Festival: Sounds From A Safe Harbour

The official scoop on Cork’s latest festival…

Unofficially announced last week, Sounds From A Safe Harbour is a Cork Opera House-led festival created “to celebrate the port city’s place on the world’s stage in a unique setting”, with artists, bands and singers handpicked by none other than The National’s Bryce Dessner (who has a lot of experience at this following the founding of MusicNOW and connections to several other festivals and one-off events.

Now that the official news is out, here is a selection of what’s on offer across various Cork locations from 17th-20th September:

• Wave Movements – a collaboration between Bryce Dessner himself and Arcade Fire and Belle Orchestre‘s Richard Reed Parry will be unveiled and performed at Cork Opera House by the RTE National Symphony Orchestra.

• Cork Opera House will also host the astounding The Gloaming and a second collaboration, this time featuring a team-up between Lisa Hannigan and Bryce’s brother and fellow National member Aaron Dessner.

• Also confirmed is Shara Worden’s My Brightest Diamond; James McVinnie; New York So Percussion and Nadia Sirota; a whole bunch of Icelandic talents including Valgeir Sigurðsson, Amiina, Ragnar Kjartansson, Kjartan Sveinsson and Skúli Sverrisson; the wonderful This Is How We Fly; Parisian new-wave multi-instrumentalist Mina Tindle; Julianna Barwick; an appearance in some shape or form by record label Bedroom Community; Jessica Dessner; Donal Dineen; Crash Ensemble, new work from Ailbhe ni Bhriain with Linda and Irene Buckley, and Eat my Noise.

• The four days will also feature a Cork Film Festival co-ordinated film programme co-ordinated that will feature music-related films such as Sigur Ros’ Heima and The National’s Mistaken for Strangers with all sorts of “pop-up conversation pieces, excursions and water-borne expeditions” promised.

Locations and venues involved include Cork Opera House, The Everyman Palace Theatre, UCC, Port of Cork, Triskel Christchurch, Firkin Crane, Crawford Art Gallery, Wandesford Quay Gallery and Sternview Gallery with a music trail set to wind its way through the rest of the city.

“There is some really beautiful music out there that celebrates and connects us to water. Through Sounds from a Safe Harbour, we hope to share this with a city that has provided a safe harbour for musicians and artists alike across time.”
Bryce Dessner

For more on Sounds From a Safe Harbour visit:

– Sounds From a Safe Harbour takes place in Cork Opera House from 17th-20th September
– Tickets on sale 21st May 2015