We’ve Only Just Begun is a tonic in music festival form, created to celebrate the wealth of musical talent possessed by women and non-binary artists of Ireland. Taking place in Whelan’s over a balmy mid-August weekend, showcased a mere fraction of feminine musical power on the island. Comprising both Whelan’s upstairs and main stages, the festival boasts alumni ranging from Soda Blonde and Sorcha Richardson to SPRINTS and Cathy Davey.
This year’s line-up included Choice Music Prize nominee Ezra Williams, 2FM Rising Star Qbanna and radio presenter and musician Rachel Mae Hannon. A report published by research activist group Why Not Her revealed that only 3% of the top 100 songs on Irish radio from June 1st, 2023, to June 1st, 2024 were performed by Irish women artists. This trend of neglect from national play has long existed, excluding an immense cohort of talent from the airwaves.
Opening the doors to the festival was Clare-based DeCarteret, who brought her sensual, mellow tones to the Whelan’s main stage. Performing songs from her upcoming album (“Don’t talk to me about a release date, just know that it’s coming,” she says) ‘Lies Heavy’ and ‘Anam Cara’ stand out as crowd favourites. Maria Kelly, off the back of a recent support slot for Tom Odell, brought her soft alt-folk to the stage, where the influence of Lisa Hannigan and Regina Spektor emanated through her sound.
On a night of alternative bliss, Ezra Williams brought their indie-pop tones to the stage. Off the back of a Choice Music Prize nomination earlier in the year, the songwriter and producer has had continuing success, with their tunes getting regular pick-up for Netflix soundtracks on shows including Heartstopper and most recently Bodkin.
Elsewhere, while outfit Dream Boy brought their dark sonic undertones to the stage, Kildare’s Emma Noodles played an eclectic mix of tunes, exploring classic rock and indie-pop in equal measure.
Headlining the night, Niamh Bury took to the stage. Upon the release of her debut album ‘Yellow Roses’ in late March of this year, she has been touring her folk tunes across Ireland and the UK. Creating a gentle presence on stage and drawing the audience in with her heartfelt ‘Budapest’, Bury’s acclaim – as the festival’s name suggests – is truly only just beginning.
Night two of We’ve Only Just Begun took an upbeat turn, featuring a stellar line-up including Galway rockers Shark School, electronic producer Spooklet and alt-rock outfit Cruel Sister.
Monaghan’s Rachel Mae Hannon enlivened the crowd with a rendition of the Bee Gees ‘How Deep is Your Love’ in her low dulcet tones. A mix of original tunes and covers punctuated her set, with OutKasts ‘Hey Ya’ an outright peak. Closing on her self-love anthem ‘Be in Love,’ Mae Hannon stood out as a highlight on Saturday night
While Celaviedemai blew the main stage away with her energy, bringing her ‘Issa New Era’ EP to life to a riled-up audience, Cruel Sister’s ferocious energy vibrated through the main stage area. Fronted by Dubliner Faith Nico, her band’s name originates from the murder ballad ‘The Twa Sisters,’ a tale of jealousy between sisters. The frontwoman began writing and performing at the age of 11 and has cut her teeth in recent years, as she’s honed her gritty alt-rock and stage presence.
Saturday night saw a close to the festival – and the biggest crowd of the weekend. Exploring themes of love and heartbreak, The Cliffords have been rising stars across the Dublin, Cork and Galway music scenes. From the stage at Whelan’s, the Cork indie-pop band played on inspiration from the likes of Wolf Alice as frontwoman Iona paced the band and crowd alike.
Melding inspiration from a range of styles, Qbanna has experimented with and defined her sound in recent years. The Cuban/Irish singer draws on a soulful sound, blending jazz and Cuban influences to pave raw and honest stories through music. At We’ve Only Just Begun, she nodded to her roots while taking the invitation to explore the person she has become in this context.
Rounding it off in style, indie-rock shoegazers CABL proved their place on the stacked line-up via their abrasive, yet ambient sound, while Annie-Dog – a moniker adopted from the Smashing Pumpkins – painted the venue in bittersweet pop.
We’ve Only Just Begun is a homegrown showcase going from strength to strength, and one that is of vital importance to the promotion and platforming of women and non-binary artists in the Irish music space. After three days of variety and spice, it’s clear that the future of Irish music is in safe hands. Ciara Byrne
Photos by Seán Kelly
