With less than a month to go before the return of the award-winning Stendhal Festival in Co Derry, Belfast Live has put together a definitive list of all the announced so far.
As always, Stendhal gives local musicians pride of place alongside established international performers.
Acts have been announced in two phases - with headliners such as Bell X1, the Wailers and Newtown Faulkner announced in the first wave and local up-and-comers such as Chalk.
Print this out, take it with you, or find it on your phone during Stendhal for a complete who's who of this year's festival.
The following is your definitive run-down of who's who at the 2023 edition of Stendhal, with artist bios by Stendhal director John Cartwright.
Read more: Stendhal festival organisers say Tourism NI should be 'ashamed' after funding cut
The Wailers
Having played an absolute blinder in 2018, The Wailers first headline set at Stendhal has become festival folklore for those in attendance and for 5 years we have been bombarded with the question, “when are The Wailers coming back?”
Well wonder no more, Bob Marley’s legendary band are returning to Ballymully Cottage Farm on Friday July 7th and they will be bringing all of the classic Bob Marley tunes with, played the way only The Wailers know how.
BellX1
For two decades Bell X1 have held a unique territory in the Irish rock landscape – a household name, but one still keenly relevant and critically lauded. What’s more, Bell X1 remain restless and fidgety at a point in their career when most acts, should they dream of even hanging in that long, tend to narrow their field-of-vision and consolidate their legacy.
Time has also brought Paul Noonan, Dave Geraghty and Dominic Phillips their fair share of dead ends and false scents because that is what living entails. It has resulted in a supporting cast of all-sorts, friends and bandmates and fellow travellers on the same road. Some have stayed the course, some peeled off down their own pathways and some were taken away far too early.
Conquering radio waves and arenas is all very well but more salient destinations have been arrived at. Music that threads itself through lifetimes like punctuation marks. A first dance at a wedding or a song of remembrance at a funeral. A tender scene in a hit US TV series and scores of babies named “Eve” because a few descending piano chords and a warm bassline can seem so beautiful on the right night they transcend mere sonic vibration. National-treasure status has been awarded for less.
They have amassed 4 album nominations at the Choice awards, 6 meteor nominations and 3 number 1 albums in the Irish Charts, and a total of 5 in the top 3.
Newton Faulkner
Newton Faulkner burst onto the scene with his massive hit album ‘Hand built by robots’ which skyrocketed him to instant chart success. The album included a number of hit singles including ‘Dream Catch me’ and a stunning cover of Massive Attack’s ‘Teardrop’ and ‘Gone in the Morning’.
His inimitable style makes him a consummate performer and his character both on and off stage is truly one and the same. Often spending a good while chatting to the audience between songs and always happy to meet and greet the fans after the show in his trademark relaxed and down to earth fashion. He truly is a musician for the people and of the people.
The Scratch
The Scratch are a 4-piece acoustic act from Dublin, but don’t let the acoustic format fool you, these guys get raucous and they get there in a hurry.
Born from a shared love of acoustic guitar, metal and traditional Irish music, The Scratch have moulded triumphant melodies with the groove and intensity of metal.
Debut album “Couldn’t Give A Rats” received critical acclaim, landing in the top 10 album charts in Ireland, gained a 4-star review from The Irish Times, while Hot Press described it as one of the “boldest Irish debuts in recent memory”.
It is impossible to fully understand this band without seeing them in the live environment, where they challenge anybody to come to the show and not leave with a smile on their face,
Turin Brakes
Stendhal's first ever headline act way back in 2011 are back at Ballymully Cottage Farm this summer and we can’t wait to show them how far we have come since that first event 13 years ago.
This Mercury nominated folk rock act have numerous hit singles and albums and having just released their latest album “Wide-Eyed Nowhere,” expect a big old blast of Stendhal nostalgia mixed in with some amazing new music
Cara Dillon
The Roe Valley’s own Cara Dillon finally makes her Stendhal debut this summer on Saturday July 8th and for us, not a moment too soon.
Cara has risen to become one of the finest exponents of traditional Irish song anywhere in the world. Possessing a rare and unique voice that has been lauded since winning the All Ireland singing trophy aged only 14.
Cara occupies an enviable position at the very top of her genre and has been captivating audiences and achieving exceptional acclaim for over 20 years. She has (according to Mojo magazine) "Quite possibly the world's most beautiful female voice".
Celebrated for entwining traditional and contemporary elements, she has earned both commercial success and astonishing critical acclaim.
Yazz Ahmed
One of the most compelling and innovating acts in modern Jazz Music, Yazz Ahmed seeks to blur the lines between Jazz and electronic sound design, bringing together the sounds of her British-Bahraini heritage which have been described as “psychedelic Arabic Jazz that intoxicates and compels.
