Each year a small army of Irish musicians decend on Texas with the assistance of the Music From Ireland organisation whom help fund the trip. They pick artists to represent music from Ireland and put themselves in the shop window at one of the worlds biggest music festivals and networking events.
This year Ireland will be represented by some familiar names with Foy Vance, Heathers, O Emperor all making waves here recently. Hozier has been the rising star of 2013 and looking to be racing into 2014 with a Meteor Choice Song Of The Year nomination and heading over to SXSW. The young lads in The Strypes will also be there with Kid Karate, Ram’s Pocket Radio, September Girls, Dott, The Young Folk, Unknown, Wonder Villians, Wounds and Cian Nugent all part of the billing.
The biggest surprise perhaps is the return from the wilderness of Damien Rice, who we assume has finally got together a follow up to ‘9’ which was released way way back in 2006.
SXSW takes place in Austin, Texas from the 7th to the 16th of March.