We’ve Only Just Begun returns for 2024 over three glorious days in the magnificent environs of Whelans.
From August 8th – 10th, the annual jamboree spreads out across two stages in one of the city’s most iconic venues, and will see performances from a staggering twenty three bands, solo acts and DJs. The vibes are always immaculate, as they say, and attendees are sure to enjoy the irreplaceable atmosphere only an absolutely packed Whelans can provide.
The curators have always had an eye for excellence, with many of the acts from previous years having gone on to garner great notoriety, including Pillow Queens, Sorcha Richardson, SPRINTS and Soda Blonde. This year proves no different. The second stage too has earned a reputation for showcasing some of the most exciting up and coming acts the Irish music has to offer.
With such a packed lineup, we couldn’t possibly afford each the space they deserve, so here are five highlights from the festival, but be sure to investigate the remainder of the lineup. With such a variety and wealth of talent on offer, it is very easy to find something to get truly excited about.
Niamh Bury
Niamh Bury should need no introduction after the near universal acclaim her beautiful ‘Yellow Roses’ record garnered earlier this year. A shining jewel in the diadem of Claddagh Records, her incredibly emotive voice, deft fingerpicking and songcraft that rises above temporality.
Her unusually evocative music is defined by its transportive qualities, beguiling storytelling considered beauty conspiring to instill a dreamlike state in its listeners, and her live shows have an almost reverent air, evidenced by her spectral Other Voices performance with Crash Ensemble’s Kate Ellis and revered double bassist, Caimin Gilmore last year.
Festival goers at Quiet Lights, Body & Soul and the St. Patrick’s Day Festival have reported experiencing similar hallucinatory states, but Bury’s intoxicating sonic summer wine remains an addictive proposition regardless.
Dream Boy
Fledgeling female forward Dublin shoegaze outfit, Dream Boy, have taken cues from legendary acts like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive, and imbued it with devastatingly beautiful melodies reminiscent of Warpaint and lush textures of ‘Laughing Stock’ era Talk Talk. This, combined with a dark and ethereal undertow that has been described as ‘haunting and powerful’, as well as their intense and jublinant live performances belie their relative youth in Dublins current musical landscape.
Their debut single, ‘Crying Wolf’, released just months ago, introduced listeners to a band that promises to carve a singular niche in the apparent goldmine that is the state of modern Irish music.
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Celaviedmai
Sensational Galway singer/songwriter and hip-hop artist Celaviedmai has been making serious waves since her debut single in 2018, with well received sets at festivals like Body & Soul, supporting international artists such Mac Miller, Sneakbo and unfortunately, Lil Wayne.
Her debut EP, ‘Both Sides of the Story’, was released in the same year she was reported as a standout artist at St. Patrick’s Festival, as well as appearing as the cover star of the Culture Magazine in the Irish Sunday Times and opening for UK punk duo Nova Twins at Whelan’s.
Her eclectic sound and clever wordplay, as well as her compositional eccentricities, have seen her described as “[begin] to grab attention for her commanding and powerful releases & performances. If you’re looking for Irish female MCs – look no further than Celaviedmai.” by Ireland Music Week 2020: Top 20 Plec Picks.
A truly vital young artist.
Spooklet
Another new arrival to the scene, Spooklet is Dublin producer Hannah Worral’s nomme de plume under which she unleashed the genre bending leftfield electronica debut, ‘AH SHIT’.
Described by Dublin’s premiere electronic music magazine, Four Four, as a play of ‘Hard-edged and broken low-end punches play off a haunting droning bass and sinisterly overdriven vocals’ boasting ‘crawling and swelling effects & beeps rolling through poignant strings for a stirring trip… a harrowing bass-heavy experiment.”, for those IDM minded folks attending, she is sure to be an exicitin, enthralling new talent on the scene.
CABL
One of the most celebrated new acts to spring forth from these shores, Dublin four piece CABL have been going from strength to strength since their staggering debut extended play, ‘See You In A Year and A Half’ dropped earlier this year.
Sold out shows and slots warming up for internationally revered acts like Ulrika Spacek, The Scratch and HAVVK have seen a devoted fan base multiply like global nuclear threats in recent months, a richly deserved consequence for having the neck to be writing songs as good as ‘Shoelaces, or the atmospheric and sublime ‘Movies’, featuring Lily-May Hayes and Clara Webster of Dublin experimental band Lifts and dark neofolk visionaries, A.n.e.n.o.m.e.,
We’ve Only Just Begun festival takes place across August 8th to 10th in Whelans, Dublin.
Visit weveonlyjustbegun.ie for tickets and details.
