Category Archives: Festival News

Festival, Festival News, Uncategorized

Festival moved to late summer

We’ve been trying to figure out whether to do a 5th Acoustic Yard Music Festival in Westport this May after the Bank Holiday weekend and although we could create one with a limited budget, I think that it would be of no benefit at that time of the year to the town.
Within the space of one month after our allotted weekend we have 2 more great music festivals happening here in Westport, Saltwater at the end of May (a new festival in the calendar), and The Folk and Bluegrass Festival in mid-June. Overkill and funding go together, so maybe it’s better to create something later in the year at the end of August instead. Nothing confirmed to add as yet but we will let everyone know as soon as possible. We have been nominated 3 times for the ‘Best Small Festival’ by IMRO and are still committed to enabling songwriters, especially those here in Ireland, to have a platform to play. Thanks to everyone who has supported us so far.

Check here for updates soon.

Festival News

Morrissey & Marshall at The Acoustic Yard

Morrissey & Marshall

Live at The Acoustic Yard Music Festival Friday May 10th 2019

The Clock Tavern Restaurant,

Westport, Co.Mayo

 

We are delighted to announce the opening headline act at this year’s The Acoustic Yard Music Festival Westport are the wonderful harmony duo of Morrissey and Marshall.

A couple of years ago, Darren Morrissey and Greg Marshall arrived in London from Dublin with two acoustic guitars and a headful of shared dreams. They set about hauling themselves up the hard way from the rough and tumble of street corner busking and open-mic nights to playing at some of the best venues and recording studios in the city.

While their debut, And so it Began, won them plaudits as the finest pair of harmony singers to have emerged on the circuit for decades, Morrissey & Marshall upped their game with a collection of songs to rival those of the very greatest groups. With its raw production and seamless combination of vocal, instrumental and songwriting prowess.

 

Morrissey & Marshall’s current release is a special one. Due to the endless debate of whether they are better with a big production and full band behind them, or stripped down to the bare bones with 2 acoustic guitars and two vocals, the Dublin duo decided to release ‘We Rise Again… Acoustically’.

Musically, We Rise Again… Acoustically is a big step up to the top table of pop. With international release and touring deals in place across Europe and as far afield as Japan and Australia, the words and sounds of Morrissey & Marshall are spreading rapidly.

Whatever happens next, the band are already owners of two of the biggest names in rock, a coincidence which prompted one MC to suggest that they might sound like “a heavily-amplified Smiths gig”.  Morrissey smiles at the reference to their namesakes. “We have never pretended to be anyone other than Darren Morrissey and Greg Marshall. It’s who we really are.”

Tickets are €15 and doors open 7.30pm

 

Busking, Festival News, Uncategorized

Saturday Afternoon Free Open Air Concert and Busking Competition at Festival

 

Busking Competition
(1st Prize €250) 12-2PM

At select spots around Westport singer songwriters will be busking for the grand prize of €250 and in turn will add flavour to a wonderful weekend of entertainment. The competition is open to everyone as long as they play original compositions and sign up will be outside The Clock Tavern at 11.30 am. For further information email music@theacousticyard.com.

 

Open Air Concert
( Outside The Clock Tavern 2 – 4pm)

We have 3 wonderful acts performing at a free open air concert outside The Clock Tavern in the heart of Westport which includes …

The Finns two brothers, Ciarán and Hugh from Rathdowney in Co. Laois, who have been entertaining crowds worldwide for years with this duo and as well as being members of “Na Fianna”. As a duet with their chosen weapons of guitar, banjo, tenor guitar and harmonica, however, they are finally being raved about by the best in the business and are certainly ones to watch this year.

Sina Theil originally from Germany started playing piano and writing songs at the age of 7, picking up a guitar at 18 and since flourishing into an accomplished recording artist. In 2017 Sina was signed to Downda Road Productions and has since scored four #1 singles in the Irish Country Download Charts in less than 8 months.Sina is currently working on her debut album due out later this year which includes her fourth commercial single “Forever and a Day”

Billow Wood are a brand new Irish band (formerly known as Flat Out) and a male/female four-piece who fuse their unique brand of instrumentation with multi-vocals and harmonies. Billow Wood are influenced by Irish and mainstream music and are now moving in a new direction creating a blend of folk, indie, pop and rock.