All Together Now: All Together eclectic assembly of the arts

More than 20,000 people descended on the grounds of Curraghmore Estate, Co Waterford, for the fifth edition of All Together Now

James Vincent McMorrow, fresh from a US tour, headlined the first night of All Together Now. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

More than 20,000 people descended on the grounds of picturesque Curraghmore Estate, Co Waterford, yesterday for the fifth edition of All Together Now.

It marks the start of a busy month for music and festivals, with Electric Picnic in a fortnight and four Coldplay gigs at Croke Park from August 29 to September 2.

ATN organisers, as usual, might be cursing the weather — a beautiful week of glorious sunshine gives way to downpours throughout yesterday as most people begin to arrive, laden down with their tents. An audible cry of delight breaks across the site at around 6pm as the sun returns. Coats are discarded, sunglasses are donned... and then it starts lashing again.

Today is supposed to be delightful. We hope it is anyway. And we won’t talk about tomorrow just yet.

Headliners last night included English singer Jorja Smith and Irish troubadour James Vincent McMorrow, the latter fresh from a US tour, roaring his way through his critically- acclaimed seventh album Wide Open, Horses.

The rest of the weekend features the likes of The National, regular visitors to these shores, while The Prodigy and Future Islands close proceedings tomorrow night.

There was disappointment for some as Róisín Murphy was a late withdrawal due to sickness.

The Wailers are one of the festival highlights tomorrow, marking 40 years since the release of Bob Marley’s ‘Legend’. File Picture

Look beyond the headliners and there’s a bevy of delights for the discerning hipster music fan, the easygoing onlooker, and the fun-loving family.

The Kabin Crew and Lisdoonvarna Crew will bring the song of the summer, ‘The Spark’, to the Belonging Bandstand this afternoon, while tomorrow plays host to the Wailers, marking 40 years of Bob Marley’s Legend.

Before those, ahem, legends, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra will be performing the music of Sinéad O’Connor, Shane MacGowan, and Christy Dignam, three of the music legends we lost in 2023.

Cork five-piece Cardinals kicked off proceedings at the Lovely Days stage at 4pm on Friday, blasting through their self-titled debut EP, while later, at the delightfully named second stage Something Kind of Wonderful, the hotly tipped Limerick band Kingfishr play to a keen crowd of onlookers.

The site itself is a treat for the eyes and while dance fans will be heading for the fire-breathing 360-degree-sound Arcadia stage or the new environment created by AVA, others will be drawn to the Bloom, a newly-constructed 16m installation that claims to be the tallest bamboo structure standing in Europe.

It was specially designed for the festival by bamboo artist Joseph Williams.

The young rappers behind this summer’s hit, ‘The Spark’, will play the Belonging Bandstand this afternoon. File picture

Over at Lovers’ Rock, meanwhile, the first thing we witness is a bejewelled, sequin-heavy, wig-wearing conga line as beats heave from the Ping Pong Disco.

Such is life at a weekend music festival.

You don’t question why something is happening, you simply join in.

Elsewhere, we’ll take in talks about food at Grub Circus, while Irish author and presenter Marian Keyes will be running the rule over her 30-year writing career at the conversations and interviews tent, Curious Minds.

And while some might be planning a debauched weekend, ATN also boasts what it claims to be Ireland's first-ever non-alcoholic festival bar. As with most of this wide-ranging festival, everyone will be creating their own kind of experience this weekend.