Five Ways To Get Your Music Festival Fix From Home
For the first summer in years, tents all over Ireland will remain in the attic, as music festivals are cancelled – but as the famous saying goes, the beat goes on! And while decamping to sites across the country might not be an option, there are still plenty ways to bring some of the spirit of the summer to your sitting room – without a wellie in sight! So grab your bucket hat and baby wipes, because we’ve selected some of the most exciting ways to keep the music alive; here’s how to get a taste of terrific tunage right at home…
YOUR STREAM LINEUP
All over the planet, artists in isolation have been streaming performances – and from live sessions to seminal recordings, there’s eons to enjoy! Already, star-studded line-ups like those of the live spectacular Room Service and the archive-raiding PlayOn Fest have soundtracked entire weekends, with more to look out for in the weeks ahead. It’s a similar story here at home; from Snow Patrol to Smoothboy Ezra, veterans and newcomers alike have been singing their hearts out live in their living rooms. Our pick of the bunch? Perhaps where the two collide; Radiohead’s seminal set recorded in Dublin many years ago!
GO BEHIND THE SCENES
Peeking into the living rooms of the stars is merely the start of it; the shutdown has allowed a full-on look at what goes on when your favourite music is being made. Take Irish electronic star Daithí as an example; across three marathon videos, he created an entire song from scratch! If you’ve got a passion for music production then it’s a must watch, but if you’ve ever found yourself tearing up the dancefloor to ‘Mary Keane’s Introduction’, then it’s an eye-opening look at how it all comes together…
MAKE IT A MOVIE
From cracking concert films to deep-dive documentaries, there’s some truly spellbinding stuff out there to enjoy while waiting for a return to the live arena. Netflix has a raft of live shows from the likes of Beyonce and Bruce Springsteen – without leaving the ‘B’ section! – while Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and more have got the documentary treatment. Over on Sky Arts (Virgin TV 141), meanwhile, you’ll find everything from special series to live performances plucked from every genre imaginable; no matter what your taste, you’ll surely find something to tickle your fancy!
DO IT YOURSELF
Got a dusty guitar in the corner? Now’s the time to put it to good use! On top of all the usual online resources to swot up on scales and solfa, some familiar faces have been sharing their tricks. Myleene’s Music Klass is to music what Joe Wicks is to PE – but with bonus points for a puntastic name – but it’s indie luminary Laura Marling who’s really stolen the show, offering twice-weekly guitar tutorials on her Instagram. We can’t promise you’ll be ready for Longitude 2021, but at least it will help pass the time until then!
JUST LISTEN!
While you might not be able to add to your list of gigs anytime soon, there’s reams of new releases to slot into your rotation of go-to records – and some of them are truly special. Fiona Apple’s Fetch The Bolt Cutters earned the first perfect review on Pitchfork for almost a decade, while Childish Gambino’s 3.15.20 has been hailed as a hip-hop album for the ages. Throw in the aforementioned Laura Marling’s mesmeric Song For Our Daughter, Soccer Mommy’s superb color theory, the electrifying – and almost eponymous – I’m Your Empress Of, and you’ll have plenty to swot up on before next year’s festival season rolls around!
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