At South By Southwest, Music From Ireland will make the argument for turning St. Patrick’s Day into a two-day festival that celebrates all things Ireland. The organization will take part in the SXSW Music Festival on Mar. 16 at The Velveeta Room, putting on an official showcase that will introduce fans in Austin, Texas, to a collection of dynamic acts hailing from the Emerald Isle. The following day, Mar. 17, Music From Ireland will host a Full Irish Breakfast at the SXSW showcase at 601 Congress, giving you not one, but two chances to see the best of what Ireland has to offer.
Starting things off on Thursday at 8 PM is M(h)aol, an intersectional five-piece that ‘challenge(s) the male-dominated climate of the post-punk genre,” per their website. The group — who released their debut, Gender Studies, in 2022 — have built a buzz with tours across Europe and by supporting Shellac on their Irish tour dates. At 9 PM, modernlove will bring their indie-pop anthems to the stage of the Velveeta Room, wowing audiences with their earnest, heartfelt, and honest songcraft.
With Ireland’s rich history of folk music, Ailbhe Reddy continued that tradition with her modern take, striking “emotional chords with her relatable lyricism and uniquely tender vocals.” The Mar. 16 show takes place one day before the release of Endless Affair, her sophomore LP. She’ll play at 10 PM, one hour before Sorcha Richardson. Sorcha has drawn comparisons to Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker (meaning that if boygenius needs someone to join in along with Lucy Dacus, they don’t have to look far.) The Dublin artist released Smiling Like an Idiot in 2022 and has been taking her music throughout Europe. Now, Austin, Texas, will get a taste of her Rockin’ Road Trip.
When the clock strikes 12, The Scratch will take the stage. The four-piece has been on the road in the US and Canada all throughout March, and their tour will take them to SXSW. Hard-hitting rock with a dash of metal and more than a splash of a distinct Irish flare. The music will likely inspire you to run through a brick wall with a grin on your face – but don’t do any structural damage until after Silverbacks closes out the first night. The art-rock quintet released Archive Material in 2022 and has grown quite a following with their ear-perking, infectious music.
The following day, the Full Irish Breakfast sees these artists play in the early PM, along with Aoife Nessa Frances, Somebody’s Child, Lauren Ann, Junk Drawer, and milk.
“With all our international activity through Music From Ireland, we lean into the expertise of the booking policy of the event itself,” Angela Dorgan, CEO of First Music Contact/Music From Ireland, tells HL. “In the case of most of the artists selected to play SXSW 2023, SX’s music team makes the selection from a mixture of applications from artists and artists they would see and/or meet at our own annual showcase and conference Ireland Music Week which Dev Sherlock from their music team attends.”