Dermot Kennedy plans global Irish music festival

Dublin singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy has announced the launch of a brand new global Irish music festival, Misneach.

The 32-year-old is planning the annual celebration of Ireland’s musical heritage to coincide with the St Patrick’s Day, with the first edition set for March 2025.

Misneach, which means ‘Courage’ in Gaelic, will be held next March across two cities with strong Irish links: Sydney, Australia on 16 March and Boston, US on 18-19 March. The twin festivals promise to focus on Irish music through lineups curated by Kennedy in partnership with Ireland Music Week.

“For so many years now I have watched the St Patrick’s Day celebrations in so many different cities with a massive sense of pride,” says CAA-represented Kennedy. “I’ve always been so moved by the way Irish history and culture is celebrated all over the world. But I’ve also had the feeling that, for a country so rich in culture, I didn’t see it being represented fully in these events worldwide and I wondered, could we change that?

“With this inaugural year we hope to begin an annual tradition that will enrich the St Patrick’s day celebrations around the world with music and the arts, by showcasing some of the best new and established Irish musical talent, as well as musical talent of the Irish diaspora.

“I’ve been lucky enough to feel the love that the world has for Ireland and its music, and I’m so excited to be starting something very special”

“We will also be giving back to the communities in Ireland and the host cities. I’ve been lucky enough to feel the love that the world has for Ireland and its music, and I’m so excited to be starting something very special.”

Kennedy revealed the plans for the festival during an appearance yesterday (2 October) at Ireland Music Week in Dublin.

Featuring contemporary and traditional Irish artists, as well as participants from all over the world representing the Irish diaspora, the first edition of Misneach will see Kennedy and other major artists playing headline shows, as well as higlighting emerging local artists.

Kennedy has chosen the rising talent to be sponsored by Culture Ireland, in partnership with Ireland Music Week, with Big Love, Cliffords and Fynch selected to take part.

In Boston, a Misneach showcase at Brighton Music Hall will be held on 18 March before Kennedy headlines a multi-artist bill at the city’s TD Garden the following day. The Sydney edition will be a full outdoor festival on 16 March following the city’s official St Patrick’s Day parade. The full festival lineup will be announced shortly.

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Driift celebrates success with livestream concerts

UK-based virtual producer and promoter Driift is announcing a slate of ticketed livestream concerts after successful online events with Laura Marling, Lianne La Havas and Dermot Kennedy.

The company, founded by ATC Management’s Ric Salmon and Brian Message, trialled the pay-per-view livestream concerts with a performance from Laura Marling at the Union Chapel in London in June.

“Ticketed live streaming is currently a space that no one controls, and we believe there is a long-term and commercially viable business here. It’s incredibly exciting” says Salmon.

Capitalising on the success of Marling’s show, Driift has since produced livestream shows for Lianne La Havas at the Roundhouse and Dermot Kennedy at the Natural History Museum.

Kennedy’s livestream show, which took place last Thursday (30 June) and featured Normal People’s Paul Mescal, sold over 30,000 tickets worldwide and was broadcast live over four different time zones.

“It strikes me that this is just the beginning of an exciting opportunity for artists and their teams to create new art that many will choose to pay for,” says Message. “If we get this right, ticketed livestream productions, whether live shows or something not yet dreamt of, can comfortably sit alongside promotional videos, traditional live shows and other ways fans and artists relate.”

This is not a replacement for live, this is a coming of age for livestreaming

Now, with investment from shareholders Beggars Group, Driift is producing more high profile livestream shows including a one-off worldwide performance from Biffy Clyro on 15 August from an iconic Glasgow venue and a performance from Sleaford Mods at the 100 club on 12 September.

“We’ve felt for a long time that livestreaming has been undervalued,” says Ruth Barlow, director of live at Beggars Group.

“We’re excited about the creative and commercial opportunities for the business, the artists and their fans; who no longer have to be in a particular city at a particular time to experience unique live music events.

“This is not a replacement for live, this is a coming of age for livestreaming.”

Driift will oversee ticketing, production, licensing, rights management and digital marketing for the livestream concerts – allowing artists to rebuild live music into their release campaigns and overall strategies.

Having collaborated with live industry giants such as CAA, Dice, Universe/Ticketmaster, YouTube, Pulse Films and Jackshoot, Driift is expanding its offering outside of the UK, with a number of shows being set up in North America.

This article forms part of IQ’s Covid-19 resource centre – a knowledge hub of essential guidance and updating resources for uncertain times.

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