Le Boom's Aimie Mallon: On her favourite festivals, and where they'll be playing this summer

I still have memories of when I was 18 – just out of school – going to Knockanstockan for my first ever festival. I remember thinking, ‘This is brilliant, I can’t believe I get to do this for the rest of my life every year!’ It was one of those feelings when you’re coming of age and you’re at this event and everything’s so new.

This year we’ve got a load of festivals lined up for the summer. We just did the Red Bull Free Gaff over Easter. I hadn’t been to it before, but it’s fairly incredible. It takes place in this absolutely beautiful house with different acts playing throughout the day, and everyone’s just running around like it’s a proper festival. Great craic.

We’ve got a couple of really great festival gigs taking place throughout Ireland. We’re doing It Takes A Village in Cork in May, then we’re doing Sea Sessions in Donegal in June. We’ve got the Big Top gig in Galway with The Coronas, then Indiependence in August. We’ve also got a few over in the UK which we’re really excited about – so it’s a busy summer!

We’re really looking forward to playing Sea Sessions. We played there two years ago, when we were starting off doing festivals. It’s exciting to go back because we’re going to be on a bigger stage this year. The line-up is amazing as well – I’m really looking forward to Sigrid.

We’ve always loved doing the Irish festival circuit. I’d definitely put Body & Soul up there as one of my favourite Irish events. The general feel is so open and there’s always a good buzz. To be honest, Irish festivals in general are great craic – there’s something about Irish crowds. My experience is that you’re always guaranteed a good one wherever you are.

Le Boom play It Takes A Village, Trabolgan (May 10-12); Sea Sessions, Bundoran (June 21-23); Heineken Big Top, Galway (June 28); and Indiependence, Mitchelstown (August 2-5).