Festival Voices – BIIRD: "When you get out onstage, you’re just looking at a sea of people – it’s the best craic in the world"

Laura Doherty
BIIRD

This year, we’re doing Beyond The Pale on Saturday night, and then Absolute Lilt are playing on the Sunday – it’s going to be one of their first ever live shows. There’s going to be BIIRDS all over the place!

It’ll probably be more intimate than what we’ve played before, because it’s a bit smaller – and it’s in Glendalough, which is so beautiful. I really like those more intimate-feeling gigs, especially for a festival, because it can get out of control very quickly!

The best thing about an Irish festival is the people. That’s the one thing that, whenever I’m touring or I’m away, I do tend to miss: the craic. In the campsites, there’s people playing tunes, singing and dancing.

Everyone’s involved in a big, collective, group mentality that we’re all here to have fun. As a performer, you feel that, especially with BIIRD. At All Together Now last year, we could see loads of people dancing and getting céilís going, and people over the other side were doing a mosh pit! When the crowd is up for it, it gives us that energy back, and we’re feeding off them.

Festivals are such a different feeling, even before you walk on the stage. There’s such a high buzz, and a kind of nervous energy. Then when you get out onstage, you’re just looking at a sea of people, and it’s the best craic in the world.

With BIIRD, we’re all a huge group of friends, so the fact we get to go up and dance around, and play tunes on the stage with our best mates, looking out at thousands of people - it’s a feeling that’s very hard to match.

• BIIRD play Beyond The Pale (June 13) and All Together Now (July 30 - August 2).

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