THE 4 OF US

The 4 Of Us - Forest Fest 2022

The 4 of Us are a rock band from Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland. Of the four founding members, only brothers Brendan and Declan Murphy have remained continuously part of the group; the occupants of the other positions have varied.

Intricate arrangements, skillful lyric writing, and as we have come to expect from THE 4 OF US, the songs are imbued with considerable melodic flair. Excellent.

THE STUNNING

The Stunning - Forest Fest 2022

In the seven years that The Stunning were initially together, they toured relentlessly building up a following that would make them one of the most successful Irish bands ever. In 1990 their debut album ‘Paradise In The Picturehouse’ spent five weeks at number one and became one of the most-loved Irish albums of all time.

Once a year, they reform to do a few shows and in 2012 around 30,000 people turned out to see them play a free concert in their old hometown of Galway city, In 2017 they celebrated their 30th anniversary by releasing their first new single since 1993 – Brighten Up My Life – which was immediately play-listed on all the Irish national radio stations. In March 2018 they hit the number one spot again in the independent music charts with their album Twice Around the World.

THE WATERBOYS

The Stunning - Forest Fest 2022

The popular reach of Waterboys music has never been greater. Their songs have been performed by artists as varied as Prince, The Killers and U2, all of whom have performed their classic The Whole Of The Moon; and Fiona Apple who masterfully recorded the song last year; Ellie Goulding, who scored a top 3 UK hit with “How Long Will I Love You”; indie rockers The War On Drugs, Dawes and The Mystery Jets; and classic singers Rod Stewart and Tom Jones.

JACK LUKEMAN

Jack Lukeman Forest fest

From 1999 to 2016 Jack Lukeman has released a steady stream of critically acclaimed original albums and compilations.

He has also performed over the years supporting or alongside U2, Ronnie Wood, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, John Lee Hooker, Elvis Costello, Jools Holland, and Marianne Faithfull, and has appeared at venues such as Olympia Paris, Royal Albert Hall in London, and The Lincoln Center in NYC.

POWER OF DREAMS

Jack Lukeman Forest fest

Power of Dreams resurfaced in 2021 with their first new studio album, Aüslander, since 1994’s Become Yourself. Recorded across several countries during a time of global pandemic, Aüslander was a long-awaited companion piece to the band’s debut album, Immigrants, Emigrants and Me, that saw them signed to Polydor Records and hurtling them into international prominence. POD’s first album was also the subject of a recent documentary by 2FM’s Dan Hegarty

HERMITAGE GREEN

Jack Lukeman Forest fest

Hermitage Green signed with Sony Music Ireland in 2015 and began work on their first studio album. The band released their debut studio album, Save Your Soul, in March 2016.

Later in 2016, the band released a live EP, Live at the Curragower Bar, which was dedicated to the band’s early days at The Curragower pub in Limerick

HAMSANDWICH

Jack Lukeman Forest fest

HamsandwicH are well known for their incendiary live performances which has put them right at the top of the live acts to see today. With the combination of Niamh Farrell’s powerful yet sweet vocal and Podge McNamee’s juxstaposing baritone the band are given it’s signature calling card.

If ever there was a band to feed off their audience it is HamsandwicH. Each show is bona fide celebration with everything from balloons and confetti to their unique crowd interaction on display.

GREENSHINE

Green Shine - Forest Fest 2022

GREENSHINE is a family trio comprising Noel Shine, Mary Greene and their daughter Ellie. Their material straddles the boundaries of contemporary, folk and roots and includes many self-penned songs. Their fast picking and close harmonies are a treat to the ear. Noel is a multi-instrumentalist, turning his hand to guitar, bass, mandolin, bouzouki and traditional whistle and this musical dexterity had seen him much in demand as a session and band player by artists as diverse as The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and funk and soul legends The Republic of Loose amongst many others.

