Sounds from a Safe Harbour add Kara Jackson, Indigo Sparke & more to Cork festival
Sounds From A Safe Harbour is the festival returning to Cork for the first time since 2019, that recently announced its first names for the festival including Feist, Wilco, Ye Vagabonds, Bonny Light Horseman with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.
New additions to the lineup today include the stellar Chicago folk songwriter Kara Jackson, whose excellent album Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? is one of my favs of the year (a Dublin date was previously announced).
Jackson has been announced along with Indigo Sparke, Memorial, and Crash Ensemble with Diamanda La Berge Dramm.
The festival is curated by Festival Director Mary Hickson, Bryce and Aaron Dessner of The National, actor Cillian Murphy and playwright Enda Walsh and features four days of music, dance, literature, theatre, and conversation across the city from Thursday 7th – Sunday 10th September this year (Nialler9 previously curated two editions of the music trail at the festival).
Tikcets for Indigo Sparke, Kara Jackson, and Memorial go on sale at 10am this Friday 16th June. Tickets for all other shows are on sale via soundsfromasafeharbour.com
More on the artists added:
Kara Jackson – Wielding her voice like a honey-coated blade, Kara crafts a blend of emotional folk music and poetic alt-country. With the radical honesty of Nina Simone, and the intricate lyricism of Fiona Apple and Joana Newsom, Kara’s writing blurs the line between poetry and song, demanding an attentive ear and a repeat listen. Her thought-provoking pieces explore themes of identity, race, and love, and her performance at Coughlan’s for the festival promises to be an unforgettable experience.
Indigo Sparke – Hailing from the enchanting shores of Australia, Indigo Sparke has taken the folk music scene by storm with her soul-stirring melodies and poetic lyrics. Her ethereal voice and raw storytelling ability create a powerful connection with her audience, making her a must-see artist, also taking to the stage at Coughlan’s.
Memorial – A two-piece project brought to life by Jack Watts and Oliver Spalding, who have already won comparisons with Simon & Garfunkel, Leonard Cohen, Sufjan Stevens and Kings of Convenience. Their evocative soundscapes take listeners on an introspective journey, promising an unforgettable live performance at Coughlan’s.
Crash Ensemble with Diamanda La Berge Dramm – Composer, violinist, visionary Diamanda La Berge Dramm released her solo album Chimp in 2022 and for this concert, Crash plays the works in a brand-new setting, at Triskel Christchurch. Featured alongside Diamanda’s arrangements are the reimaginings of the songs by Barry O’Halpin for the full forces of the ensemble. Laura Sheeran creates a parallel visual world to accompany the set. We will traverse waiting rooms, monkeys, and the many voices in between.
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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, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.