Yazz won the Ivor Novello Award for Innovation in 2020, an award that represents peer recognition for achievement, and an innovative approach to composition. The Novello Academy recognised Yazz for “her unique creative voice that smashes the boundaries between jazz and electronic sound design by drawing on her heritage to create intoxicating musical worlds.”
Yazz performs at Stendhal on Thursday, July 6th.
Joshua Burnside
One of the best singer songwriters Northern Ireland has produced in the past decade, Joshua has been a mainstay at Stendhal through those years and having recently performed to a sold out Ulster Hall, perhaps the general public is starting to catch on to just how special a talent Joshua is.
Winnie AMA
Winnie Ama is a Northern-Irish-Ghanaian RnB, Soul and Jazz singer and songwriter who really burst onto the NI music Scene in 2021, in part due to her stunning debut Stendhal Performance at the BBC NI Introducing Stage.
So far in her fledgling career she has been nominated for the 2022 NI Music Prize and the 2023 RTE2fm Rising Artist award. We imagine that there are many more nominations to come for Winnie and we’d be shocked if she wasn’t the award-winning Winnie Ama in the not too distant future.
Roe
Roe’s long awaited debut album ‘When The Panic Sets In’ finally arrived in early 2023 and having watched this incredibly talented Derry Songstress move up the stages at Stendhal over the past few years, we may be a bit biased, but it is incredible.
Watching Roe’s Journey from solo act on small stages to performing with a full band on much larger stages, has been a joy to behold and we are delighted to be able to allow Roe to showcase her hard work once again this year.
Huey Morgan (DJ Set)
DJ, raconteur, author, producer, broadcaster and Fun Lovin’ Criminal, Huey Morgan - a modern day rock’n’roll Renaissance man - is many things to many people.
In addition to being the decade-long host of one of the only specialist music shows on BBC Radio 2, Huey is the Lower East Side voice of Saturdays on 6 Music with his critically acclaimed, award winning show featuring music, new and old, from all four corners of the globe. He’s the man who joins the dots between funk, soul, disco, classic hip hop and rock’n’roll. And the man who is known for telling laugh-out-loud stories and talking to the listener as if pulled up on a bar stool next to them.
Huey’s past is not any less significant either; as the former frontman of legendary 90s outfit ‘Fun Lovin’ Criminals' which is soon approaching its 30th anniversary, he is the man who played a huge part in this funk-fried indie bands journey in breaking big worldwide and selling over 10 million records.
Now after countless DJ gigs across the globe, he’s focused his talent on his NYC Block Party; imagine Huey soundtracking cult Netflix show ‘The Get Down’ and you’re close as funk, soul, disco and hip hop jams get thrown into the mix battle style.
Andy Smith (DJ Set)
Ex-Portishead DJ Andy Smith was the first DJ to release a multi-genre mix album on a major label. When his mix-CD ‘The Document’ hit the streets back in 1998, it became the soundtrack for a generation who had heard Coldcut's Journeys By DJs but needed to hear more - The Document filled the void.
It segued tracks from artists such as Tom Jones (way before he came back in vogue with Reload and newer tracks such as recent top ten hit Stoned in Love); Peggy Lee (sample source for the Beastie Boys single Ch-Check It Out); The Jungle Brothers and even The Spencer Davis Group. This was new to record buyers but for Smith a mixed bag of treasures
has always formed the typical contents of his DJ set.
This appreciation of different genres made Smith the ideal person to provide sample material for Portishead on their first two albums. He went on to make his name as the band's international tour DJ – reflecting their respect for both the art of digging for breaks and hip-hop scratch DJ-ing. Hip-hop elements formed the basis of the unique Portishead sound.
Modernlove
With larger than life indie-pop anthems born of small town boredom, coming of age, big nights out and young love gone wrong, Modernlove are a new generation’s brightest hope – already racking up streams in their millions and selling out shows, simply by singing about what they know and having a good time doing it. From playing dingey rural pubs to working with super-producer Luca (of Arlo Parks and Lana Del Rey fame), this Irish band of young 20-somethings are about to show the world the true heights of their ambition.
Sprints
Poignant and political, embittered and abrasive, Sprints are a band right at the heart of Dublin’s ever-growing punk and post-punk scene, a gloriously stark evisceration of politics and exploration of the personal.
Everything that goes into the band’s cathartic punk battle-cries can be seen as something of a call-to-arms: an attempt to silence the internal doubting voices and to fight against the outdated social tropes that box in individuality. Now, more confident in their opinions and identities than ever the band is set to take these ideas - that the personal is innately political, and that expression and using your voice is fundamentally crucial - and solidify them even further.
