Rise up

The Bud Rising Spring music festival program was launched last night at a party in The Village hosted by Budweiser. Easter weekend in Dublin will see a mix of the biggest acts alongside breakthrough bands and DJs in Dublin’s pubs, clubs and venues as BudRising Spring kick-starts a summer-long programme of BudRising music. With 17 events, across 10 venues over four days, BudRising Spring Festival promises one of the hottest festival line-ups of 2006.

Thursday 13 April sees live performances from Shout Out Louds, whose debut album “Howl Howl Gaff Gaff” is widely considered one of last year’s true gems, and The Morning After Girls in Whelans. At the same time, James Lavelle and DJ Scope take the stage in the Globe.

Saturday, Sunday and Monday’s impressive line-up includes The Long Blondes (15.04.06, POD); The Young Knives + White Rose Movement (15.04.06, Whelans); Isobel Campbell (16.04.06, The Village); Raw Fusion Records Night - various (16.04.06, Hogans); Gucci Soundsystem (16.04.06, The Village). We are Scientists, a band on the undisputed fast-track to greatness, play The Village on 17.04.06 while Nerina Pallot charms Crawdaddy on 17.04.06. Stadium contenders Razorlight, fresh from their seminal performance at Live 8, close the weekend in true Budweiser music festival style at the Olympia on Monday 17 April.

The festival brings to Dublin City a blistering line up for dance music fans as well. An early evening to late night line up includes The Juan McClean, Optimo DJs + Filthy Dukes, at the Temple Bar Music Centre on Saturday 15 April. The legend that is David Holmes keeps it intimate at one of BudRising Spring’s free of charge gigs in Anseo on Monday 17^th and James Lavelle sets the standard at The Globe on Thursday 13 April, entrance free of charge.

Also, open from 3pm daily throughout the festival weekend, the BudRising Spring Festival Hub in The Village is where big names can be found playing special acoustic sets before their headline shows. Free food, free tickets, BudRising DJ sets and a bumper indie karaoke special on Monday 17 are just some of what’s on offer – as well as full information on BudRising bands, listings and merchandise.

Among the guests enjoying the endless supply of Bud, burgers, hot dogs and chips last night were trend setter Andrea Dillon – Horan, Richie Stokes, DJ Alison Curtis, Ronan Healy of Catapult, Nadine Wai – O’Flynn, model Peter Loyd, Norman Pratt and Avril Collins, Eoin Cregan of Bodytonic, Fergal Breen and Emily Cramp.

Other great acts performing include The Immediate, Liptrick, Howling Bells, Mad Matts, Philith and Monkey Tennis DJs. Venues taking part in BudRising Spring Festival include: The Olympia, Vicar Street, The Village, Whelans, Temple Bar Music Centre, Crawdaddy, POD, The Globe, Anseo, and Hogans.