SOMETHING HAPPENS

Something Happens - Forest Fest 2022

Legends of the 80’s and 90’s Irish music scene, Something Happens are one of the Irish bands of the period who trail-blazed a commercial path across the country and beyond. While not recording anymore (singer Tom Dunne is a well-known radio presenter) they still play live occasionally to their adoring fan base. With a catalogue of hit singles at their disposal, the Something Happens live show is always a special occasion.

MUNDY

Mundy - Forest Fest 2022

Mundy is a singer-songwriter from Birr, Co. Offaly in Ireland. His nickname, Mundy, is a shortened version of his real name, Edmund Enright. He is a fiercely independent songwriter who values his artistic freedom more than commercial sales figures.

This is a trait that hasn’t always gone down well with record company executives but has delighted his fans and allowed him to become the artist he is today.

THE RIPTIDE MOVEMENT

Riptide Movement - Forest Fest 2022

The Riptide Movement, a gold selling, Choice nominated, Number 1 band from Dublin, Ireland. You might know some of our tunes “All Works Out”, “You & I” “Elephant in the Room” “Changeling” and “Something Special” They also released an environmentally conscious web series called “Plastic Oceans’ in 2018.

LISA LAMBE

Lisa Lambe - Forest Fest 2022

Lisa Lambe was recently named Rough Trade’s Rising Star with her voice described by Hotpress Magazine as having a “truly beautiful tone, Lambe’s voice is sumptuous and shines brightly”. The Sunday Independent described her songwriting as “Songwriting Joni Mitchell would be proud of”.

CATHY DAVEY

Lisa Lambe - Forest Fest 2022

Cathy Davey has performed at several international events, including representing Ireland at the Eurosonic Festival in Groningen, the Netherlands, and performing at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. She has also performed at other large exhibitions and festivals in Ireland, including Electric Picnic, Indie-pendence and The Music Show. Davey has worked with Autamata, Elbow and The Duckworth Lewis Method as well as providing support for Graham Coxon, R.E.M. and Supergrass.

INNI-K

Lisa Lambe - Forest Fest 2022

Named by RTÉ.ie as “one of ten fierce women defining Irish culture”, Dublin-based singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, Inni-K’s music draws on her extensive background in folk and traditional Irish music, even as she ventures into new musical territories. Her original songwriting career (‘The Hare & the Line’ 2019 and ‘The King has Two Horse’s Ears’ 2015), combines ethereal vocals with deft musicianship, evocative lyrics and a unique approach to song-writing.

STRAND

Strand - Forest Fest 2022

STRAND are a highly accomplished line-up out of Dublin featuring singer/songwriter and frontman Niall Toner Jnr. (There are those of you around long enough who may remember the fresh faced guitarist teaming up with his Dad, Niall Toner Snr in Hank Halfhead and the Rambling Turkeys. They played a legendary gig in Horan’s of Mountmellick back in the day when they stole the show at the Mardi Gras Festival in 1987!!

AIS

Strand - Forest Fest 2022

AIS is a singer-songwriter in her mid 20’s from Dublin, Ireland. She is half Ghanaian, half Irish, and grew up in Blanchardstown. Studying Music and English, AIS graduated with a Degree from Maynooth University in 2018. She has been actively performing in the Dublin music scene since her teens, and has also performed at many venues across Ireland and on May 6th she will have her debut performance in The Grace London supporting Miles Graham.

THUMPER

Thumper at Forest Fest

Irish noise-pop / alt-rock sextet THUMPER are releasing their hotly anticipated debut LP “Delusions of Grandeur” on March 18th 2022 – much to the delight of their rabid fans and enthusiastic tastemakers alike.

Over the last 2 years the Dublin 6 piece have been developing their sound, and building an increasingly passionate fanbase. With a line up of 2 drummers and 4 guitarists, THUMPER’s maximalist wall of sound has long since set them apart in the booming Dublin music scene, and has them “punching like heavyweights alongside Fontaines DC and The Murder Capital” (Chris Hawkins, BBC Radio 6).