Crow Black Chicken
Crow Black Chicken have earned a reputation as one of Ireland's top blues acts. Their sound combines elements of folk and hard rock with the blues rock of bands like Gov't Mule, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Led Zeppelin. An extremely hard-working band, they have built up a strong underground following throughout Ireland, the US, and Europe with multiple well received tours and one off gigs, including a slot at Glastonbury.
Overhead, The Albatross
Overhead, The Albatross are a five piece instrumental outfit from Dublin known for their intricate yet powerful melodies and energetic stage presence. Their sound combines a multitude of instruments which go beyond the normal boundaries of post-rock and delve into the realm of the cinematic. Layered strings, electronics and spacious synths combined with soaring guitars and powerful drums are used to create their unique sound. Their music journeys from delicate intimacy to epic triumphancy touching everything in between.
The Courettes
The Courettes is an explosive rock duo from Denmark and Brazil who found the perfect blend between garage rock, 60s Girl Group, Wall of Sound, surf music and doo wop.
Like The Ronettes meet The Ramones at a wild party at Gold Star Studios echo chamber. Praised by the biggest music magazines around the world, in 2020 the band signed with legendary British label Damaged Goods, putting them on the same roster as top international rock icons like Buzzcocks, Manic Street Preachers, Atari Teenage Riot, New Bomb Turks, Amyl and the Sniffers, Billy Childish, Captain Sensible and many others. Their last and third album, “Back in Mono” was released in the Fall 2021 and is a truly milestone in their career.
Manukahunney
Manukahunney was formed in 2012 by soul singer Siobhan Brown and with a growing following, Manukahunney have become one of Northern Ireland's best live soul bands with a reputation for creating that authentic and irresistible live soul vibes that has become synonymous with every performance.
Siobhan's vision is to share soul in its various forms (funk, jazz, gospel ,blues, contemporary etc) that inspire and flow freely as an expression of oneself and connect to the listener at an emotional level.
The Manukahunney experience is all about those rhythms and melodic notations and irresistible vibes presented through the unique collaboration and vision of this band that allows the listener to hear soul from a very different perspective. As a painter paints from their soul in their own unique style, Manukahunney does the same and invites you to taste music unique to the soulful interpretation of Siobhan and the MH band. So get on board this soul train and journey with us into the Manukahunney world of Soul!
Clare Sands
Channelling the music of her ancestors, Clare Sands is a unique force in Irish music. Weaving traditional roots with Contemporary sounds and influences, Sands sings for the young and the old, brave and the bold.
With a ground-breaking Fearless Folk style and infinite warrior energy Sands’ electrifying live performances see her utilise fiddle, guitar, percussion, vocals & cassette recordings.
An unmissable, raw live performer, she brings her audience on an exhilarating journey of celebration, resilience and hope.
Fya Fox
Fya Fox is a singer-songwriter spinning tightly wound yarns of brooding and emotive alt-pop. A classically trained vocalist straying beyond Ireland’s traditional country/folk scene, FYA’s influences span from Banks, Lana Del Rey and London Grammar.
The Cellists
The Cellists are one of Northern Ireland's leading professional string groups who perform high quality, genre spanning string music. They weave between Classical, Indie, R&B, Rock, Pop, Film and Dance music, so no matter your taste, the Cellists will put a classy spin on contemporary favourites.
No Oil Paintings
No Oil Paintings are a raucous alternative guitar & banjo-driven folk band with an edge of darkness. The band strives to use typical folk instrumentation to create something a little more wild than the music often associated with the genre today.
With their new album “Rain Season “ recently released to critical acclaim, this is a band that just keeps getting better and better and there is no better way to experience them than live on stage.
Red Eye Pariah
From Locked-down to Sold-Out, Red Eye Pariah are one of the most prominent emerging artists in Northern Ireland. In just one year the band have played 3 Sold-Out Headline Shows, received over 10,000 Spotify streams and cemented their place among those to watch on the Irish Music Scene.
Baroda
Baroda are a 3-piece band from Belfast, who write songs with a mix of blues, indie and alternative rock influence.
BRØR
The Whittington Brothers return to Stendhal with their stylish and catchy pop-rock stylings. There will be soaring choruses, foot-stomping melodies and good times abound.
Sasha Samara
Sasha Samara is an exciting, new voice in indie pop music. Coating her music in an endearing honesty, she threads together observations and exclamations that are underlined by a thrilling specificity. All of this is achieved through open and soaring vocals reminiscent of Hayley Williams and writing with the characteristic clarity of Maggie Rogers.
