The annual Hard Working Class Heroes showcase rolled into town this weekend, with over 100 upcoming Irish acts playing across seven venues in the city. Cue hordes of stylish beardy types racing back and forth across the Ha’penny Bridge each night, eager to catch as many shows as possible on both sides of the Liffey.
And what a festival it was! Proceedings kicked off on a high on Thursday, with the hushed and magical sounds of Elephant, aka Dundalk man Shane Clarke in the Grand Social. Think twinkling keys, looped percussion and gorgeous harmonies, and you’ll have an idea of what to expect from Clarke’s upcoming debut HyperGiant. Things then took a turn for the funky in the Academy Green Room as Zaska, the brainchild of Wicklow jazz guitarist (yes you read that right) Max Zaska took to the stage. This highly-accomplished and energetic troupe had the crowd (including hip-hop act Hare Squead up the front) breaking out all kinds of moves; definite ones to watch. To a packed Workman’s Club next, for a hypnotic and ethereal performance from Saint Sister. The pair’s gorgeous harmonies over gently strummed harp and haunting synth had this hushed crowd captivated. A quick jog back to the Academy Main Room followed, for the aforementioned Hare Squead, a hip-hop crew renowned for their energetic live show. And the Tallaght-based teens certainly didn’t disappoint, leaping around the stage as they performed tracks like ‘Beautawful World’ - check it out. The excellent Tell No Foxx closed the evening in the Grand Social, and if this mysterious Wicklow syth-rock act have kept a low profile until now, it’a clearly because they’ve been busy honing their craft. Building epic, atmospheric, bass-heavy soundscapes (with an impressive performance from lead singer Brian Sillery), we predict big things for these guys.
Friday in the Academy kicked off with some more hip-hop, courtesy of ProFound, a young Dubliner with lots of energy and potential. Over in the Mercantile, Dublin-based ambient foursome Staring At Lakes put on an atmospheric show that perfectly showcased Laura Sheary’s gorgeous voice. Up next in the same venue were Cfit, who (despite some competition from a rattling air conditioner gone rogue) impressed with their catchy brand of throwback indie, complete with twinkling glockenspiel solo! There’s been much talk in the ‘industry’ of Dublin grunge rockers Bitch Falcon, and rightly so. This incredibly impressive trio were undoubtedly a festival highlight for the many punters who made their way to Hangar to check out their set. Bad-ass lead singer Lizzie Fitzpatrick owned the room as she belted out the threesome’s repertoire of songs; though there’s no album out yet, we reckon you’ll be hearing a lot more about them in future.
Saturday highlights included Sinéad White in the Academy Main Room, whose brand of feel good, quirky guitar pop - not to mention quick-witted banter - had this crowd eating out of her hand. Back in the Grand Social, Samyel, aka Samuel Arnold (not sure how that Y slipped in there), put on an ever-so-charming show. Though living in Dublin, the singer grew up in France, and so hit us with French-language number ‘Cada Dia’; inducing swoons all around the room. Finally, hip-hop collective Rusangano Family ended the festival with a bang. A collaborative project featuring Ennis producer mynameisjOhn and rappers God Knows and MuRli (from Zimbabwe and Togo respectively, but living in Shannon and Limerick), this was a stand-out performance that demanded our attention. Grimy, insistent and utterly compelling, the two MCs lyrically explored various Irish social issues, dipping into both their own excellent self-titled album as well as MuRli’s recent solo EP, Surface Tension. In all, this talented crew provided the perfect end to a fantastic festival.

See our photo galleries here:
HWCH by Brian Mulligan
HWCH by Daniel Faz