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  1. Dermot Kennedy presents MISNEACH: A new global Irish Music Festival Sydney line-up revealed!

    Dermot Kennedy presents MISNEACH: A new global Irish Music Festival Sydney line-up revealed!

    13 Nov 2024

    Curated by critically acclaimed, multi-platinum singer/songwriter Dermot Kennedy, MISNEACH (pron. mish-nyach, meaning ‘Courage’ in Gaelic) is a brand-new annual global music festival and celebration of Ireland’s rich musical heritage, coinciding with St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Sydney and Boston in March 2025.  

    Celebrating contemporary and traditional Irish music and thriving Irish culture – as well as featuring two of Australia’s most popular artists – organisers are thrilled to reveal the incredible lineup joining Dermot Kennedy in The Domain, Sydney on Sunday 16 March: 

    Acknowledged as one of Ireland’s most successful music acts of their generation, The Frames are thrilled to celebrate their 35th anniversary with an AU exclusive appearance at MISNEACH. The show will mark their first appearance in Australia since they toured with Bob Dylan in 2007.  

    Formed in 1990, after lead singer Glen Hansard was signed by Island Records, the band became as known for their electric live gigs as for their consistently excellent albums, five of which landed in the Irish Top 10. Never content to repeat themselves, The Frames have remained artistically restless, creating a catalogue of music where rousing anthems can coexist with moments of strangeness, intimacy, and stillness. MISNEACH will bring together the musicians who formed the core of The Frames sound from 2001’s For the Birds to the present day: singer Glen Hansard and co-founding member violinist Colm Mac Con Iomaire, bassist Joseph Doyle, and guitarist Robert Bochnik. They will be joined by drummer Tim Neuhaus. 

    Two-time ARIA winner and multi-Platinum national treasure Matt Corby will take to the stage at MISNEACH. Corby’s 2023 album Everything’s Fine scored 3 x ARIA nominations, plus a nom for triple j’s Australian Album of the Year. No stranger to accolades, Corby’s latest and most adventurous record pulls together a decade of musical threads and production nous, to reveal a body of work that glides even deeper into his R&B roots, while embracing aspects of vintage funk, hip-hop and playful soft rock motifs.

    One of the most exciting groups to ever come out of Ireland, Kneecap are taking the world by storm in 2024 with their blend of socially conscious lyrics and thrilling energy. This year, the trio have brought their bass-heavy bouncing tunes to festivals across Europe including two now infamous sets at Glastonbury, before making their debut trip to Australia next March. Whether in the studio or up on the big screen (their movie is Ireland’s Oscar entry) Kneecap have become unlikely figureheads of a movement to save their mother tongue. Don’t miss Kneecap. 

    Revered Sydney-based singer Meg Mac saw her most recent and third album, Matter of Time, take out the coveted #1 position in ARIA’s National Album Chart upon its release back in 2022, as well as earning a nomination for J Awards’ Australian Album of the Year. With multiple sold-out tours under her belt, including a mesmerising closing night as part of Vivid Festival at the Sydney Opera House, the acclaimed ‘Roll Up Your Sleeves’ singer lends her vocals to MISNEACH next March with a set fans won’t want to miss.  

    West Coast modern Irish folk three-piece Amble are on a heady rise, following a year of sold-out shows across Ireland, the UK, and North America over the past 12 months. Members Robbie Cunningham, Oisin McCaffrey and Ross McNerney create a genuine, authentic connection with their magical sound, recently heard on their major label debut EP, The Commons, out now. The trio just announced their biggest headline world tour to date for 2025 – and their appearance at the Sydney edition of MISNEACH next March marks their debut appearance in Australia.

    Described by The Irish Times as “one of Ireland's most intriguing songwriters”, Sorcha Richardson is on the rise. Across two captivating albums to date – 2019 debut album First Prize Bravery, and its 2022 follow-up, Smiling Like an Idiot, the latter reaching #4 on the Irish Album Charts – Richardson quickly cemented her status as one of Ireland’s most exciting songwriters and lyricists. Having toured with the likes of Mitski, Villagers, and James Vincent McMorrow as well as collaborations with Ellie Goulding, Richardson has been twice nominated for the RTE Choice Prize. 

    Fresh from completing a USA tour with Dropkick Murphys and Pennywise, Dublin four-piece outfit The Scratch announce their addition to the MISNEACH lineup today. Having garnered a cult-like following in Ireland, the UK and most recently mainland Europe and North America, the band were born from a shared love of metal and traditional Irish music. The Scratch have moulded triumphant melodies with the groove and intensity of metal; says influential Irish music bible Hot Press, “A Scratch gig is unlike anything you will have seen before”. 

    A songwriter of hidden depths, with a timeless voice that is equal parts balm and blowtorch, Susan O’Neill is audacity personified, a real performer. Described by The Sunday Times as “exquisite”, her latest album Now in a Minute was released September 2024 and went straight to #1 on Ireland’s indie album charts. As well as her impressive collaboration with Mick Flannery (album In The Game), Susan has toured extensively across Europe and North America both solo and with artists including Phoebe Bridgers, Calexico, Jamie Cullum, and The Teskey Brothers.  

    Heralded by Under The Radar as “Ireland’s next great band” is electrifying Cork five-piece Cliffords, led by singer Iona Lynch. Capturing the essence of love, heartbreak, and cathartic joy through their dynamic and emotional sound. Their self-released 2024 EP Strawberry Scented propelled them onto the Irish indie scene, creating the London record label race. They’ve since enjoyed national success at home, selling out shows in Dublin, Cork and filling the tent at this year’s Electric Picnic, and selling out London’s Seabright Arms. Big things to come... and their keys player is from Brisbane!   

    Finally, taking inspiration from The Streets, Kendrick Lamar and Outkast is rising Irish hip-hop artist and Burner Record co-founder FYNCH, whose debut album Youngfella was released in March this year. Hailing from the Dublin suburb of Drimnagh, FYNCH first picked up a microphone at 17, releasing his first and critically acclaimed debut EP two years later. His latest track, ‘The State’, combines cutting social commentary with a touch of self-deprecation, themes which can be heard right his album, with a few mentions of obscure footballer references thrown in for good measure. 

    With a lineup this exciting, there’s only one place to be on St. Patrick’s Day eve. Alongside epic market stalls and a range of mouth-watering food and beverage outlets – including Guinness on tap – MISNEACH will bring the magic to The Domain on Sunday 16 March like never before. Don’t miss out! 

    Tickets to MISNEACH are on sale now – head to frontiertouring.com/misneach for more info. Sign up for exclusive information on Dermot Kennedy and MISNEACH: https://dermotkennedy.os.fan/sign-up  

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