THIS week, Northern Winds is reporting live directly from Electric Picnic, where the likes of Fontaines D.C., Kojaque, Lemonade Shoelace and more have been entertaining the festival-goers of Ireland. The first physical gathering in over three years, EP has delivered on all that was promised and serves as an example of what we can expect now that the pandemic has retreated from the collective purview. Time waits for no man, however, and more live events and festivals have been announced this weekend for later in the year, mostly on the opposite end of the genre spectrum. First off, news has emerged from the Conor O’Brien camp – aka Villagers – of a new set of dates around Ireland and the UK following their recent intimate headline in Whelan’s, Dublin. An 11-date acoustic-only tour around the UK in a series of smaller venues, including the MAC in Belfast this December will coincide with the anniversary of O’Brien’s last album, Fever Dream. Tickets are on sale now, and they never last long. We also received word that one of Ireland’s oldest festivals, The Liberties Festival, would be returning this year. A family-friendly street festival that has been running since the early 70s, it's also a fantastic showcase of native talent thanks to some crafty programming.
