For an indian Summer at least. Douglas Street musical stronghold Coughlan’s celebrated a full year of doors proudly open with their second annual music festival an unequivocal success. Intimate performances from O Emperor, Fred, Lisa Hannigan, Mick Flannery and more consummated a successful maiden year in business not to mention the fact that all ticketed shows were a complete sell-out. With the metaphorical ribbon smoothly scythed open by Cork folk-pop troupe The Hard Ground on Thursday evening (including an unexpected but very much welcome cover of Anais Mitchell‘s‘Hadestown’), the four nights – which would become five for the heavyweights – celebrated homegrown talents, the virtues of seriously hard work and a cosy little bar that is without an equal in days of soulless modern superclubs and tapas bars.
Iarla Ó’Lionáird
Lisa Hannigan
Seats and space being of such limited availability, tickets were almost impossible to come by but I did manage to devour a dustbowl-via-Cork set from John Blek & The Rats, an elegant performance from Anna Mitchell and a delicately delivered (apparently thanks to the peerless hospitality provided by the hosts) Lisa Hannigan show featuring a red-cheeked, syrupy-voiced John Smith.
Anna Mitchell
O Emperor
The Hard Ground
With all ears treated to similar geniality and the Murphy’s flowing a little too freely, the vibe of the weekend was one of relaxed enthusiasm, a folk-lovers paradise perpetuated all year-round by the venue and lovely folks who run the place day-to-day, typified by the sight of a cheeky-grinned Cathy Davey pulling herself a pint of the black stuff. If there was one regret all weekend it was the fact I didn’t attend more shows. Judging by 2013, I’ll have a chance to right that wrong at Coughlan’s Music Festival mark III next September.
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