Forbidden Fruit 2018: Irish Ones To Watch

Booka Brass
SATURDAY
Dublin jazz mavericks Booka Brass have earned a devoted following for their New Orleans-style jams and charismatic stage presence. With trumpets, tubas and trombones – sprinkled with some Buddy Rich drumming – the band’s sound is simply spellbinding. Look out for their covers of ‘Crazy In Love’ and ‘Talk Dirty’, which tear the roof off every show without fail.

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AE MAK
SATURDAY
This fiery group have been making waves since their inception in 2016, thanks to their bright and jovial alternative pop. Mixing creative visuals with luscious vocal harmonies and tribal rhythmic beats, last year saw the band take the festival scene by storm, with acclaimed performances at Body & Soul, Electric Picnic and Other Voices. Displaying punk rock levels of energy at their shows, AE Mak are a unique and compelling outfit.

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DJ Deece
SUNDAY
Whether it’s his cult Somewhere night at The Workmans Club, his self-curated Deece series at District 8, or playing to thousands at last year’s Forbidden Fruit, Niall D’Arcy knows how to rock a crowd. Flitting between hip-hop, crate-digging disco, Chicago-house and everything in between, D’Arcy is a true demon on the decks. One of Ireland’s most in-demand DJs, his Forbidden Fruit set will be epic.

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Loah
SATURDAY
Possessing beyond-her-years smokey vocals, Loah is the future of Irish afro-soul – or as she describes it, ‘Artsoul’. Born Sallay Matu Garnett, the rising star pulls from her West-African heritage – Sierra Leone specifically – in her jazz-tinged take on neo-soul. Her latest EP, This Heart, even saw her fusing English with her gorgeous native tongue, Sherbro. In addition, Loah’s lyrics are novelistic and weighty – making her a hugely exciting voice on the Irish scene.

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Fontaines D.C.
MONDAY
Hailing from The Liberties in Dublin, this quintet have been making serious strides since unleashing their debut single ‘Liberty Belle’ last year. With a number of festival appearances across Europe lined up for this summer, Forbidden Fruit is the latest stop on Fontaines D.C.’s quest for world domination – and their hybrid of punk and poetry should go down a storm.

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David Keenan
MONDAY
With a lyrical prowess that really makes him stand out from the crowd, Keenan’s debut EP Strip Me Bare heralded the arrival of a serious new talent. Set to hit the States following his Forbidden Fruit appearance, the Dundalk native should wow the Kilmainham crowds with his memorable melodies and soulful voice.

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