Exclusive: Ghost Estates report on Other Voices

Last weekend saw the rightly venerated Other Voices return to its coastal Kerry home for its 11th series. Having started, and still centering around, the two century old St. James Church, it has now expanded to take in venues around the town.

As ever, a host of terrific acts, both established and up-and-coming (Villagers, Paul Buchanan, Palma Violets), descended on Dingle to put on a show.

Amongst them was Dublin five-piece Ghost Estates. It proved a high point in a brilliant 2012 for the band that saw them release their eponymous debut album, which laid down a real marker and showcases their enticing, unworldly rock sound.

Back from their gig in McCarthy's Bar and still buzzing, bassist/vocalist Colm Giles offered us his thoughts on the experience, which you can read below.

Your next chance to catch the band comes this weekend. Ghost Estates support Funeral Suits in Cork's Cyprus Avenue on Sunday December 9. Go to [link]www.facebook.com/ghostestates[/link] for more info.

Without further ado, Ghost Estates on Other Voices:

We've been trying for a few years now to get on the show. Last year we played the music trail – our way of getting our foot in door I suppose. We finally got it and it was the right year for us. Off the back our debut album, we just kept sending stuff to the show's producers and kept in touch with them.They really liked it and had been keeping an eye on us over the last while. So they felt it was right to give us a slot. We were over the moon when we got the news!

We're all massive fans of the show. It really is one of the best music programmes on at the moment, and it's 100% Irish produced. 

There are a number of factors that make it so special, Dingle is a really beautiful spot, the quality of the bands that come down and want to be involved with the show is fantastic, and there are no egos. People are there just to play music and be around the town to soak up the atmosphere. It's magic.

We drove down on the Thursday night, did our spot in the 'Other Room' Friday lunch time, then played our gig on Saturday.

We spent the weekend just taking it all in, enjoying the pubs and shows. Walking around, and just meeting different people. We saw a few really great acts down there. Drenge were brilliant – two brothers from Sheffield. David Kitt and his brother were class too. Palma Violets on the last night in the chapel blew the place away. But the best act of the whole weekend had to be Villagers on Saturday night. It was a really special gig.

As I said, our own show was in McCarthy's pub. Amazing place and staff, easily one of the best in Dingle. It's a small place but has loads of atmosphere. The gig itself couldn't have gone any better. It was was packed. The crowd were really responsive, new songs also went down well.

We didn't really approach it any differently to any other gig we do. Just made sure the sound was right, we were tight and away we went. For our spot on the 'Other Room' we were a little bit nervous to be honest. It's an odd setting – to have six cameras pointed at your face with a crew watching you. We did a new song for the spot called 'When's It Gonna Stop'. We made sure we had it down before we got to Dingle. We nailed it in a few takes. But we are still freaking out about seeing it on the TV. Ha!!

To have been involved with the show this year really meant a lot. To get the opportunity to be there, doing what we do, was a dream come true. Maybe next year if we keep things up we might get the chance to play the chapel. Fingers crossed.