Driving into Dingle on Friday afternoon, the excitement of a musical weekend descended like the mist over the Conor Pass. The first day was the quietest, as a flutter of festival-goers wandered the streets, drifting from pub to pub in search of some late-afternoon musical respite.
Fast-rising Fermanagh artist RÓIS (below)opened the Music Trail at An Díseart – a church turned temporary musical haven tucked away off the central road in Dingle – setting the tone for the trail with haunting dance fusion tunes that greeted early attendees.
While acts like DUG, Oisín Leech and Khakikid christened Friday night’s Music Trail, saxophonist and jazz fusion creator Nubya Garcia opened the reverent St James’ Church with the ethereal sound of ‘Odessey’. With a capacity of just 60, securing a spot in the former Protestant church felt like a game of chance. The connecting power of music was evident, as Garcia’s band, absorbed in their craft, seemed to transcend the physical venue and exist in a self-created plane of sound, harking to funky tracks like ‘Clarity,’ ‘Solstice,’ and closing with the aptly named ‘Triumphance.’
Wall-to-wall attendees crowded the glorified hallway of the intimate John Benny’s Pub, which sits on the Dingle marina, for DUG’s second performance of the day. Comprised of Jonny Pickett and Lorkin O’Reilly, the duo formed just over a year ago and have already embarked on a US tour, with an upcoming support slot for The Scratch to close their year. With just two releases to date, ‘Jubilee’ and ‘Big Sundown,’ they garnered an enthusiastic response, but ‘I’m the Promoter Man’ stole the spotlight. The crowd echoed the chorus back to the band, with the opening line: “Whatcha gonna do about it, go tell your mom?” engulfing the pub.
St James’ Church hosted an eclectic mix of performers on its opening night, with Saint Sister’s Morgana (above) Maverick Sabre and New York’s Been Stellar impressing in equal measure.
As the evening unfolded, the seaside town was endowed with performances from Derry producer Or:la, 2FM Rising Stars Big Sleep, Tallaght rapper Curtisy, and Galway’s NewDad (below) who drew a crowd far beyond the capacity of the new Dingle Bridge House venue.
On Saturday afternoon, Cork’s up-and-coming indie-rock outfit Cliffords (below) took to the makeshift marquee of Geaney’s Yard, drawing in a sizable crowd. Frontwoman Iona’s powerful vocals rang throughout the venue, while tracks like ‘Feels Like a Man’ and ‘Sleeping With Ghosts’ from their recent Strawberry Scented EP imbued catharsis. Elsewhere, the haunting ‘Shattered Glass’ explored heartbreak: “You’d rather lie about me / Then not make your mother proud,” sings the chorus.
Indie-pop four-piece Still Blue took to the unassumingly spacious back room of Adam’s Bar – a new addition to this year’s Music Trail, which hosted 2FM Rising Stars of the Year – and filled the room with infectious, dance-provoking dream pop hooks from ‘Maybe Baby,’ and ‘Honeysuckle Daydream’.
Every year, Other Voices Dingle brings together musicians and music fans alike but doesn’t limit itself to music alone. Running simultaneously with the Music Trail, the seminal festival also hosts Irish language talks for Cogar, connects creativity through Banter, and platforms discussions of political, environmental and cultural issues via Ireland’s Edge.
Saturday night saw a female-dominated church lineup. The otherworldly Laura Marling performed an immersive set including ‘Song For Our Daughter,’ ‘Child of Mine,’ closing on ‘Daisy.’ One of our finest folk artists, Lisa O’Neill conjured a unique enchanting atmosphere, closing with ‘Goodnight World,’ while rapper Bashy and acapella trad vocalists Landless – who weave modern and ancient motifs – came into their own.
Dublin’s 70s-inspired analogue rockers Fizzy Orange brought the low-ceilinged Dingle Pub to life. The six-piece play a variety of instruments, from guitar and bass to trumpet and keys. Inspired by the music of generations past, their tracks ‘By The Bay’ and ‘Wonder’ had people standing on couches and dancing their hearts out.
In other parts of town, Nyahh Records’ Mohammad Syfkhan (above) brought his bouzouki and Kurdish tunes to the intimate setting of John Benny’s, while Kean Kavanagh’s melodic tones filled Geaney’s Yard with words of reflection. His rendition of Christy Conroy’s ‘The Portlaoise Queen’ begged silent reverence from the crowd. Released on November 8th, with proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders, the performance struck a big chord.
The atmosphere was elevated by a secret set from fellow Soft Boy Records rapper Kojaque, who captivated the crowd with his spoken word piece ‘White Noise,’ exploring loss and calling for a free Palestine.
In a sudden downpour, the crowd at Dingle Marina braved the weather to catch Dublin hardcore no-wave rockers Skinner (below). Tracks like ‘Geek Love’ and ‘Calling in Sick’ shook off the cobwebs with elevated energy, despite the undesirable conditions – cowbells and bongos in tow.
As the final day of the festival approached, the backdrop of Dingle seemed more fitting than ever for Other Voices. Founder Philip King shared his story of moving to the town over two decades ago and seeking a way to capture the location while platforming creativity. The result is a long-running festival that has branched out across the country and established a name that draws more interest year after year. Dingle embodies a spiritual energy as one of the most westerly points in Europe. Its role as the backdrop for Other Voices only adds to the singular magic that the weekend encapsulates.
On the final day of the festival, Philip Christie’s improv masters The Bonk (above) took to the intimate back room of McCarthy’s Bar, encouraging raucousness as the standard experience of their performances. Cork outfit I Dreamed I Dream blends genres with influences ranging from dream-pop and post-punk to 60s girl groups and traditional Sean Nós. Lyrically poetic, their track ‘Apparition’ opens with “The roads are melting in Belfast / Cows eat at each other’s ears / I break all the doors in my house / And line them up like soldiers”.
An outright highlight of the weekend, Balbriggan-based outfit and TTA favourites girlfriend. (below) returned from a three-year hiatus in 2023, underscoring their status at the newly established Dingle Bridge House, which also hosted Maverick Sabre and Houseplants across the weekend.
Sunday’s church proceedings at St James’ featured Scottish newcomer Jacob Alon. Having released only two songs to date, Alon sings of the queer experience, drawing inspiration from Nick Drake and Adrienne Lenker. Rachael Lavelle, Wunderhorse, and Fionn Regan also graced the hallowed grounds, each lending the space their own unique energy. A fitting close, dance music took centre stage on Sunday, with DJ sets from Caolan Ryan, Jack Sheehy, Sloucho, and Daithí to close out the night and the festival.
In its twenty-third year, Other Voices has only grown in terms of respect and attendance. Locals recall the early days when it was a challenge to get anyone to show up for performances in the church. These days, tickets are as rare and valuable as gold dust. The kind nature of the local people, the breathtaking backdrop of Dingle, and the celebration of music make Other Voices a pilgrimage worth making – year after year after year. Ciara Byrne
Photos by Erin Plaice