KING KONG COMPANY

Thumper at Forest Fest

The story so far: King Kong Company are a band from Waterford – five blokes and a Boxhead. In 2011 they started putting out one video a month, put on their first gig in 2012 and played Indiependence on the back of a truck at 2am to 20 people.

Soon after Body & Soul heard a track and booked them for an early Sunday evening at Electric Picnic where they got lucky and played to, maybe, thousands.

PADDY CASEY

Paddy Casey - Forest Fest 2022

Paddy Casey released his first album Amen in 1999. This album was produced by Pat Donne and was certified triple platinum in Ireland and did fairly well worldwide. Casey played a range of different instruments in the short time spent recording it, and the track “Winter’s Fire” featured Mundy as a guest guitarist. “Sweet Suburban Sky” surfaced the following year on the soundtrack to the award-winning US TV teen drama Dawson’s Creek.

DAMIEN DEMPSEY

Damien Dempsey - Forest Fest 2022

Returning to Dublin, Damien Dempsey was invited by producer and musician John Reynolds to record at his London home studio, and Reynolds produced a CD with backing vocals by Sinéad O’Connor and a guitar riff by Brian Eno. Sinéad O’Connor invited him out on tour with her and championed him as one to watch. “I don’t think there’s ever been anyone like him. I think he represents the sort of voice in Ireland that is not allowed to be heard”, she said. Dempsey later joked on stage that when he got the call from O’Connor to join the tour, he assumed it would be on the door as a bouncer.

HOTHOUSE FLOWERS

Hot House Flowers - Forest Fest

Hothouse Flowers are an Irish rock group that combines traditional Irish music with influences from soul, gospel, and rock. Formed in 1985 in Dublin, they started as street performers.

Their first album, People (1988), was the most successful debut album in Irish history, reaching No. 1 in Ireland and No. 2 in the UK. After two more albums and extensive touring, the group separated in 1994. Since getting back together in 1998, the band members have been sporadically issuing new songs and touring, but also pursuing solo careers.

SODA BLONDE

Soda Blonde - Forest Fest 2022

Soda Blonde emerged from the ashes of internationally acclaimed band Little Green Cars; whose debut album saw them skyrocket to number one in the Irish album charts. Fronted by singer-songstress Faye O’Rourke, Adam O’Regan (keys and guitar), Donagh Seaver O’Leary (bass) and Dylan Lynch (drums), the transformation is led by a distinctive new sound which seamlessly weaves together influences from Fleetwood Mac, Little Dragon and Kate Bush without compromising the integrity and unique charm that Little Green Cars were known for. The result… enticing, dreamy alternative-pop music.

STOCKTON’S WING

Stocktons Wing - Forest Fest 2022

Stockton’s Wing began their musical odyssey in the town of Ennis ‘sometime’ in 1977, taking their name from the Bruce Springsteen song ‘Backstreets’. The band signed a deal with Tara Records after winning the Trad section of a music contest in Limerick and their first album, produced by PJ Curtis, received rave reviews from national and international press. Stockton’s longevity is a testament to their virtuosity and passion.

THE LOST MESSIAHS

Stocktons Wing - Forest Fest 2022

The Lost Messiahs have built up a loyal following and never fail to disappoint live. Their well-crafted songs are delivered with a rich shimmering sonic palette of atmospheric guitars, driving percussion and hypnotic synths. As their line-up changed in the last few years, their musical horizons have expanded. Their songs have been playlisted on RTE, Radio Nova, and other stations around the country and were featured as song of the week on Joe.ie.

EILEEN GOGAN

Eileen Gogan - Forest Fest 2022

Eileen Gogan is a critically-acclaimed Dublin songwriter and singer. She has sung with some of Ireland’s best bands: The Would Be’s, The Revenants, The Drays and with Microdisney on their recent reunion tours at the Barbican in London and Dublin’s Vicar Street. Her second solo album Under Moving Skies has just been released to rave reviews.