With arts festivals reaffirming themselves as a staple in rural areas around the country, the North Cork town of Mallow has established its own via the newly-founded Mallow Arts Collective, with the inaugural installment presenting a programme of music, film, and visual arts that takes in venues and spaces throughout the town.
Among the wider array of programming, the Mallow Arts Collective and Cork music heads #CorkLovesMusic have collaborated on the new music bill for the event, including all-day events and pop-up DJ sets.
The afternoon of Saturday July 29th sees Cork hip-hop legend Stevie G spinning discs in the intimate surrounds of Springfort Hall Café, on the town’s main street. Meanwhile over at St. James’ Church, an all-dayer takes place from 12pm, featuring renowned sound-art/improv group The Quiet Club, troubadour extraordinaire Saint Caoilian, and conceptual artist/rapper Outsider YP, as well as new Cork outfit The Electronic Folk and classical guitar/baritone duo Noel Walsh & Eoin Leahy.
Saturday night sees the music head up the hill to Albert Lynch’s, where post-rockers Ealadha will be providing a stripped-back set, following the release of last year’s ‘Limit of Our Sight’ extended-player, followed by Mallow outfit Stay, supplying folk-rock into the wee hours. Uptown, Ocana’s plays host to live afro-Irish reggae outfit The Light Runners.
Meanwhile, the following night finishes with Bate to Debt, a three-piece blues combo featuring Robbie Barron (The Shaker Hymn/Milky Teeth) at Keppler’s, and Cork music journalist Ronan Leonard leading Maureen’s in a round of Ringo: Music Bingo.
Mallow Arts Festival takes place in Mallow, Co. Cork, from Wednesday July 26th to Sunday July 30th. For set times, the full line-up and more information on the festival, check out their website, and find them on Facebook and Twitter.
