Another Love Story review: Storm Betty fails to dampen festival-goers' spirits in Co Meath
Another Love Story took place at Killyon Manor, Co Meath. Picture: Allen Kiely
Another weekend, another camping music festival, and another weather warning. The boutique festival Another Love Story took place at Killyon Manor, Co Meath, on August 18-20, with Storm Betty arriving at almost the exact same time as tents were being erected on Friday evening. The rain was as bad as expected, but well, music fans have become used to that this festival season. From Body & Soul and Beyond the Pale on the Solstice weekend in June to Indiependence and All Together Now on the August bank holiday weekend, none have escaped downpours or worse.
Sandwiched between All Together Now and the end-of-summer Electric Picnic, Another Love Story couldn’t be more different to those much bigger propositions. Running since 2014 at the 18th-century manor home, the capacity is only about 1,500-2,000, the stages are bespoke, and details around the site are exquisite, lanterns and installations helping people on their festival journey. Unlike many other, much bigger propositions, there’s very little corporate input or advertising. It’s refreshing. It’s also dog-friendly, which might have helped a couple of hungover heads.
Music wise, Another Love Story focuses on putting Irish acts front and centre, from up-and-comers to established acts. One of the most exciting bands we’ve seen live this summer is the alt-dance two-piece The Cope, whose scale is widescreen. Only a going concern for about a year, highlights include a sensational cover of 'Everything but the Girl’s Missing', and their own, storming 'Back on my Bullshit'. They’ll blow your muddy socks off.
The curation of Another Love Story is exemplary, with Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh easing us into Saturday shenanigans in the early afternoon, and the Cork-based country covers band Moonshine Gladbach doing similar 24 hours later. Yee-haw!
What’s unique about the festival is that it concludes on Sunday evening, allowing attendees to get back to their own beds that night. But thankfully the sun beats down as Lisa Hannigan (a cover of Sinéad O’Connor’s 'Black Boys on Mopeds' is stunning) and Martin Hayes send us home happy, the latter revelling in improvisation to match the crowd’s enthusiasm. He’s a one-man hooley.
But before all that, when the sun goes down on Friday and Saturday, the DJs come out - and the choice at Another Love Story is pitch-perfect, the likes of Mano Le Tough, Donal Dineen, Cian Ó Cíobháin (bonus points for finishing with Sammy Davis Jr’s 'Rhythm of Life'), and the cooler-than-cool Charlie Bones heaping on the vibe.
With inspiring talks, river dips, saunas, workshops, and a genuinely touching Sinéad O’Connor tribute in the church in the forest, Another Love Story lets you choose your own adventure. It may not be as well known as others on the festival circuit, but it will linger long in the memory. The mud is temporary, the love is forever.