Invaderband
As one of Ireland’s most singular propositions, Invaderband have spent the last ten years crafting endlessly inspired sounds that strike a rare midpoint between art-rock and post-punk. Formed in Derry by Mancunian singer, guitarist and songwriter Adam Leonard, Invaderband boasts three of the city’s finest musicians; Chris McConaghy (aka Our Krypton Son) on lead guitar, James Cunningham (ex-Schtum) on bass and Tom Doherty (ex-Bam Bam & The Calling) on drums. Both their albums to date; the self-titled debut (2017) and the follow-up record ‘Peter Gabriel’ (2021) received widespread critical acclaim and extensive radio play on both Irish and UK National stations (RTE2, Today FM, BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio X). The ‘Peter Gabriel’ album was placed in the Top 20 albums of 2021 by Danny McElhinney in The Irish Mail on Sunday. The quartet have played shows all over Ireland and Northern Ireland including Other Voices Dingle, and both their albums have been shortlisted (Top 12) for the NI Music Prize Album of the Year award.
Pinkslips
PiNKSLiPS are a hard rock band based in Belfast.
Formed amidst the musical drought of the pandemic, songwriter Gerry Norman began working with guitarist David McGaughey on a collection of rock songs in the bowels of Vault Artist Studios.
Those songs took on a life of their own with the addition of the ‘Deadly Rhythm’ of Shane Watters on drums and Carl Gilmore on bass early 2021. With a focus on high energy, riff based guitars, rhythmic groove and anthemic choruses, the band’s shared love of live music, heavy rock, and energetic performance soon set about shaping their own rock sound.
Edgy V and GG Carma
Edgy V & GG Carma are an Independent Twin Sister Hip Hop act, Influenced strongly by old school Hip Hop and RnB.
They create and perform music that gives you a sense of the past but with a modern taste of the present.
With their conscious lyrics and catchy hooks, they are on many people’s radar as an upcoming act to catch.
Boy M5
Introducing Boy M5 - the powerhouse trio at the forefront of a new sonic pop revolution in Northern Ireland. Comprised of Kyle, Aaron, and Paul, their music is a modern take on the powerful performers we’ve grown to love from Ireland, as they infuse their own unique sound with themes of love, loss, and lust.
With musical influences ranging from the expressive soul of Dermot Kennedy to the raw power and grit of Glen Hansard. Meeting together in an explosive, emotive cacophony, Boy M5 is known for their energetic performances and catchy, infectious tunes.
Search Party
For the last decade Search Party have been regulars in the local scene, developing their craft and building a loyal following. The past year has seen the band complete a UK & Ireland tour that has brought their brand of Indie pop to new found fans in new cities in England and Scotland.
Their latest EP 'Liminality' and new single 'Visceral Thoughts' have received high acclaim being added to high profile playlists and 'Echo Park' winning Best Music Video at the Berlin Indie Film Festival. A Search Party set is going to promise to give you lots of catchy tunes, plenty of energy and stacks of craic.
Lauren Ann
Lauren Ann is an 18 year old Singer/Songwriter with a penchant for 90’s pop and grunge. A box fresh artist showing loads of promise.
Tramp
Alt-indie rock straight from Donegal and Derry, Tramp are turning plenty of heads thanks to their stellar tunes and powerful live performances. We expect to be hearing a lot more from Tramp through 2023 and beyond.
Cora Kelly
Cora Kelly is a singer-songwriter from Killough Co. Down who draws on Americana and Country music to produce and perform beautiful material.
The three EP’s she has released to date are a testament to her talents and they played a large part in her selection by the Belfast Nashville Festival to travel to Nashville to showcase her music in notable venues such as The BlueBird Café and Roots Radio
Cora is joined by Conor McCaffrey on guitar and Colm Meir on percussion. The trio worked together on the release of Cora’s two singles ‘Easy Peasy Love’ and ‘Long Way Home’. Together, they have played shows and events around Belfast and continue to establish themselves in the Northern Irish music scene.
Emily McCormick
Emily McCormick is a soulful R&B influenced singer-songwriter based in Derry. Previously releasing music under the moniker of Bairie, her style floats between different worlds and when paired with her introspective song writing, combine to produce something quite beautiful.
ReHarvest - The Music of Neil Young
ReHarvest was created in 2022 to recreate two classic Neil Young albums, Harvest & Harvest Moon in their 50th and 30th anniversary years. The band featured Cormac Neeson (The Answer), No Oil Paintings, Junior Johnson, Suzy Coyle, Conor McAuley (New Pagans) and Donal Scullion. The show was performed a number of times last year, most notably a two night run in The MAC Theatre, Belfast. For Stendhal Festival they will be joined by Dolbro Dan (Cormac Neeson will be in Sweden With The Answer) and will perform a selection of songs from both albums including songs like Heart of Gold, Alabama and Harvest Moon.
Polar bolero
Polar Bolero is a new Alt Folk song writing duo consisting of multi-instrumentalists Cahir McLaughlin and Pearse Donaghy.
