Farmleigh Affair 08 -Monday
OPW's Pleasure Grounds in Farmleigh host a musical affair in August Bank Holiday
Sunday 3rd – Monday 4th August 2008
The Pleasure Grounds, Farmleigh, Phoenix Park, Dublin 15
Event is FREE but Ticketed
To book: www.farmleighaffair.com (from 4th July)
Monday 4th August: Motema | Mor Karbasi | Lo Cor De La Plana | Iarla Ó Lionáird & Invisible Fields | Grupo Fantasma
Is there another summer music festival that loves you like The Farmleigh Affair?
With two days of performances from many of the worlds leading musicians, minutes from Dublin's centre yet in one of its most beautiful garden settings, and tickets entirely free, we think not.
Building on the Affair's growing reputation as the strongest world music line up of the summer , we've assembled some exotic musical blooms to further adorn Farmleigh's scenic Pleasure Grounds, with artists traveling from France, The UK, Congo, Cape Verde, Portugal, The Gambia and The US to perform over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Joining them are leading groups from right across the Irish spectrum, from choral to traditional music.
Following on from Juldeh Camara on Sunday, our African theme continues into Monday 4th with an opening set from Motema, Ireland's first authentic soukous band, led by Congolese guitarist and proud Corkman since 2004 Niwel Tsumbu.
With a Moroccan mother and a Persian father, London based Israeli singer Mor Karbasi also brings us evidence of how migration drives music in today's Europe. She's also a beautifully emotive singer, especially in Ladino, the old language of the Sephardic Jews, and their poignant songs heavily influenced by flamenco and Moorish culture.
Language is also at the heart of Lo Còr De La Plana, who are reviving Occitan, the dialect of their native Marseilles. They're one of the most arresting sights you'll see this summer, six youthful and full blooded singers with nothing but foot stomps, hand claps and North African frame drums for accompaniment, belting out the acapella dance tunes they've saved from obscurity with a rhythmic gusto that's simply irresistible.
If its voices you're after, few remain unmoved by that of Iarla Ó Lionáird, who performs at The Farmleigh Affair with Invisible Fields, the group that places the sean nós songs of his native Cuil Aodha in a dramatic electronic domain, where that contrast of new and old, digital and acoustic, is made bolder with the recent addition of fiddler of the moment Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh.
Fittingly, the closer for our culturally diverse, musically uplifting send off to the last bank holiday of the summer will also be a wrap party for Grupo Fantasma, winding up a long summer on the road that has taken in festivals like Montreal Jazz, Dranouter and North Sea before they head back to their home base in Austin, Texas. Not for nothing have Fantasma earned a reputation as today's hottest, hardest working Latin Orchestra, where they've been opening for Prince's American dates, serving up some seriously funky salsa and old school boogaloo,
There'll be refreshments available, along with tasty treats from organic producers to keep you going, and Farmleigh is the perfect spot for a picnic if you want to bring your own spread. If it's all too much excitement, you can always relax with a stroll in the gardens, a look around the galleries, or take a tour of the historic house.
The Farmleigh Affair is completely free but you will require tickets, limited to four per person and available from www.farmleighaffair.com from Friday 4th July onwards. Going by last year, we anticipate huge demand for this unique and much anticipated event so apply early!
Party over here, as Lord Iveagh might put it.
