Ireland was the “spotlight” country at Eurosonic 2012 in Groningen. As a result, over 20 Irish acts took to the stage in an initiative that was supported by RTÉ 2fm and Music From Ireland.

Eurosonic isn’t just about bands playing gigs to a local audience. Musicians also hope to attract the interest of festival bookers and promoters from across the continent, who gather en masse for the occasion. Behind the scenes there is a lot of horse-trading and deal-making.
The festival is, among other things, an attempt to break the stranglehold, which New York, Los Angeles and London oftem seem to exert over the music industry globally. Central to this ambition are the European Border Breakers Awards (EBBA), which recognise artists who’ve succeeded in winning a following outside their home country.
One of this year’s recipients was Dublin soul troubador, James Vincent McMorrow. As if by way of confirmation, McMorrow played three sold-out shows this year, a mere 12 months after performing in a tiny club venue at Eurosonic ‘11. His star, clearly, is firmly in the ascendant. On the basis of his performances here, he is maturing superbly as a performer and he has the innate talent. The only question now is: how high can he fly?
Lisa Hannigan, meanwhile, took Groningen by storm, first at a club show at Vera, then moving to the Grand Theatre, where she headlined the first night to an ecstatic response. It was an impressive turn, full of natural grace, which surely won her numerous converts.
Eurosonic is a huge event and in the nature of things it’s impossible to catch all of the performers. For instance, festival-goers had to choose between Jape, God Is An Astronaut (2fm’s Eurosonic selection) and Emmett Tinley. It was interesting to see just how highly respected God Is An Astronaut are in these environs, suggesting that they are among Ireland’s under-appreciated rock heroes.
Overall, the Irish artists and bands received an enthusiastic welcome. Mojo Gogo, Wallis Bird and The Minutes packed their respective shows, even though there was strong competition during their time-slots. All three did well, but The Minutes were especially impressive, blowing the room away with an incendiary set.
Among the big successes of the weekend were Bitches With Wolves, who draw on artists like Erasure, Pet Shop Boys and Scissor Sisters, before adding their own unique spice to the musical melange. In particular, James O’Neill is a fantastic frontman, electrifying the crowd with his charisma and exuberence. He also put in a charming performance on Dutch TV, emphasising that he has no problem adapting to the demands of stardom!
Internationally, the hot tickets this year were Intergalactic Lovers and LA, Jamie N. Commons and The Cyborgs.
Meanwhile, from the UK, Hot Press’ ‘Hot for 2012’ choices Spector were highly impressive: fronted by superstar in waiting Fred MacPherson, they showed just why they’ve nabbed a coveted support slot for Florence and the Machine’s forthcoming arena tour. Theme Park, whose sound hovers somewhere between Talking Heads and Prefab Sprout, were almost as impressive. But there was nothing which I saw to suggest that Irish bands and artists have anything to fear from the international competition. 2012 can be a big year. Let’s go out there and make it one...