Light up the stage

A FESTIVAL in February featuring some of the most exciting names in music, as well as a spectacular lights show, is more than enough to dispel any winter blues.

Last week, details were released of a series of intimate live music gigs, organised as part of Derry’s ‘Illuminate’ festival scheduled to take place over two weekends, February 17-20 and February 24-27.

‘Illuminate’ will bring Derry’s city centre to life with a series of outdoor light and live illumination experiences to transform iconic buildings into spectacular pieces of art with light installations and performances across multiple sites, as part of an exciting live illumination experience planned for February.

Among the exciting music acts confirmed to perform as part of the festival are Kila, Neil Cowley, the Henry Girls and Aoife Scott. They will join other local acts such as Glenn Rossborough, ,Roe and John Deery The Heads, Comrade Hat. Clodagh May Music, Kate O’Callaghan, Ciaran Lavery, Maria Kelly and Basork for what promises to showcase the region’s diverse range of talent.

The artists will perform in intimate settings such as the Guildhall, St Augustine’s Church, Echo Echo studio and Contemporary Centre of Arts as part of a live illumination trail experience with superb outdoor projections, sound and animation telling original stories through digital animation and innovative design.

Details of the gigs included in the programme are: Thursday, February 17, Comrade Hat and Clodagh May Music from 7.30pm-9pm at CCA; Friday, February 18, Glenn Rossborough and Kate O’Callaghan, from 7.30-9pm at St Augustine’s; Saturday, February 19, The Henry Girls (Boswell) and Aoife Scott, from 9pm-11.30pm at the Guildhall; Thursday, February 24, Roe and John Deery The Heads from 7.30-9pm at the Echo Echo studios; Saturday, February 26, Neil Cowley, Ciaran Lavery and Maria Kelly from 9pm-11.30pm at the Guildhall and on Sunday, February 27, Kila and Basork from 9pm-11.30pm at the Guildhall.

Tickets for the intimate music experiences are currently on sale and are expected to sell out fast as numbers are restricted – for more details on the gigs and how to book tickets visit –www.musiccapital.org.

Funding for this iconic celebration of the Walled City has been secured from Tourism Northern Ireland through its Market-Led Development Programme for Local Authorities.

Kieran Dunlop from Music Capital who has been appointed by Council to organise the music element of the festival said, “Illuminate will be an amazing event that will really showcase a wide range of talented musicians and artists and perform in some of the most iconic and intimate settings.

“We are delighted to be part of this fantastic spectacle and we are delighted to have artists such as Neil Cowley, Kila, Aofie Scott, Ciaran Lavery and Roe performing live in the city and bringing some much needed cheer and positivity after such a difficult time for many people.”

Derry City and Strabane District Council is currently working closely with a wide range of statutory bodies in terms of ensuring the event is Covid secure and in adherence to any possible restrictions that may be in place at that time.

More details on the programme are available at www.illuminatederry.com.