Ireland Music Week returns from Wednesday September 30th to Friday October 2nd, with the full list of 50 showcasing artists announced today.
Almost 900 acts applied via First Music Contact’s Breaking Tunes platform when applications opened in February, with an external panel of national and international industry figures selecting the final 50.
Showcases take place across The Grand Social, The Workman’s Club and The Button Factory on Thursday October 1st and Friday October 2nd, with daytime shows in The Grand Social across both afternoons.
The conference runs throughout all three days, with Lost Lane serving as the festival hub.
This is a genuinely strong list, with many names already familiar from Nialler9 coverage – Madra Salach’s predecessors from last year’s lineup gives some sense of the trajectory IMW artists tend to follow. Shamrock Showband, Maicín, Sei Green, Lil Skag, Rua Rí, Mischa and the Bear,Blue Niall, Adore, For Nina, Daragh Fleming and Throwing Snow, Kiiko, Girlfriend, and Filmore! all feature.
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The festival’s track record speaks for itself. Artists who’ve previously played IMW include CMAT, Fontaines D.C., Hozier, Gilla Band, Sprints, Soulé, Villagers, Pillow Queens, Curtisy, Just Mustard, NewDad, Gurriers and Junior Brother – and last year’s lineup alone included Madra Salach, Florence Road, BABYRAT, THEATRE and Brooki, all of whom have gone on to significant momentum since.
The IMW pipeline into international showcases like ESNS, The Great Escape, Primavera Pro and SXSW is one of the most consistently effective development routes for Irish artists in recent years.
Full lineup:
- Adore
- Alex Gough
- Amy Michelle
- Augalai
- Band 5000
- Black Nylon.
- Blue Niall
- Bullpen
- Burglar
- Charlie Delahunty
- Crying Loser
- D_ABDU
- Daragh Fleming x Throwing Snow
- Dave Lofts
- Dog Swim
- Epilogue
- Eppie
- Filmore!
- For Nina
- Gag Reflex
- Girlfriend.
- Joe Butler
- Jonique
- Kadillac
- Kiiko
- Kissing on Camera
- Lil Skag
- Madams Last Discovery
- Maicín
- McGrath
- Mickey Chaos
- Miranda Faul
- Mirrors
- Mischa and the Bear
- Mount Pyrus
- Negro Impacto
- Nerves
- No Photos
- Pebbledash
- Róise
- Roisín Gowen
- Rose Wallace Goldaline
- Rua Rí
- Sarah Crean
- Sei Green
- Sell Everything
- Shamrock Showband
- Shark School
- The Wran
- Winemom
Ireland Music Week Team: “It’s exciting to get to know the music of the showcasing artists for this year. We can honestly say that the Irish music scene is in wonderful health. We look forward to supporting the 50 acts, and helping them find new audiences and opportunities both at home and internationally over the coming months and beyond.”
Listen to the full showcase playlist on Qobuz. Tickets on sale now via Eventbrite.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
