So as the dust finally begins to settle on Deer Park in Mitchelstown after another successful Indiependence festival, the time has come to reflect on some of the acts that made the weekend so memorable. Yet again this year, Indie boasted an impressive of up-and-coming to established Irish music acts, along with some big international names. #INDIE17 was my third year attending this gem of a festival in Cork. This blog will list five of the stand out acts from the weekend.

Frank Turner

Sometimes getting lost at a festival can lead to some lovely discoveries, and that was the case when on the Friday night after getting disconnected from my group of friends I stumbled on English folk singer-songwriter, Frank Turner. Cutting a solitary figure on stage, Turner powered through a set of emotional and insightful songs complete with humorous and warm audience interactions, that left the audience in attendance hooked from start to finish. An unexpected highlight of Indiependence 2017.

Hermitage Green

A band that featured in the #INDIE17 preview on this site last week, and they definitely did not disappoint as they played a phenomenal set to close the Friday night. Hermitage Green are easily one of the most exciting Irish bands on the live circuit at the moment and this was demonstrated to great effect. All those in attendance will remember this set for a long time.

All Tvvins

Have you ever experienced an hour of music that is so good that nothing else matters for that hour? That was All Tvvins.

Beoga

At every festival there is always a band that you stumble upon unexpectedly having not thought that they would feature for you. This post has previously spoken about Frank Turner, but another one of these acts was the traditional Irish music group, Beoga, who have began to reach wider audiences recently after featuring on Ed Sheeran’s latest album. Playing to a packed out IMRO Big Top tent on the Sunday of the festival, they provided something different to everything else on show across the weekend and provided the crowd in attendance with an extremely enjoyable hour of trad music.

Stomptown Brass

Sunday night is always a strange time at any festival, people are tired and, in the case of Irish festivals, often cold and wet. With this in mind, it seems that the organisers behind #INDIE17 chose an act that could not fail to get the crowd dancing to close out the festival, that act, Stomptown Brass. Anyone was fortunate to be in the IMRO Big Top tent to see them play over the weekend were treated to an energetic and engaging performance by the Dublin based brass band.

 

Until next year, Indie.

MK