INDEPENDENT GALWAY musicians, from singer-songwriters, to punks, indie rockers, prog-rockers, and avant-gardists, will gather over four nights for the Indie Label Showcases as part of the Galway Fringe Festival.
The event begins tomorrow [July 20], with a triple bill from independent Galway label Rusted Rail. The performers are singer-songwriter and Galway Advertiser Galway Solo Artist of the Year 2017, A Lilac Decline; Phantom Dog Beneath The Moon, whose most recent album, The Statue of the Hunter is Lost at Sea, was praised by the Galway Advertiser for “sonic textures and atmospheres, left-field indie guitar work, and folkloric lyrics, draw the listener into a strange, beguiling world”; and indie singer-songwriter Yawning Chasm.
The next showcase is this Saturday and focusses on Umbrella Records. Performing are Galway alternative-folk singer-songwriter Derek Ellard. Lauren Murphy in The Irish Times praised his "great voice...and an undeniable way with an acoustic guitar, his fingerpicking style gels beautifully with his husky rasp as he uses a rather unusual technique to create memorable songs". Also playing are Galway prog-folk band Oscar Mild, and pop-folk singer-songwriter Keith Plunkett.
Limerick label DIY LK is up on Friday July 27 with Casavettes, whose guitar-led, post-hardcore and emo, has been compared to early Biffy Clyro by The Thin Air; experimental electronic/ garage-rock band Van Panther; and Galway indie-punk quartet, Two Trees.
The series concludes on Saturday July 28 with the Fringe Band Showcase, featuring French Ketamine, current winners of NUIG’s Witless battle of the bands competition, and who are about to release their debut album; prog-rock and post-punk inspired Galway band 60 Watt Girl; and Galway alternative-rock, punk, blues, and folk singer-songwriter Echo Harte.
The shows have been organised by David Boland (aka New Pope ). "I wanted to take this opportunity to give a platform to independent music and DIY music communities," he said, "and to start building connections between these communities in Galway and beyond."
All shows take place in The Loft at Seven, Bridge Street, at 9pm. Admission is €5. See www.galwayfringe.ie
