneak preview of some tracks from the soundtrack of ‘Killing Bono’.
Cerys Matthews has quite a way since the demise of Britpop favourites Catatonia. She’s totally at ease with the crowd in May Street Church chatting about her long term love affair with folk music before taking us on a journey of Welsh language folk, Irish traditionals, and country standards she’s picked up during her ten year stay in Tennessee. It’s mature, entertaining, and engaging, and then just to keep us on our toes she calls up Elvis impersonator Jim Brown to duet on a rather lovely version of ‘Love Me Tender’.
As the final strains of The King drift away into the chilly Belfast air we’re reminded that there are dozens more artists to see in venues all across the city, and hopefully the chance to do it all over again next year.
Scott Edgar
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If you want to hear more ofÌýScott's thought's on the Belfast/Nashville festival then listen again to the live ATL showÌýlast Monday - /iplayer/episode/b00xyym5/Across_the_Line_28_02_2011/
Comment number 1.
At 10th Jun 2011, Ben Fisher wrote:All this user's posts have been removed.Why?
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At 4th Jul 2011, Meral Qaiser wrote:I Just listen to the show on my that you recommended, and honestly really liked it.
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At 10th Jul 2011, U14903616 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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