Starting in early 2022 the band embarked on an ambitious plan of self-recording their debut album ‘A Conversation’. ‘A Conversation,’ conceptually deals with issues of disillusionment and melancholy whilst living in post-pandemic, post-Troubles NI.
The band tethers their original songs together with snippets of candid interviews with members of the NI public, varying in age, gender, race and public influence to provide a level of necessary reality and diversity in perspective while dealing with this subject matter.
Their debut single 'Passerby' characterises the feeling of disenfranchisement and self-pity involved in the idea of missing a chance at something special, be that romantic, professional or otherwise and the simultaneous toil of accountability in these situations.
Jack Lukeman
Jack Lukeman is an Irish singer-songwriter, performer, raconteur and a whole lot more besides. A platinum-selling, critically acclaimed artist in his homeland, in recent years Lukeman has devoted more of his time to winning a growing fanbase in the UK and abroad. In this regard, he has toured the UK as Special Guest on tours by artists as varied as Imelda May, Jools Holland, The Proclaimers and Neil Sedaka. Along with the rest of the world Jack’s touring had all been moved several times then shelved. Finally, he returns to live shows in the UK, he hasn’t been idle in lockdowns, having performed 30+ livestreams, all different shows having learnt songs by some of his favoured artists, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen and many more. A live lockdown album came from those sessions and he came close to doubling his Facebook followers. Lukeman is a compelling, dazzling stage performer. Incorporating the theatrical and romantic sensibilities of the likes of Jacques Brel, but with genuine melodic appeal and a knack for creating his own ‘magic realist’ world that is peopled by all manner of unusual, picturesque characters - Lukeman is a rare, unusual brand of performer.
He headlined the 6,000 capacity 3Arena Dublin in November 2022.
The best music artists know that the world of the recording studio and onstage are two entirely different mediums – Lukeman’s recordings are colourful, absorbing collections, but it’s in the live environment, where his stage craft and desire to inspire really take flight. Despite the many achievements he has notched up in his lengthy career, Lukeman still has the hunger and drive to take his music to new audiences.
Chalk
Chalk is the three-piece project of Irish musicians and now Academy Award winning filmmakers.
Ross Cullen Benedict Goddard and Luke Niblock. The band was formed in 2019 after they met whilst studying film and realised they shared the same musical vision and ambitions. The trio sprung out of the gates live, supporting London's PVA in Dublin for their first ever show, before selling out their debut hometown headline in Belfast and embarking on a UK/IRE tour starting on the 6th May. The tour included two full capacity shows as part of the First Fifty at Brighton's 'The Great Escape' Festival.
With the release of their debut EP 'Conditions', the band interweave their industrial noise/techno
hybrid soundscape and the monochromatic gothic visual landscape they have created for themselves in an evocative and seamless manner.
The anthemic titular track 'Conditions' represents Chalk's exploration of everything life brings to us as human beings, both in our dreams and in our relationships, the deflating and the uplifting, the past and the future. It's about the seemingly eternal struggle to find out who we really are as
people, wrestling to discover what our purpose is... and where we belong in this world.
All Folk’d Up
All Folk’d Up offer fans an eclectic mix of classic sounds from Irish Folk and Rock music traditions, while still sprinkling their own unique, modern twist. Fans have become accustomed to hearing bouncing melodies, enticing lyrical stories, vintage Celtic-Rock sounds with jaw-dropping banjo progressions classic dance medleys.
Robocobra Quartet
Welcome to the complex world of Robocobra Quartet – a band serious about their music but humorous in their approach, including members with no musical training alongside members with music conservatoire pedigree. The result is a collective of musicians inspired by Stravinsky and Dead Kennedys in equal measures.
The NI Music Prize winners concoct a sound that is groove-driven but cerebral too, invoking the likes of Fugazi, Talking Heads and contemporaries such as Black Midi, Squid and BadBadNotGood. The free nature of the band's live shows led to them being embraced early on by jazz fanatics just as much as rock fans - once finding themselves in Europe touring a jazz club one night, a house show the next and a pop festival the night after that. These unmatched live performances often channel-hop from moments of joy and playfulness to periods of intense fury.
Dylan Kirk and the Killers
Dylan Kirk is the young piano bashing sensation straight out of 50’s USA by way of Kent. Inspired by his hero Jerry Lee Lewis, Dylan has blown the roof off venues around the UK with his Rockabilly and classic americana rock performances brimming with passion and an original take on a classic sound.
Cartin
Undoubtedly one of the most electrifying talents to emerge from Northern Ireland in recent years, Cartin’s animated performances and captivating electronic productions have cemented his status as ‘next up’ in Ireland, following a trailblazing path from recent breakthrough artists Kessler and Sputnik One. From winning AVA Emerging Producer 2020, Boiler Room performance and releases on Extended Play, Nocturne & Rudimentary Records, whilst Incorporating live guitar elements into almost everything he does, it’s these elements that ensure that Cartin stands out in a sea of the same.
