St Patrick’s Day came early to Eora/Sydney yesterday with the first ever Misneach festival, a welcome addition to the city’s festival calendar. The brainchild of regular visitor to our shores Dermot Kennedy, the festival was a celebration of Irish culture.
I personally thought my festival days were long behind me, but I’m such a Dermot fan I didn’t hesitate to grab tickets. I did wonder how I could possibly stand for close to 12 hours, but like so many music-motivated decisions I decided I’d figure out the details later. As it turned out, I didn’t have to. With my collarbone not healing as well as doctors would like, I reached out to organisers with my concerns about being jostled in the crowd. Hey presto, my husband I found myself with an upgrade to accessible seating. We were so well taken care of, with access to water and sunscreen and a plum position on an elevated platform directly behind the front general admission. I found the one silver lining to a major car crash! Our prime position helped me brave the 38-degree heat and enjoy all the acts.
That 38-degree heat was certainly a barrier for many though. No one can control the weather, but it’s a great shame because it meant some of the early acts played to just a handful of dedicated music lovers. Some came late, others preferred the ample seating and shade that the Doss House stage provided. If I didn’t have a chair provided, I certainly would have joined them. But I was thankful that I could enjoy those emerging artists in relative comfort.
Even if you didn’t get the red carpet treatment, you were well looked after at Misneach. The Red Frogs team circled the crowd offering free water, sunscreen, and those sugary Allens lollies. Friends reported that the team at the medical centre weren’t just happy to keep medications cold and provide space for taking them; they also allowed offered charging ports for the ounters’ mobile devices. The food vendors catered to every taste and dietary requirement. We were personally thrilled to see Coeliac Australia-accredited food truck Brother Jackson & Co. selling safe gluten-free items. Their festive green-battered chips on sticks were top notch.
FYNCH was the ideal opening act for a festival that aimed to break stereotypes and showcase where Irish music is today. He’s clearly a talented rapper, although I’m not sure the small crowd did him justice. Or perhaps it was the heat. His performance seemed a little introverted, but it’s hard to bring the energy to an empty dancefloor.
After brushing up on the appearing artists before the show, Cliffords were the new discovery I was most excited about. While FYNCH’s set dragged a little, Cliffords seemed over in the blink of an eye. Iona Lynch is such a captivating frontwoman and their angsty rock songs are incredible. If I wasn’t so wiped out, I’d be at the Lansdowne seeing them tonight. They’re incredible: get on to them.
Susan O’Neill told us her set was “20 minutes of misery,” but I felt uplifted by her sad songs. She was one of the real surprises for me. While I liked listening to her gentle folk music on Spotify, the recordings can’t capture utterly enchanting she is on stage. Her voice is so unique and beautiful, what a huskiness and warmth that draw you in and leave you hanging on every single word. This was another set over too soon that deserved to draw more of a crowd. If you were there, you know how special it was.
Sorcha Richardson continued to show us just how strong female-fronted music is in Ireland. A singer-songwriter at her core with an indie-rock bent, she oozed cool. She’s another artist that I felt could have benefited from a larger turnout around the stage; it just might have taken that solid performance to the next level.
While the sun was still scorching, many couldn’t resist the allure of Amble. I didn’t blame them. I’d had music from this modern folk act on regular rotation leading up to the festival and they did not disappoint. They seemed to feed off the appreciative crowd who gathered in full voice, waving their Irish flags proudly. I loved hearing those classic Irish instruments like the mandolin and banjo combining with their flawless harmonies. What they do is really special. Like Cliffords they’ll continue the party tonight with their own show at Oxford Art Factory. That one’s sold out; I wouldn’t be surprised if fans nabbed the last couple of tickets after watching them yesterday.
Some may wonder how Australian artist Meg Mac landed on the bill. However, with an Irish mother she was an ideal representative for all the Aussie-born Irish folk here in this country. And you can’t argue with her talent. Watching her set I was reminded just how many hits she’s had over the years. Her voice was utterly flawless and I loved watching her easy camaraderie with her sister and back-up singer Hannah.
The show took a sharp left turn with The Scratch who amped up the energy with their unique blend of traditional Irish folk and heavy metal. That blending of genres sounds like a mess on paper, but I was enthralled. Even though the sets were getting longer by this point, it felt like theirs went by in a heartbeat. If I had more energy, I’d catch them at the Doss House tonight. I know they’re going to raise the roof on that tiny whiskey bar!
I’ve got a confession to make: I was not looking forward to Kneecap. I know they’re on the hottest bands on the planet right now, but after listening to some of their music online I thought this hip hop trio’s longish set might be a slog. It’s just not my thing. I didn’t account for that X factor that comes when you’re seeing an act like this live though. Their set was absolutely off the hook. They whipped the crowd into a frenzy, the likes of which I’ve never seen. The pit looked so much fun, but my broken collarbone was very glad I was well clear of it! Bottom line: I was entertained, and you can’t ask for more than that.
I wondered how Matt Corby might feel following up Kneecap’s wild performance. If he was intimidated, it didn’t show. He just came out and did his thing. What he does, he does so well. Matt’s another Aussie artist that I hadn’t seen up until this point, so it was exciting to finally get there. The set celebrated his evolution, from his folky breakthrough “Brother” to more recent soul releases. Whatever genre he turns his hand to, his musicianship so impressive and his voice is spine-tinglingly good.
My excitement hit fever pitch as The Frames’ set approached. I bought tickets to Misneach knowing only that Dermot would play, trusting him to allow the rest to fall into place. I didn’t expect he’d put my favourite Irish artist and Frames frontman Glen Hansard on the bill. Glen is the only artist that I have carte blanche to simply buy the concert tickets whenever he tours, no questions asked. We love him. And it’s been nine long years since he played in Australia. So much time has passed that Glen realised it was the first time his band was the oldest on a festival set, to rapturous applause. However, age is not wearying this outfit. The Frames are an Irish institution, and anyone who wasn’t already aware of that discovered why through their blistering set. From hard-hitting tracks like “Relevate” and “Fake” to gentler moments like “Star Star” and “Lay Me Down,” it was a masterclass. I only hope this all-too-short set helps Glen remember how good Aussie audiences are and we get the opportunity to see him playing a much longer show here sooner rather than later.
And then there was Dermot Kennedy, the man who brought it all together. It might just be the post-concert excitement talking, but I think he might be getting better. Or perhaps the gravity of seeing the festival he conceived brought to life gave him a little extra gas in the tank. But either way, he was in such fine form last night. His hour and a half set celebrated his albums Without Fear and Sonder, gave a nod to his first recordings, and acknowledged where he’s heading with the debut performance of “Let Me In.” It’s only been out in the world for a few days, but the choir of audience members joined him singing it as confidently as they did any of his past singles. This is the power of Dermot, a man who inspires such passion with his poetic, emotional music. He delivers a big show now with colourful screens, a full band, and backing singers, but that poetry, that heart, remains at the centre of what he does.
Dermot doesn’t usually do encores, but he made an exception this time, reuniting all the event’s musicians to join their voices and ours in the traditional Irish farewell, “The Parting Glass.” We didn’t take any photos, preferring instead to just drink in the moment. What a special way to say goodbye to the first ever Misneach.
Dermot said he’d see us all next year, so I guess my days of festivals aren’t far behind me at all. I won’t be able to rely on the accessible seating next year, but I had so much fun that I’ll willingly brave the crowds. Hopefully the weather is a little kinder to us in 2026!
Photo credit: Stephen Katulka
