This time next week the 10th annual Hard Working Class Heroes festival (happy birthday HWCH!) will be well underway. The independent showcase festival has grown over the years to become one of the most delectable musical treats of the year in this country, unearthing countless gems and providing a platform for Ireland's considerable up n' coming talent to come to the forefront.
entertainment.ie/tickets is the official ticket seller for this year's HWCH, so surf on over here and get your mitts on 'em.
100 bands will be on display over the festival's three days, so some decisions will have to be made as to who to see. Below are five acts who are very much on our radar.
Bouts
The Dublin band have attracted some high-profile fans since their inception, including BBC radio jock Lauren Laverne, and notable music journos this side of the water too. Bouts are due to head off to New York in the weeks after HWCH, so their show in HWCH might be one of the last chances to see them before they blow up in popularity.
Le Galaxie
What to say about this band that hasn't been said already? Le Galaxie are one of the country's absolute best live acts. I'll leave it at that.
The Casanova Wave
This one man band was one of our favourite acts at a previous incarnation of the festival, so we're eager to see what's changed since the last show. There's a new album for a start, so there's that. Colour us curious.
The Strypes
If you're a regular reader of these pages you'll no doubt be familiar with the fact that we're big, big fans of the Cavan band here in entertainment.ie. We've already seen them play four times in the past month, so we're going for some sort of record next weekend. Show up and see for yourself what all the fuss is about.
Lisa O'Neill
Long has she had the 'next big thing' reputation among those in the know but all signs point to Ms. O'Neill becoming something of a big deal in the very near future. Seeing artists like Lisa O'Neill showcase her skills is what HWCH is all about.
More information: www.hwch.net