Leo Miyagee
Leo Miyagee with his band is a captivating force in Irish hip-hop. Fresh from their dazzling debut at the Northern Ireland Music Prize last November and an exhilarating UK and Irish Tour, Leo Miyagee and his band exude an unparalleled presence.
Hailing from Belfast with Zimbabwean roots, they redefine the genre with their seamless synergy and remarkable talent. Miyagee's deft rap flows, insightful lyrics, and captivating beats create a transformative experience.
His highly anticipated "Camus" EP, launched in May 2023, followed the same upward trend and impact as his previously highly rated "Act III" EP featured in the Belfast Telegraph.
Brace yourself for this band's electrifying performances and raw energy that will leave an indelible mark. Get ready to be swept away by their exceptional artistry and unwavering passion. Leo Miyagee and his band are a must-see for hip-hop enthusiasts and lovers of exceptional music.
Rare Witch
Rare Witch is an artist, animator and musician from Belfast.
His music and live performances incorporate chaotic banjo playing with keyboard accompanied rap/poetry all fused together with abstract comedy and satirical social commentary.
He has released two albums through independent Northern Irish label GACK - “Shrap Rattle” a stripped back collection of alt-folk absurdist comedy songs, and “JYNX” a mix of unhinged, cosmic poverty laden hip-hop and surrealist poetry.
CAOIMHE b2b BRETT KYDD
County Antrim native Caoimhe began her DJ career in early 2019 and quickly rose up through the ranks, catching the eyes of industry tastemakers in Ireland and the UK.
Caoimhe had won three major DJ competitions in quick succession including a Breezeblock event to support Octo Octa, the AVA Festivals emerging DJ competition and the Mixmag and Coors Light DJ contest.
These competitions led to Caoimhe supporting Octa Octa for Breezeblock who have been running some of Belfast’s best club nights, opening up the coveted main stage at AVA Festival which is no mean feat for any DJ and lastly throwing it down at the Lab, London for Mixmag.
In 2022 and 2023 Caoimhe was shortlisted for best Irish Electronic artist in the Hot Press reader’s poll. In 2022 Caoimhe recorded a set in the prestigious Hor Berlin and later returned earlier this year for round two.
Caoimhe has a broad spanning sound that routes around house, acid and electro and superbly executes long and short blends with adroitness and ferocity when needed.
Caoimhe has been known to play a rather up tempo and pumping style of house music, with lots of catchy vocals, bouncy baselines and uplifting chords.
MIDNIGHT XPRESS
From Greenisland, Aaron started off in F2D in our forest raves, done the circuit in NI in the likes of District in Belfast and is now playing the Rong Festival in Manchester. Holding a residency in Edinburgh and has played alongside the likes of Maddix and Ben Nicky.
BONKA
Local hero from Coleraine, also a firm favourite in our forest raves is now playing all over the UK including Fusion, Elysium and MLV Studio at Meraki in Liverpool.
8TRAK
F2D co-founder and resident. Presenter on EastCoast 107.6FM (Scotland), signed to DNZ Records, Fatal Energy Records and Mayhem Elite Records. Played alongside Multunes, Dave Pearce, Scott Brown, Symmetrik and Lady Dammage.
LEE HANNAH
Resident at F2D. Never missed an F2D, never let us down. Played all over NI including Traks, Skylite Dance Festival in Warrenpoint and Fluid in Glengormley.
Caitlyn Henning
Caitlyn describes her style as pop/folk music inspired by artists like Phoebe bridges, Lizzie McAlpine, Taylor Swift and Grace Abrams. The songs she performs are thoughtful with an upbeat feel. During performances she accompanies herself live with her guitar and/or piano.
Albert Cummings
Ever since the release of his first album in 2003, the blues world has opened its doors for Albert Cummings. A singer and guitarist who has played with many of the greatest players of the modern era, Cummings has received the kind of recognition that few others do.
CBAKL
CBAKL is an alternative hip hop artist producing eclectic beats drawing influence from jazz, R&B, soul and house. Starting out uploading tracks to SoundCloud aged 15, he began gaining an organic following online and has now progressed to becoming one of Ireland’s most in demand beatmakers. Successfully transitioning focus from SoundCloud to Spotify & Apple Music, he has amassed over 10 million streams across various platforms and had two songs featured on the RTE show Kin, starring Aiden Gillen (Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders) and Emmett J. Scanlan (Peaky Blinders, The Fall) and supervised by David Holmes. Joining Word Up Collective in early 2022, he released two more soul sampling singles - 'man she loves' and 'new girls every night' - before starting work on a brand new project featuring some of the most exciting musicians in Ireland, Northern Ireland and the UK, the lead single of which saw him collaborate with Yorkshire MC Chiedu Oraka. In January 2023 he premiered cbakl: seanfhocail at TradFest Temple Bar, a reimagining of traditional music for the modern age combining archive samples with hip hop, eclectic beats, spoken word, jazz, R&B, soul and house and will release a new EP in the autumn.
