Borderline Festival is a new two day event of emerging bands & acts breaking through and focusing on left-of-centre, forward-facing artists that are pushing all the boundaries. Borderline gives each artist a a platform to showcase their music to an Irish audience.
Not just an event, but a celebration of creativity, which pushes the boundaries of artistic expression and introducing audiences to an array of what is on offer from the Irish and international music scenes.
Across the two nights and two rooms of The Workman’s Club Dublin , Borderline Festival will play host to .
Anthony Szmierek / Cardinals / Efe / Enola Gay / Fat Dog / Kai Bosch / Lambrini Girls / Maurja / Miso Extra / Mount Palomar / Nxdia / Sam Akpro / Sans Soucis / Spider / University.
First up and opening the festival in the Cellar venue, was Kai Bosch, by way of Cornwall via Berlin and now based in London (uk).
After Kia it was a quick dash up the stairs to the main venue in the Workmans to catch not sure if these guys are a three piece or a four piece, but it was University from Crewe (uk).
Between the two rooms throughout the two nights the bands were staggered by a fifteen minute difference to stage times, so you could very easily take in all bands. Next up it was back down the stairs to the Cellar to see, Italo-Congolese now based in London (uk) singer Sans Soucis “San Soo-See”.
I really got my steps in dashing from room to room lol, as yes! it was back upstairs for the Brighton (uk) based band Lambrini Girls and judging by the already packed out room these were the band that many were there to see and once you see them live you will understand why. The band held only released their latest single ”God’s Country” a few hours earlier and were kicking off their tour with this Dublin date.
After the craziness and moshing that comes with a Lambrini Girls show, it was back to the Cellar for a little calm from the Dublin (Ire) based left-field pop-rock singer Spider.
We were coming near the end on night one and it was back up the stairs for the last time of the night as the remaining tow acts were in the main room and the first of those was Fat Dog hailing from south London (uk)
The last act of the night and an act I had heard many talked about throughout the night and who even had people over from Manchester to see him as they reckon you wont get to see him in such an intimate setting very soon, that was spoken word and indie hip-hop artist from Hyde in Greater Manchester (uk) Anthony Szmierek.
Night one over! and heading home I was already getting excited to be back for night two, conclusion on night one.
It was a fantastic showcase of new immerging acts, of ones to keep an eye on and out for.
Well done to the organisers.
All photos – Ian Mc Donnell