A GREAT lineup that includes The Delines, Jesse Dayton, The Hanging Stars, Jake Xerxes Fussell, Joana Serrat, Margo Cilker, His Lordship, TK & The Holy Know-Nothings, The Remedy Club and Danny George Wilson are set to entertain at 23rd Kilkenny Roots Festival from Friday, April 29 until Monday, May 2.
Acts come from the US, UK, Spain, Austria and Ireland.
Many shows are already sold out, including The Delines, Jake Xerxes Fussell, TK & The Holy Know-Nothings, The Hanging Stars and Margo Cilker.
In addition to the ticketed shows, there will be 60 gigs on the free Smithwick’s Music Trail in venues throughout Kilkenny city.
The festival kicks off with The Remedy Club in Billy Byrnes on the Friday and continues with an amazing musical lineup until the grand finale in Kyteler’s on Monday May 2 with Jesse Dayton and his band from Texas.
Tickets for the individual shows are available through the festival website, https://kilkennyroots.com/
Here’s what the critics are saying the weekend’s line-up
THE DELINES
“The backing band delivers a soft, minimalist, soulful, and mostly noir cinematic soundscape over which Vlautin’s stories about desperate characters unfold through Boone’s nuanced, emotive vocals. The subtle power is riveting, completely enrapturing the listener and leaving an indelible impact.”
Glide Magazine
HIS LORDSHIP
The new project from guitarist James Walbourne (The Pretenders, The Pogues, The Rails) and Kristoffer Sonne (The Pretenders, Willie Nelson), His Lordship is the sound of Walbourne unleashed as a frontman; a furious riot of raging guitar and perverted drums from another dimension.
DANNY GEORGE WILSON
Danny George Wilson (Grand Drive/Danny & The Champions Of The World/Bennett Wilson Poole) presents a vibrant and diverse collection of startling, impressionistic songs created in collaboration with Sussex-based, studio wizard Hamish Benjamin. This collision of straightforward, traditional songwriting with experimentation and noise, brings a fresh and engrossing magic, enabling some of Danny’s most romantic songs ever but equally some of his most unhinged.
JAKE XERXES FUSSELL
“Fussell is a snappy, unshowy guitar player whose crisp picking adds flair to the occasionally odd imagery of his reclaimed lyrics, a song collector with unimpeachable taste as well as a thorough knowledge of the American folk catalogue, and in particular a singer whose voice is robust yet gentle, always conveying the humanity of the songs he sings.”
Uncut Magazine, Album of the Month
MARGO CILKER. (Both shows Sold Out)
“Pohorylle (her new album) is classic Americana – mostly carried by piano, guitar and strings – awash with grace, wisdom and allusive wordplay. Cilker only has a handful of EPs to her name, but it feels like the work of a truly seasoned talent.”
Uncut Magazine
TK & THE HOLY KNOW-NOTHINGS
TK & The Holy Know-Nothings is perhaps Taylor Kingman’s most beloved project. Half-dutifully and half-facetiously self-dubbed “psychedelic doom boogie,” the group was born out of Kingman’s desire to create a loose, groove-heavy bar band that never sacrifices the importance of good, honest songwriting.
THE HANGING STARS
“The London five-piece do an accomplished take on the late-1960s sound of Los Angeles, where folk-rock bands such as the Byrds and Love met the cosmic country of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris.”
The Times UK
JOANA SERRAT
“Hailing from near Barcelona, Joana Serrat is one of the unexpected European treasures in the ever-expanding genre of Americana. Her fifth album, all recorded in Texas with producer Ted Young (perhaps best known for working with Sonic Youth), is another treat that hints at yet even bigger things. Our guess is that it will sound incredible live. ”
Holler Magazine
JESSE DAYTON.
“Jesse Dayton Is the Opinionated Songwriter That Americana Needs. He’s played with Waylon, Cash, and Duff McKagan, but the Texas motormouth is at his best when he’s singing his own tune.”
Rolling Stone
THE REMEDY CLUB
“The Remedy Club might have been Ireland’s best-kept musical secret, but with its nutritious stew of Americana, Country, Roots and Rock, True Hand True Heart should put an end to all that. All in all, this is one album you could survive a lockdown with.”
Hotpress Magazine
RÓNÁN HESSION & WILLY VLAUTIN in conversation
A unique opportunity to explore the common ground and differences in their music and writing.
* Further enquiries to: John Cleere, Festival Director. Tel 0868146421 info@kilkennyroots.com