Rhinos
RHINOS music is influenced by garage rock, dub, psychedelic rock, blues, metal, punk rock, progressive rock, soul, jazz, and unusual song structures.
RHINOS main driving force is to keep the back line simple & low fi, using no peddles, no synths, just experimenting with vocals, drums and electric guitar to explore new sounds & song structures and rhythms. Basically trying and achieving a sound that makes 2 people sound like 4.
RHINOS were formed in 2016 by Paul Currie (ex TART, SINCH & TRAPPER JON) with drummer Laura Totten, the line up has changed a several times over the years.
Since 2022 RHINOS now features the multi talented drummer & percussionist Brendan Scullion (NI Soul Troop, Triggertone).
Cello Fella
Phil Taggarts House Party
Join Phil Taggart for his pumping BBC Radio Ulster show live at Stendhal
Hugo Duncan Show Live
Hugo Duncan presents all the best from the world of country music - including old favourites and all the best new tracks.
Thom Southern
In art, as with life, journeys worth taking don’t always have one beginning. It’s something Irish singer-songwriter Thom Southern seems to grasp intuitively. After a decade of helming musical projects, Southern and MMODE with his sister, the singer-songwriter Lucy Gaffney, he’s taking a new musical desire path to embrace vulnerability, fresh collaboration, and his long-held love of lo-fidelity.
THE SABREJETS
Now into their third decade of knocking audiences dead with their unique brand of revved up rockabilly and two-fisted, ton-up rock’n’roll, Belfast’s Greaser Kings, The Sabrejets, continue firing on all cylinders and show no signs of stopping.
With a heap of killer releases on some of the world’s hippest rockin’ labels worldwide, their latest album, “The Restless Kind” on Raucous Records, sold out in record time while they’ve been blowing roofs off clubs and festivals throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe with their incendiary live shows.
The Sabrejets take no prisoners.
Rosborough
A Stendhal stalwart, Rosborough can send shivers down your spine with a single note. His live performances are always beautifully spellbinding.
Waldorf and Cannon
Waldorf & Cannon are an alternative multi-instrumentalist duo from Derry & Donegal whose live performances are always energetic and loud.
The Gatefolds
The Gatefolds are a 4-piece rock (psychedelic, garage punk, ass-kicking, grudge-holding) band from Derry.
Don’t Fear the Natives
Donegal alt-rockers Don't Fear The Natives combine Crashing guitars with delicate harmonies.
Foreign Mornings
Fast Paced, Alt Rock N Roll, rooted in the 90's.
Ethan Hollan
Ethan Hollan is an Asian indie/alternative artist, born and raised in Ireland. “Ethan Hollan's latest solo single 'Love Bite' is immediately enchanting.” – YEO Magazine. “Ethan Hollan you have a fan out of me” - Gemma Bradley, BBC Introducing Across the Line.
The Gatefolds
The Gatefolds began in 2011, a four piece guitar psyche/garage band from Derry City. With wide ranging influences, from Wire to James Brown, from The Velvet Underground to Sonic Youth. The band the past decade and a bit have been busy writing performing and releasing their music, which has gained them airplay both locally and nationally. The band have recently released their album
"Con Job". New releases and further shows planned, with their debut at The Stendhal music festival included.
Delta Minor
Delta Minor are a four-piece alt-rock band based in Buncrana, Co. Donegal. Formed in 2019, their influences include Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters and Kings of Leon. After working as a cover band for the past year and gigging around Buncrana, they are now working on their debut album.
Tessio
A singer-songwriter duo from Derry, (Callum Feeney, 23 and Jude McCandless, 23) who write, perform and produce all of our own music. The main influences on our music would be Simon and Garfunkel and maybe most importantly, The Everly Brothers. We have been gigging around Derry City and Belfast quite steadily for the past year or so and are delighted with the response we've gotten, supporting notable acts such as The Hothouse Flowers and The Four of Us. 'simplelovesong' is the single off of our first EP, 'EP1', which tries to incorporate a number of different genres and styles while also utilising a small-space vibe with acoustic instruments.
Phillip Steele
Philip Steele is a singer/songwriter who started out at the age of 13 by creating a range of instrumental ambient music, focusing mainly on neo-classical solo piano. Now he turns his sights to writing and recording independent songs.
