The Feis, a brand new annual event is coming to Liverpool in the biggest celebration of Irish culture the city has seen. The festival is set to bring some of the most renowned names in contemporary and traditional Irish music across the water to Liverpool’s World Heritage Waterfront on Saturday 7 July. Continue reading to find out more about some of the artists preforming in this year’s line-up, including festival headliner Van Morrison.
Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan Morrison is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter, instrumentalist and record producer. In 2016, he was knighted for his musical achievements and his services to tourism and charitable causes in Northern Ireland.
Also known as “Van the Man”, Morrison rose to prominence in the mid-1960s as the lead singer in the Northern Irish R&B band Them, before his solo career began under the pop-hit oriented guidance of Bert Berns with the release of the hit single ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ in 1967.
As one of the biggest names in Irish music, Morrison is set to headline amongst a variety of established Irish talent.
Foy Vance
Foy Vance is a critically acclaimed singer and songwriter hailing from Bangor, Northern Ireland. Vance is deeply rooted in the rich musical history and aesthetic of the Southern United States, and was invited to tour worldwide with the likes of Snow Patrol, Ed Sheeran and Sir Elton John.
In late 2015 Foy became only the second artist signing to Gingerbread Man Records, a division of Atlantic Records started by Ed Sheeran.
Shane MacGowan
Shane MacGowan is an English born musician and singer-songwriter, best known as the lead singer and songwriter of Celtic punk band The Pogues. Shane was eighteen when punk broke, and for him it was heaven-sent.
Alongside the Pogues, Shane also worked on solo material and collaborations with artists such as Joe Strummer, Nick Cave, Steve Earle, and Kirsty Macoll in their famous performance of the “Fairytale of New York”.
Hothouse Flowers
Hothouse Flowers are an Irish rock group that combines traditional Irish music with influences from soul, gospel and rock.
The group first formed in 1985 when Liam Ó Maonlaí and Fiachna Ó Braonáin, who had known each other as children in an Irish-speaking school, began performing as street musicians. They were soon joined by Peter O’Toole and had won a street-entertainer award within a year. They renamed the group ‘Hothouse Flowers’ and began writing songs and performing throughout Ireland.
Hothouse Flowers are set to perform amongst some of Ireland’s biggest bands at Feis Liverpool this July.
Sharon Shannon
Sharon Shannon is a talented musician who strives to surprise. Beginning with Irish folk music, her work demonstrates a wide-ranging number of musical influences through her admired accordion, fiddle, melodeon and tin whistle technique. Shannon has always been eager to explore new style alongside Irish influences in her music, mixing in unexpected styles from around the world such as African music.
Sharon’s free-wheeling approach is what makes her so exciting, which has been put down to the time she spent playing with The Waterboys.
Nathan Carter
Nathan Carter is a country singer who has been signed to Decca Records since 2014. Irish media nominates him as one of the biggest stars of the Country and Irish genre, with Celtic influences evident in his music also. After mastering the accordion, he won All Ireland medals for singing and his instrumental technique by the age of twelve.
Born in Liverpool to parents originating from Newry, Nathan returns with The Feis to play alongside some of the biggest names in Irish music in celebration of Irish culture in the city.
Katie McGowan