Music venues such as Roisin Dubh, Galway and The Olympia, Dublin will come alive briefly later this month for a large-scale virtual music festival.
The Academic, The Stunning, The Blizzards, Soulé, Lisa McHugh and The Coronas will be among the many acts performing on Saturday week, 25th July at Songs From An Empty Room, a live broadcast on RTE television, radio, and Player.
This joint RTE/Epic night of performances will see a host of Irish artists in venues across Ireland, aiming to raise funds for much-needed causes within the music industry sector.
Hosted by RTÉ 2FM’s Jenny Greene and Eoghan McDermott, the music TV event will support two fantastic live events industry initiatives – Minding Creative Minds and the Association of Irish Stage Technicians (AIST) Hardship Fund.
The Live Events industry is worth €3.5 billion to Ireland each year. While many other sectors begin their recovery, Live Events & Arts workers have no clear indication or guidance as to when their work can recommence. Without support, many will be forced out of the industry, and losing that skilled specialised workforce will be catastrophic for multiple sectors, including arts, culture, tourism and hospitality.
The full list of acts to perform will include Aimée :: Denise Chaila : Eve Belle : Fia Moon : Gavin James : Jafaris : James Vincent McMorrow : Lisa McHugh : Lyra : Mother DJs : Noel Hogan (The Cranberries) with Danny O’Reilly (The Coronas) : Picture This : Sorcha Richardson : Soulé : The Academic : The Blizzards : The Coronas: The Stunning.
The performances will be coming from venues that include Roisin Dubh (Galway), Dolan’s (Limerick), Cyprus Avenue (Cork), The Olympia (Dublin) and INEC (Killarney).
Tune into RTÉ2, RTÉ 2FM or RTÉ Player on Saturday July 25th from 8.30pm – 10.45p.m.
Songs from An Empty Room will be an unmissable show, a memorable, poignant and historic night of Irish music in these extraordinary times. In addition to providing an incredible night of entertainment, the broadcast will also feature fascinating insights from behind the scenes of Ireland’s event industry and the exceptional people who come together to make our extraordinary live events happen.
Live events continue through wars, they raise money for famine, they raise the spirits of a nation in times of need and provide a focus in times of celebration. Never, in the history of staging live performances and events, has there been such a sudden and total cessation of work in Ireland, as happened on the 12th of March 2020. Currently, throughout the country, festival fields and event sites are deserted, theatre seats await an audience and music venues are empty. We hope that in sitting rooms around the country, audiences will tune in and become the support act that the live events industry needs right now.
There are huge challenges facing the live events industry due to the cancellation and postponement of all mass gatherings, festivals, concerts, theatrical productions, sports events, trade shows and community gatherings. Ireland’s event businesses and crews have lost their income, with no current roadmap to recovery as long as Covid-19 continues to present a significant public health risk.
In addition to providing an incredible night of entertainment, the aim of the broadcast is to help raise awareness for the live events industry as a whole and the number of individuals and businesses impacted. All funds raised will support the following two event industry resources:
Minding Creative Minds
Minding Creative Minds is a 24/7, free wellbeing and support programme for event industry professionals and contractors including production, lighting and sound engineers, site crew, event control, musicians, songwriters and artist managers. MCM provides free counselling services, in addition to free financial, legal and career advice for events industry personnel.
Association of Irish Stage Technicians (AIST) Hardship Fund
AIST.ie Hardship Fund is available to members and non-members who work in any crew related role in the Irish live events industry. The fund is managed and distributed by AIST.
How to support:
Audiences at home will be directed to the website Songs From An Empty Room and will be able to show support by donating via text or through the initiative’s GoFundMe Page. Branded crew merchandise will also be available to purchase through the website with all proceeds from these sales going to the initiative.