Oscar Jennings
Oscar Jennings is an 18-year-old singer songwriter from Derry, who has been performing and singing from a young age, beginning to learn guitar and piano at the age of 5. He has been writing and showcasing his own songs since the age of 14, playing solo around various venues around Derry in venues such as An Culturlann, Bennigans and the Nerve Centre. He has also performed at various festivals, including Stendhal and the Youth19 festival of 2019, and has been the guitarist for the group The Henry Girls.
EXPLOSION SOUND SYSTEM
Igniting Belfast with Authentic Reggae Vibes since 2002
Explosion Sound System, Northern Ireland's Original Reggae Sound System, has emerged as a driving force in the city's music scene since its establishment in 2002. With their dynamic performances and authentic Reggae sound, the locally-rooted collective, powered by their custom built sound system, has captivated audiences and fostered unity and positive energy among music enthusiasts.
Elixir Hip-Hop Showcase hosted by Antidote Sound System DJ's & Belfast Groove Collective
Belfast Groove Collective
Belfast groove collective are a multi-instrumentalist group specialising in Hip Hop, Soul, R&B & Jazz. Building a solid foundation by providing a live band feel for some of the isles best emerging hip hop and R&B talent, they have already solidified themselves as one of Belfast’s most exciting live acts. Fresh off the back of supporting the mighty Children of Zeus, they just keep delivering with a roster of some of your favourite Irish artists.
Jay Suttin
Jay Suttin is a rapper and spoken word artist from the 'norfkoast' of Ireland. Jay has been dipped deep in Irish hip hop for a decade; from raucous beginnings with the DBMCs and the 'GYRO' events, to now as solo artist in his own right and creator of 'G A C K' - an artist run independent record label and music collective boasting talent from all over the top half of Ireland.
Ever the cunning linguist with one of the strongest pen games in the country and a myriad of flows at his disposal across various flavours of hip hop, trap, grime, garage, dnb and whatever else you can drop a break beat in. An energetic and enigmatic performer who has graced stages all over Ireland and beyond, expect an in your face and dynamic live set delivered with all the poise and vigour of a seasoned MC at the top of his game.
Check out recent singles 'Changa' and 'No Bits' featuring label mate Don Chi available now from all digital music stores and streaming services along with a hefty back catalogue, and scope his music videos along with releases from all of the G A C K artists on their YouTube channel.
Don Chi
Don Chi 27 Filipina-Irish Rap artist hailing from Belfast. Under the label GACK. Introduced into Irish Hip Hop by Rosco Sauce July 2019 by attending local open mic competitions and cyphers, along with cameo performances for events like ELIXIR, 5th Element and Breaking Down Borders. With great guidance from her peers, Chi found sound with boom bap, trap, RnB, afro beat productions & won her first debut set at open mic for Dirty Dike which led her to make an official debut on the 29/02/2020.
August 2020 Chi joined the label GACK with a collective of some of the best underground artists from Northern Ireland. Shortly, the Vortex EP was born with accompanying music videos by Jay Suttin & Skeet 89.
Working with local artists and producers like Jack Bashful, following up with features from the south of Ireland with Hazey Haze & Krome with the track Taxi Driver and a few more international features & solo singles.
Mindesigns
Part of a flurry of fresh talent that emerged at a new dawn for Belfast hip-hop in 2012 as a member of the 028 collective, Mindesigns talent was obvious from the get-go. After a verse on local classic Reasons, a sporadic output was given quite the upheaval through the release of three projects in just a matter of months IN 2022/23 (NOW WE’RE GETTING TO THE REASON, Lewnyverse & Reprobates In Retrograde) the West Belfast MC has cemented his position as one of the North’s top rappers, fulfilling the potential that was clear from the outset. Own brand slickness, unique Belfast references and a loose Irish writer’s style have the MC in his own lane as a true stand out talent.
Big Don 028
Another product of the 028 collective, also hailing from West Belfast, Big Don is a bilingual MC weaving both Irish and English into his writing and bouncy flows with ease. Catchy, anthemic hooks and songs that stick in your head are specialities for the artist whose first big single Coimhéad an Cú (BARKING) blew up, setting the stage for what was to come. 2020’s More Blacks, More Dogs, More Irish EP was received with great applause in the local hip-hop community and beyond, leading to a support slot for Kneecap at a sold-out Telegraph Building.
DohFada
Completing our West Belfast trifecta is an artist that is enjoying a tremendous year since truly bursting on to the scene in full in recent months after playing the background, quietly perfecting his craft. Dohfada, now installed as the permanent host of Elixir, bosses the stage with infectious charisma and trademark powerful vocals that lifts everyone in the room and the whole show to new heights. The MC has really made a name for himself at open mics and has played a starring role in the already famous Belfast Groove Collective monthly improv jams held the first Monday of every month in Laverys. Though release shy at the minute, his absolute epic Fading Away has been wowing audiences at every performance.
