The country’s most essential radio station, Dublin Digital Radio, have announced details of a new city festival.
Originally planned for March 2020, but delayed for obvious reasons, Alternating Current will finally take place via radio broadcasts and in-person events from October 26 to October 31.
Marking five years on the air, the festival’s schedule wonderfully mirrors the commitment of ddr. to representing the country’s more peripheral and experimental musical traditions. In their words: “This is the alternating current, the one that seeks to give voice to the other island, the sounds less heard, the other traditions. The sounds of the hinterlands and its fringes coalescing.”
On October 27, Alternating Current launches with specially commissioned radio works and audiovisuals by Jennifer Walshe & Wobbly, Rachel Ni Chuin, Renee Helena Browne, The Digital Druids and Last Eden.
Then, over the Hallowe’en weekend (October 30 and 31), a series of 3-hour, in-person concerts will take at The Complex’s Gallery Space, followed by “late-night dancing at a venue close to the city centre). See below for more info.
“Alternating Current is a celebration of all the weird and wonderful music we encounter daily on Dublin Digital Radio,” said ddr.’s Seán Finnan. “We’re delighted to showcase some new music made by artists we love in a new hybrid festival for Dublin, presenting novel audiovisual work on Dublin Digital Radio and new live music from 14 artists in the beautiful surroundings of our new home at The Complex, as well as some late-night shenanigans in a yet to be revealed location.”
“Alternating Current highlights the focus of Dublin Digital Radio; to amplify the wide many music scenes in Ireland,” added Declan Synott. “We are in the privileged position of being an intersecting point of so many different musical styles, forms of experimentation, creation and exploration, and with Alternating Current we get to celebrate that, bring together artists from many different stylistic backgrounds and see our underground culture thrive before our eyes through new radio pieces, live performance, and a much-anticipated return to a space we can all dance in.”
Jane Deasy said, “I just can’t wait to hear all the new works that the artists have been making and are so eager to share again with an audience. We are working with Guerilla to make it an immersive and staged experience, no matter where you watch from. And then of course we have commissioned 4 new radio compositions, which I think really solidifies the festival for all of the artists, audience and curators involved.”
“There are so many musicians on the line up I haven’t seen perform live – I’ve heard their work online or have their records and tapes, but I have been dreaming for a long time about hearing them perform live – artists like Bootang, Sharon Phelan, Jenn Kirby, Ailbhe Nic Oireachtaigh, Last Eden. It’s great to have them all on the one bill. Our approach in putting this together, was for us to respond to the artists around us, rather than asking artists to respond to a theme or concept presented by us, or something. Seems we’ll be able to have good bop too, if that’s what you’re into!”
Saturday, October 30
RESTART – Aonghus McEvoy / Sharon Phelan / Jane Deasy
Ctrl Alt Delete – Dreamcycles / Natalia Beylis / Bootang / Celaviedemai
Night Time (Secret Location)
Belacqua (pictured above) + More TBC
Sunday, October 31
UNDERTOW – Jenn Kirby / Ailbhe Nic Oireachtaigh / Fixity
SAMHAIN – Fulacht Fia / Lighght / Dreamgirls
Tickets will be sold individually per concert and will be on sale first to Dublin Digital Radio Patrons. You can sign up to Dublin Digital Radio’s Patreon
Tickets are extremely limited and are limited to 2 per person. Tickets for concerts are priced at €12 for Patrons, €15 for non-Patrons. As capacity for concerts are limited, people are encouraged to book only one gig so others can experience the shows. Tickets for the nighttime event are €8 for Patrons, €12 for non-Patrons. All events are to be livestreamed on listen.dublindigitalradio.com.
