Local Acts play All Together Now Festival

All Together Now 2019

by Michelle Heffernan
All Together Now
This weekend the inaugural All Together Now Festival will launch in Curraghmore Estate, Waterford, with 10,000 people flocking to Portlaw to see ten stages of world famous music, comedy, arts, theatre and spoken word. Michelle Heffernan caught up with three fantastic local acts, who amazingly have been invited by All Together Now to perform at this major international music and arts event.
 

Anna Jordan and ModwordsLocal acts Play All Together Now

 
Modwords is a literary hub in Waterford city founded by writer and playwright Anna Jordan. It provides a platform for creative people to develop their work and showcase it to the public
When did Modwords begin? How has it grown from a small act to a major attraction at this international music and arts festival?
I started it as a spoken word open mic over two years ago and since then it has developed into writing classes, event management, original productions, mental health development and it has just wrapped up the second year of it’s very own  festival- the  Modwordsfest. I really like to focus on modwords being a safe place to air your work. Everybody has a voice and all voices should be respected. Bring sound to each others vulnerability can only bring good things.
Who will be taking to the ATN stage?
Three of the modwords group will take to the ATN stage.Myself Anna Jordan (founder) ,Nicola Clooney and Alana Daly Mulligan. Nic and Alana brought modwords up to Cork with them and hold regular modwords open mics.
How did you feel when you were announced to be on the ATN line-up?
About as frightened and as excited as I am right now. There is a little ball of sick/fear at the tip of my stomach. That will stay there until this is over.
 What can someone expect to find when going to see Modwords in the All Curious Minds section of ATN?
Word vomits from me. Ha. Well, myself, nic and Alana are three entirely different writers. I’m ancient and they are both young women. So a variety of delivery, views, styles and words.
Who are you excited to see yourself at ATN?
Fleet Foxes and Neil Holborn. And absolutely everyone. Ms Khan and I have to be best buds also.
 How do you feel to be representing Waterford’s talent at this massive event in one of the most beautiful parts of the Deise?
Absolutely terrified. Like, more than terrified. Entirely excited. Then back to more than terrified.
 What will be next in store for Modwords?
What’s not in store for modwords. The next year is going to be spectacular and massive. Classes start back in September with a bigger picture agenda. And all is about to up it’s game. I’m very excited. Also exhausted. But it’s worth it.
See www.facebook.com/modwordswaterford/ for more info on Anna Jordan and Modwords
 

Basciville – Lorcan and Cillian Byrne

Local Acts Play Altogether Now
Brothers Lorcan and Cillian from Fethard on Sea , Wexford, both studied Music here at WIT, and since then have formed Basciville, a band that’s steadily gaining international recognition due to the brothers’ breath-taking , soulful and folksy sounds.
You guys both went studied music at Waterford Institute of Technology. How does it feel to be coming back to Waterford to play a major international festival?
It feels great, it’s the festival we wanted to play the most this year. We’re completely sold on everything we’ve heard about it so far.
 All Together Now describes your sound as “wide-eyed pop and wilderness folk”. For someone new to your music, how would you describe your sound?
That’s an interesting take. I would say it’s folk and r&b music combined cinematic soundscapes and modern production. Bit of a mouthful.
Aside from All Together Now, what gigs or venues do you have lined up over the next year? Are you playing any other major festivals?
We’ll be doing some tours to promote some releases so we’re pretty excited for that. This will be our last major festival for the summer period, we can’t think of a better one to end on
What artists are you looking forward to seeing yourselves at All Together Now?
There’s so many. Obviously Fleet Foxes and First Aid Kit will be high on the list, Thundercat, Talos, Saint Sister, This Is The Kit, The ocelots and Mongoose to name just a few off the top of our heads.
For those of us who can’t make it to the festival, where can we find your music? You’ll find us on Spotify as well as some videos on youtube and apple music. All the usual places.
 Is Waterford one of the best places to play?
Haha of course, no better place boy.
 

Seán Dunne and Waterford LIT

Local acts Play Altogether Now
The LIT Waterford is an annual young writer’s festival, the first of its kind not only in Ireland, but in Europe. It is all planned, run and managed by the a committee of young people in Waterford
When did Waterford Lit begin? How has it grown from a small act to a major attraction at this international music and arts festival?
Initial planning for our festival began as a simple idea during one of our Saturday writing workshops in 2016. We sent off for funding with our fingers crossed and were lucky enough to get some. With that we set forth planning for our festival in baby steps, until we soon started gaining some traction with things. We found ourselves with an amazing line up of authors in 2017, such as; Kevin Barry, Lisa McInerney, Colm Keegan and many more. We are looking to improve and better ourselves heading into our second year as an established festival. Fingers crossed on that one too.
 What can a visitor to the festival expect to see from Waterford this weekend?
We can only hope to sally some of that youthful energy that young people are so often told they have, however cliché that may be to say. And we’ll hopefully be able to dazzle you with some of Waterfords finest teenage angst and poetry. I wouldn’t miss it if I were you, its a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Who are you excited to see yourself at ATN?
For one I am very excited to see First Aid Kit. I have listened to them for years now and I could not of imagined I would ever get an opportunity to actually see them live. ‘Wolf’ and ‘My Silver Lining’ would have to be two of my favourite songs, but they have a wealth of great ones. Secondly I am very excited to see Saul Williams. I find his work deeply moving. ‘Amethyst Rock’ for instance really sends a shiver up my spine. The sheer and unrelenting energy in which he puts into his pieces would have you watching in awe.
Are you proud to be showcasing the Deise’s own talent at this multinational event?
Absolutely. I could not be happier to help represent the eight wonder of the world that is Waterford city and county. What better place to come from than the old white and blue.
What will be next in store for Waterford Lit?
This year we are looking to expand and improve upon last year. Showcasing some of Irelands finest writers along the way and giving young people an opportunity to be able to interact with their more creative side. Writing is an art form like no other. It connects the writer to themselves and the world around them. To be able to bring that joy to a few unsuspecting faces would be, in my opinion at least, the ultimate goal of any festival. We’ll be coming back bigger and better this November 9th and 10th so make sure you find yourself in Waterford, and we’ll be seeing you there.
 For more information on All Together Now Music & Arts Festival see www.alltogethernow.ie