We here at Goldenplec are so very excited to get back to the wonderful, wooded setting of Charleville Castle, Tullamore for this year’s Castlepalooza festival. As small festivals go it’s one of the picks of the bunch, and this year once again sees a host of Irish and international acts on the bill. So, to make your lives that little bit easier we’ve made a list of some acts we’ll be doing our best to catch over the weekend…
Overhead, The Albatross
Friday – Metro Herald Stage – 9.45pm
We caught these lads on the main stage at Body & Soul this year, making the most of a downpour and doing a stellar job of distracting the crowd from the damp. Their intricate melodies and kinetic stage presence won us over on that occasion, so we’re looking forward to getting a bit more up close and personal with the sextet when they play the Metro Herald stage on Friday evening.
September Girls
Saturday – Main Stage – 1.30pm
This 5-piece girl band don’t hold back on the distortion; expect a glorious reverb-soaked, harmony-filled set. With a bunch of tracks that range from the upbeat and cheery to the gloomy and downright sinister, September Girls will keep you enthralled for the whole show. Keep an eye out especially for their cover of Gay Bar.
CSS
Saturday – Main Stage – 12.30am
Canseii de Ser Sexy first appeared in our consciousness in back in 2005 with the funk/disco/dance/pop/ indie/electro amalgamation of their début album, and its sense of playfulness that was, and still is, impossible to resist. The band are a joy to behold live; an unjaded party band, thanks in no small part to the hypnotic stage presence of lead singer and all-out revelry-rouser, Lovefoxxx. It’s hard to imagine they’ve been on the go for almost a decade (yikes!) but we can guarantee there will be no better place to be than in their company on Sunday night.
Meltybrains?
Sunday – Metro Herald Stage – 12.45pm
This could well be the most interesting prospect of the weekend; Meltybrains? mix hiphop, electro, post rock, post punk, triphop and a healthy sense of what-the-fuck? experimentalism to create something…something. We’ll be there to see just what that something is.
The River Cry
Sunday – Metro Herald Stage – 3.45pm
The River Cry is the new project of one-time JJ72 bassist Hilary Woods. Her eponymous début album is an ambient charmer, built on the singer’s honey vocal and keys, and augmented by her sympathetic band. If you like your festival vibe to have that ethereal, atmospheric tinge, then we suggest you get yourself to this.
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The Notas
Sunday – Main Stage – 4.00pm
The six-headed animal that is The Notas formed in 2010, releasing their début EP ‘See You When The Sun’s Out’ in 2011. Consisting of several different cultures including Nigerian, Zimbabwean, French, Pakistani, and Irish, the band specialise in a type of ambient indie with a loose, easy charm. We had the pleasure of catching the tail end of their set at this year’s Groove Festival – this time around we’ll be there from the get-go.
Princess
Sunday – Main Stage – 4.30pm
If Princess’ recently released début EP is anything to go by, then their performance is going to be filled with raucous noise and a barely suppressed energy. The strong rhythm section allows the guitar to indulge in screeching solos, and all other forms of distorted craziness, while the vocals offer a refreshing contrast to the squealing guitars.
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Little Bear
Sunday – Main Stage – 4.45pm
For something a little more relaxing, Little Bear are well worth checking out. Their simply arranged songs build gracefully to powerful crescendos, and their tremendously catchy choruses will remain in your head all weekend. Their wonderful control of dynamics, and the prowess of vocalist Steven McCool ensure that a quality performance is guaranteed from the Derry-based four-piece.
Vann Music
Sunday – Metro Herald Stage – 4.45pm
Another band with a strong ’80s lineage is Vann Music. Taking their inspiration from the New Wave movement of the early ’80s, they are a band on the up, and their infectiously catchy synth-pop tunes are a must hear. Add to that the wonderful, boundless energy the band display on-stage, and you have yourself a serious live act.
Girls Names
Sunday – Main Stage – 9.15pm
Influenced greatly by ’80s alternative rock bands such as The Smiths and The Cure, Girls Names jangly guitar tunes are exciting and mysterious, while Cully’s deep, brooding vocal delivery infuses a strong personality into the songs. The band’s second album, ‘The New Life’, is one of this year’s finest, so what’s not to like?