www.sligolive.ie

Once again Sligo’s dynamic musical heritage was celebrated over the October Bank Holiday weekend at SLIGO LIVE FESTIVAL, Ireland’s folk, roots and indie music Festival bringing leading Irish and International Artists to Sligo. The Festival had an attendance of over 40,000 people at the 100 different Concert, Festival Club, Sessions, Café Culture, and market events that made up the festival weekend. It is the biggest crowd in Sligo since the All Ireland Fleadh in 1991. The Festival has grown considerably over the last 7 years and brought an estimated €4.5 million into Sligo over the 6 days.

Despite the current climate, figures were up on last year, it has been a hugely successful Festival with tickets to nearly all concerts selling out and the buzz around town was electrifying. This Festival is a huge boost to Sligo’s Economy at a time when we need it and equally important it brightens the dark days between Summer and Christmas. There was a great atmosphere throughout the 6 days.

Festival Organisers Shane Mitchell and Rory O’Connor have turned this event into one of Ireland’s fastest growing Music Festivals and have firmly put SLIGO LIVE on the International Festival map. This year’s Sligo Live featured 100 performances and 400 performers over 6 days and included Elvis Costello and KT Tunstall, Hayseed Dixie and THE UNWANTED

Sligo Live’s partnership with Celtic Connections and investment from Creative Scotland (Scotland’s Arts Council) brought artists from Scotland’s hotbed of emerging talent including Rachel Sermanni Experience, Admiral Fallow, The Dirty Beggars, Rura and The Friels who joined Sligo’s own The JPTrio and the wonderful The Staves, Ambiance Affair, The Gorgeous Colours, Henrietta Game, Oddsocks Revival and The Barley Mob.

Our own Arts Council supported an amazing traditional programme including Matt Molloy, John Carty, Arty McGlynn, Seamus Begley and Tim Hedey and Maurice Lennon, The Fiddler of Dooney and Traditional Sessions all day and night. Everywhere there was a roof in Sligo there was music. And if this wasn’t enough, this year’s Festival also featured an Emerging Artists Showcase. Over 70 of the North West’s young and emerging musicians enjoyed a Sligo Music Industry Day where top industry players imparted their wisdom on how to get your music heard.

Sligo Live joined with writers and theatre companies to introduce UNDER BARE BEN BULBEN’S HEAD: an innovative and compelling new spoken word dimension.

The amazing thing about Sligo Live is the fusion of indie, folk, trad, bluegrass, blues, rock, jazz, roots & soul and the enthusiastic mix of young emerging talent with established artists. It’s a joy to watch them working on their craft together. This is a festival of real music and real musicians. Their love of music was palpably enjoyed by punters who know and love their music. This wasn’t a festival about ‘do your gig and go home’! This was a festival about ‘do your gig, rush to other gigs and all join up later for the most amazing jam sessions fusing an incredible mix of musical genres and even an hilarious World Air Fiddle Competition which brought the house down’!

SLIGO LIVE is one of the top music and fun weekends of the year. Artists mingled freely with the audiences and the atmosphere in the festival club each evening was amazing. www.sligolive.ie

For further information contact:
Carmody Smith PR
Mob: 086 1741882
aine@carmodysmithpr.com
Website: www.sligolive.ie