Since the 1998 the Marble city has played host to some of the finest names in Americana and Roots music. Held over 4 days every May ‘the Kilkenny Roots Festival’ plays host to over 40 Irish and international acts, staged at 30 venues across the city, boasting an eclectic mix of old and new acts, where all styles are catered for.
I was kindly invited down by to the festival in 2024 by Gary Keogh of ‘Roller Coaster Records’ and was lucky enough to interview some of the headliners of that year’s festival, acts such as;
Hayseed Dixie - Formed in 2000, Hayseed Dixie are a Nashville based bluegrass group who are known for their covers of rock, metal and pop songs. Since the release of their debut album in 2001 the group gained notoriety for their sound & humour, leading them to have considerable airplay on many a radio show across the world, leading to them becoming a mainstay of the genre in the early 21st century.
Jeffrey Martin - Portland, Oregon is home to this singer songwriter who has gone forward into a career that has steadily built upon his insightful and sensitive songs. Jeffrey has used his talents to reflect upon the human condition in all its guises and to hold a mirror up to our humanity, our deeds and insecurities. He speaks for those on the margins of society and frequently captures the quiet dignity and the hidden depths within everyman.
Peter Case - A three-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter from the USA who has a most impressive resume. He was the founder of the Nerves, the very first American indie band to put together a nationwide tour and one of the very first to release their own indie EP. He then was the founder and leader of the legendary Plimsouls, an incredibly influential L.A. rock and roll band which drew praise from everyone from Elvis Costello to Tom Petty to critics nationwide.
Robert Finley - . Louisiana's Robert Finley is a singer/songwriter and guitarist delivering traditional blues and soul music with elements of R&B and gospel. He performed semi-professionally for decades before going on hiatus to better support his family. He returned to music in 2016 and issued his debut album, Age Don't Mean a Thing, on producer Bruce Watson's Big Legal Mess label. In the aftermath Finley was introduced to Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys and the pair became easy collaborators.
The Zipheads – Playing Rock'n'Roll infused punk, taking influence from the founding fathers of the 1950s like Little Richard and Chuck Berry, via the punk and new wave heroes of the 70s such as The Clash and Elvis Costello, along the way encompassing surf, swing, soul, country, folk, ska and reggae as well as most other types of music you could care to imagine into the mix.
Jeffrey Silverstein - A Jersey native with his feet now firmly planted in Portland, Jeffrey Silverstein has been making music for over a decade. From his time in Baltimore collective Secret Mountains to releasing music with Brooklyn duo Nassau, his song writing has always focused primarily on its use of instruments. He was in town with the psychedelic country super group the Cosmic Country Review.
I also spoke to music aficionados such as festival founder and owner of Cleere’s pub and venue, John Cleere and legendary music journalist, Allan Jones. An award-winning ,British music journalist and editor. He was editor of Melody Maker from 1984 to 1997 then launched Uncut magazine and for 15 years wrote a popular monthly column called Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before, based on his experiences as a music journalist in the 70s and 80s, a prosperous time for the music press. His book, Can't Stand Up For Falling Down, was the Sunday Times' Music Book of the Year 2017.
From rockabilly to folk, blues to bluegrass and everything in between, The Kilkenny roots festival serves all tastes, this documentary is a snapshot of the festival as it goes into its 26th year, this is Marble Roots.
