I’ve got that ‘Stendhal’ feeling…

Stendhal Festival, which is staged outside Drumsurn in Derry, is one of Ireland’s largest and most prominent music festivals.

The event, which has been going for 14 years, is marketed as ‘a festival for everyone’ as it features a wide range of entertainers and musical acts that the whole family can genuinely enjoy.

This year, the event had one of its biggest line-ups to-date, in with performances from huge acts, including the Zutons, Heather Small and a late-night DJ set from the illustrious Hot Chip.

However, as a seasoned Stendhal attendee, it is, interestingly, not the big acts that make the festival special, rather it’s the setting and relaxed atmosphere.

Even though the festival continues to grow, there is still a local feel with the line-up, which is still mainly filled by younger Irish bands.

My favourite performances this year were from two up-and-coming acts. The first being the Belfast politically-fuelled all-female hardcore band, Problem Patterns.

Fresh off a well-reviewed Glastonbury performance, the band were a fun watch on the BBC Radio Ulster stage on a breezy Friday afternoon.

Full of aggression, anger and obvious musical ability, Problem Patterns have been a mainstay of the local music scene for a while now, but 2024 has proved a massive breakout year. They have been headlining sold out shows across the country, and are on the rise. They truly look to be a band for the future.

My other favourite performance was also by a young female-fronted band from Belfast, called Tomcat.

They also performed on the BBC Radio Ulster stage, which was mainly used to showcase young bands from the North who have been making a name for themselves in the local music scene.

Tomcat are a fantastic mix of Florence and the Machine meets The Cure. The highlight of their set for me was their excellent cover of the Sinead O’Connor classic, ‘Madinka’.

There was also lots of local interest with a number of Tyrone acts performing at the festival. Dead Goat featured Omagh guitarist, Mark McCausland, who writes the Boneyard column in the UlsterHerald, while local illustrator Chris Coll participated with ‘The Breeze’.

Castlederg’s The Logues and Seeger Session Revival also played to large crowds on the two largest stages at festival.

My final thoughts are that Stendhal Festival has evolved with its clientele throughout the years.

The festival is mainly attended by people with their families who started attending the event when it first began. And with its set-up of family-friendly acts on the main stages, and more raucous acts on the smaller stages, it will continue to grow as long as funding continues.

At a time when young bands and musicians are finding it incredibly tough to get venues to let them play original music, Stendhal has become more-and-more vital.