ARTS Music and dance at Westport Arts Festival

Let’s face the music, and dance

Outstanding home-grown, locally-produced talent always features at Westport Arts Festival and this year is no exception. Westport harpist Laoise Kelly, who has recorded with Kate Bush; the engaging Rhombus, led by Castlebar-born jazz composer Dennis Wyers; Westport-native singer-songwriter Aoife Mc Namara; local metal band Traitor; and many more will bring their combined talents to the nine-day event.

Other highlights in trad, classical and dance include Brendan Begley and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh; Diarmaid Moynihan; Tonos and Ponydance.

Westport native Aoife McNamara is a singer/songwriter who has recently co-written and recorded an album ‘A Star Far Away’ with the highly -acclaimed musicians and composers Garry O’Briain and Martin O’Connor. Her style can be described as a combination of contemporary folk and blues. Aoife has produced an album straight from her heart with influences ranging from Christine McVie, Eva Cassidy and Janis Joplin. She performs with Martin in Matt Molloy’s Pub at 8pm on Thursday,  October 6.

On the same night, another Westport native, the sublime harpist Laoise Kelly, will play with Co Clare fiddler Michelle O’Brien, in The Sheebeen at 9.30pm. Local singer/songwriter, the inimitable Joanne Keegan, will join them on stage for what promises to be a wonderful evening of music.

Earlier in the week, on Monday, October 3, Matt Molloy’s will host Cork-born Castlebar-resident Diarmaid Moynihan and his brother, Calico co-founder Donncha Moynihan. The pair will team up with Brian Kissane and Deirdre Moynihan, for a concert of original tunes fused with Irish and European melodies.

Trad fans are in for a treat in Matt Molloy’s the next night too, with button-accordion player Brendan Begley and fiddler Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh joining forces on Tuesday, October 4.  The raw power and beauty of their Kerry music swerves from infectious slides to slow airs, sean-nós songs to wild, passionate polkas. Classical buffs are catered for too, with Irish Baroque group Tonos playing on Saturday, October 1, in Holy Trinity Church. The group comprises soprano Róisín O’Grady and Baroque guitarist Eamon Sweeney, and they specialise in a unique blend of Irish and European music from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. They mix music from such diverse sources as Claudio Monteverdi, Turlough O’Carolan, John Dowland, Jean-Baptiste Lully, Henry Purcell, and the wider traditional Irish, Celtic and Spanish Traditions.

If it’s jazz you’re after, don’t miss modern jazz group Rhombus, led by Castlebar-born Dennis Wyers. Rhombus aims to give each musician space to respond to each other and let the audience hear that modern jazz can be exciting, energetic and deeply moving. Their manifesto is simple: ‘music should feel honest, responsive and organic’. The group performs Dennis’ original compositions, with the aim of making improvised music more accessible without making it less interesting. They draw on a wide variety of genres including Nordic Jazz, classical impressionism, the blues and drum-and-bass. They play The Wyatt Hotel, Sunday, October 2.

Hand in hand with music, comes dance, and aside from the foot shuffling and hip swaying that will inevitably accompany many of the concerts, there will be dance as performance art too: Ponydance will perform on Sunday, October 9 in The Castlecourt Hotel. Since 2005, this quirky dance troop has produced five full-length shows, several short dance films and have performed in town halls, cafés, bars, on the street and even on a barge. Famed for funny, accessible shows, they won the Audience Choice Award in the 2009 Pick’n’Mix Festival at the Old Museum Arts Centre in Belfast and were nominated for the Spirit of the Fringe Award and won the Wildcard award at the Dublin Fringe.

Festival volunteers needed

Westport Arts Festival is looking for volunteers to donate a little time to help make the festival happen. It could be manning the box office for an hour or two or collecting tickets on the door at gigs. Volunteers are always rewarded for their time and effort, and this year working two shifts entitles you to a free ticket to a festival show.

If you have a little time and want to help please email [email protected].