A unique guided music experience that has become a beloved fixture in Newcastle West is making its Limerick City debut on Friday May 1, as part of the annual Riverfest festival. The Music Trail will see just 100 lucky ticket holders led through eight eclectic venues — including bookshops, galleries and bars — by festival creator Emmet Scanlan and a funk trumpet player, taking in eight acts spanning singer-songwriters, world music and traditional Irish sounds.
The brainchild of Newcastle West-based singer-songwriter Scanlan, the Music Trail has run in the County Limerick town for four years, quickly building a devoted following. “I’m genuinely quite blown away by the fact that it’s such a thing in Newcastle West that people are literally saying, will you put my name down for next year,” Scanlan told the Limerick Post. “I don’t care what the lineup is — I just don’t want to miss it.”
Now, buoyed by that success, Scanlan has brought the concept to the city for the first time, with a lineup designed to reflect the breadth of musical talent within the region and beyond.
“What I’ve done is take two acts from the Newcastle West area and two emerging acts from the city, and then two world music artists and two well-known acts,” he explained. “It’s just to try and connect the whole thing — show people that they can have really good quality music right under their nose.”
The afternoon begins at 3.30pm at the Limerick City Art Gallery, where the enigmatic Belfast singer-songwriter Duke Special will open proceedings. Ticket holders will then be led from venue to venue, winding through the city and taking in performances at O’Mahony’s Bookshop, Savin’s Music and Lucky Lane, among others, before the trail reaches its finale at Dolan’s Warehouse.
Headlining that closing show are Kila, the multi-platinum-selling Dublin traditional and world music outfit whose live performances have long been a benchmark for festival spectacle.
Further highlights include contemporary Dublin-based Indian band M50, local singer-songwriters Robert Dawson and Laura Duff representing Limerick City, and Oonagh McMahon flying the flag for Newcastle West. Adding a distinctive flavour to the afternoon, gypsy jazz trio Felann will perform alongside members of Limerick Swing Club, who will offer attendees an impromptu crash course in Charleston and swing dancing between sets. “It’ll be a bit of craic in between the other gigs,” Scanlan noted.
The event’s visual identity has also been crafted locally. The festival poster was designed by Síofra McGuire, winner of this year’s Music Trail poster competition, and the illustration will be produced as a limited edition run of festival T-shirts.
Tickets for the full trail are priced at €50 and are available via Eventbrite. Further information can be found by searching The Music Trail Festival on Instagram.