Fridays at any festival are always fraught with anticipation and sometimes dread but the All Together Now team run a smooth and top-quality show. Access even on early Friday afternoon was relatively easy going and the musical fare on offer was impressive to say the least. Here’s a few of the acts that caught our ear.
Dream Boy
First up on The Well stage were Dublin shoegaze merchants Dream Boy and despite the early afternoon slot drew quite a sizeable crowd who were definitely impressed by the powerful vocals of Allie Ryan and the band’s seismic sound, with crying wolf wistfully epic, and new track Amber also making a noticable impact.
Bold Love
Taking things up a notch were Bold Love who opened the new Flourish stage, and what a treat they were. Clearly revelling in the occasion and responding with a pulsating performance. Never Enough is a total crowd pleaser, recent single Feel You Close is a wonderful two-hander between Cian Ó’Maonlaí and Megan Nic Ruairí, and their set closer is beautifully sublime.
Girlband!
No not that one! Hailing from Nottingham this trio delivered power-packed punchy set, setting the tone with Pixiesque riffs before lashing into the fantastic Right on Time. Ferocious band dynamics delight the audience, and there’s even a T-Rex cover thrown in for good measure. Thelma and Lousie is truly anthemic, before an enthusiastic sing along brings their set to a euphoric close.
Florence Road
Without doubt one of the most impressive bands that played on Friday at All Together Now was Florence Road. Opening the huge tent that hosts the Something Kind of Wonderful stage could be daunting for some but they owned it like they had been playing stages that size for years. Their sound is massive and songs ambitious and compelling, with Figure It Out hypnotic and Goodnight powerful but delicate. They even debut a deeply emotional song written in the past month in response to all the madness that’s happening in the world, whilst the Palestinian flag is projected on screen. Most definitely a band that is going places.
Cliffords
The first almost crushed to capacity scenes were witnessed at the Flourish tent which was absolutely rammed out every door for the hugely talented Cliffords from Cork. They were obviously deeply moved by the massive turnout for them and responded in kind with a blistering set, with highlights Feels Like a Man and the epic festive anthem that is My Favourite Monster.
Hinds
Over at the Lovely Days stage Spanish outfit bring their feelgood tuneage as the sun comes out. Wonderfully self-reverential, their quirky sense of humour is completely beguiling and their power pop tunes are perfect festive delights. Totally winning over the crowd with their endearing stage dynamic, including guitarist Carlotta Cosials piggy backing on keyboard player Ana García Perrote with guitar in tow as they both continued playing was remarkable. They even stayed on stage dancing with the audience to their outro tune !!
God Knows
God Knows at All Together Now 2025. Photo by Owen Humphreys. www.owen.ie
Keeping the party vibes going at the Jameson Circle was God Knows who was in mighty form, backed as ever by his main man Murli. Showcasing his new album to full effect, tracks such as Be About Your Glory have the crowd bopping with abandon. Wild saxophone accompanies beguiling beats and there’s even some impressive crowd choreography and a few Rusangano Family faves thrown in for good measure.
Wet Leg
Wet Leg at All Together Now 2025. Photo by Owen Humphreys. www.owen.ie
Despite having to battle a few guitar tech issues and a bleeding mouth Wet Leg put on a pulsating show over on the All Together Now main stage. Bursting with energy from the off with the double whammy of catch these fists and pillow talk leading to frenetic scenes front of stage. Totemic front woman Rhian Teasdale is mesmerising throughout, striking knowsome poses to the delight of the congregation. Ur Mum is simply brilliant fun and Angelica could be the theme song for this year’s festival. Chaise Longue and CPR bring things to a triumphant conclusion.
Fontaines D.C.
Fontaines D.C. at All Together Now 2025. Photo by Owen Humphreys. www.owen.ie
The unrelenting rise of our ATN Main Stage headliners has been compelling to behold and Fontaines D.C. do not disappoint, playing to one of the biggest (if not the biggest) crowds seen at All Together Now they deliver a show that is bulging with emotional swagger. The menace-dripped Romance opens proceedings before Jackie Down the Line provides the first sing along moment, of which there are many. Boys in a Better Land has the place in ecstatic convulsions, whilst Televised Mind is all ferocious intensity.
There’s not much interaction until a brief “Free Palestine” from Grian before Bug is unleashed. A Hero’s Death has never sounded better, it’s developed into a whole other wonderful beast now, and Before I Just Forget is all swooning gorgeousness, its delicate piano line drifting into the starry Waterford skies.
Here’s the Thing is bombastically fantastic, definitely one of the highlights of the set. Roman Holiday is poignantly dedicated to a recently deceased relative, I Love You meanwhile is as powerfully acerbic as ever and Starburster is the summer blockbuster everybody needs in their lives. All in all, another absolutely stellar set from Fontaines D.C.
