Music Minds gets political in Co Clare

The Music Minds event in Co Clare provided interesting discussions and some great music, writes Ellie O’Byrne

If Irish musicians feel under-resourced and unappreciated, they, like the rest of the population, should put their votes to use in the upcoming general election.

That was the message Eleanor McEvoy, chairman of the Irish Musicians Right’s Organisation (IMRO) had at Music Minds, a festival for musicians as much as it is a music festival, in Co Clare last weekend.

McEvoy, the performer and songwriter best known for her work on Woman’s Heart, the most successful album in Irish chart history, said musicians are vulnerable to societal trends like high rents.

“What the younger crew go through now is 10 times harder than what I went through starting out,” McEvoy said. “I had a cheap bedsit, and that allowed me a lot of freedom.”

Eleanor McEvoy at Music Minds in Co Clare.

She said IMRO would publish details of all music-related policy contained in party manifestos in the lead-up to the election. “We’re not telling people who to vote for,” she said. “But if these things are bothering you, you can vote. We’ll publish a list to help inform people’s choices.”

Following an inaugural single-day event last year, this year’s ambitious three-day programme aimed to cement the festival’s position in the calendar as a musician-led industry think tank, as well as a chance for fans to get out and hear some great music in the relaxed surroundings of off-season Doolin.

Friday night saw Kilkenny electronic duo Solkatt launch their debut album. On Saturday, all-day workshops for aspiring musicians included one in music software Ableton led by Cork DJ and Producer Bantum. Panel discussions in the larger venue included Steve Wall of The Stunning delving into the world of audio-mastering alongside three respected mastering engineers.

Wall has focused on his increasingly successful acting career in recent years, following appearances on series including Vikings and The Witcher.

Steve Wall and Fergal Davis at Music Minds in Co Clare.

Singer-songwriter Emma Langford bookended her insightful contribution as panellist on The Irish Music Industry Podcast’s clinic by performing two of her lovely and ingenious songs.

The day’s talks gave way to a night line-up of music dominated by Ennis native SON’s set. Susan O’Neill (SON), whose star is most certainly in the ascendant, is revealing herself as a multi-instrumentalist of ever-increasing polish and presence. She even invited her younger brother, hip-hop artist Eoin O’Neill, onstage for a couple of songs.

The festival wound down Sunday morning with a panel discussion on music in rural Ireland. Has digitisation dissolved the presumption that, for “mainstream” success, musicians should move to Dublin to further their careers? It was a question worth considering on the road to and from Doolin, passing Co Clare signposts for Milltown Malbay, Kilfenora and Lisdoonvarna, in one of Ireland’s musical heartlands.