Hailing from Haarlem, Berry ‘Jack’ Krikken and Sebastiaan ‘Weatherman’ Weerman are Jack and the Weatherman. Two friends in music on a mission to send their sun-soaked folky pop songs into the world. Inspirated by the music of Jason Mraz, The Lumineers and the vocal harmonies of Simon & Garfunkel. The songs of Jack and the Weatherman combine elements of pop, folk and reggae, with positive and profound lyrics. In their songs they celebrate the beautiful aspects of life, while acknowledging the fragility of its beauty. It’s music for both the heart and the head. 

Berry and Sebastiaan were friends in high school in Emmen, a city in the eastern part of the Netherlands. After they graduated, Berry started travelling the world and writing down his experiences and thoughts as lyrics. Sebastiaan had become a musician and plays various instruments. It was an odd chance that they met again, years later in city of Haarlem. It quickly became clear they would be partners in music when Sebastiaan got out his guitar and started playing The Dynamo Of Volition by Jason Mraz and Berry started singing the lyrics of the song. 

Tomorrow is the first song they write themselves. Before they know it they’ve written another three. They need to write songs quickly, because their first ever gig is already scheduled. That’s why they need to come up with a band name in a rush. The solution is quickly found: Berry Krikken becomes Jack, (‘krik’ means jack in Dutch), and Sebastiaan Weerman becomes the Weatherman (‘Weerman’ translates to weatherman). It is the start of an adventure with lots of fun, music, sold out shows and new friends both in their native The Netherlands and abroad.

They quickly become one of the most active live bands of the Netherlands, but stay out of the limelight of the music industry. Without any support by a label or management they score hit after hit on Spotify, with millions of streams from across the world. They tour extensively all over Europe, with shows in Finland, the UK, Germany, France and Switzerland. They raise the roof wherever they perform. 

Jack and the Weatherman is a DIY-band. They write their songs in the The Cave Of No Shame, their private studio where mistakes don’t exist. They record their songs with friend and producer Jasper Zuidervaart and release them on their own label Glowbird Records. So far, they’ve released three different EP’s: Something Positive (2014), Homewards (2015) and Some Kind of Purpose (2016). “Music is just the best way of using our time” says Berry. “As soon as we start making music we become mellow. It’s just like a mental reset” says Sebastiaan”.

Finally their eagerly anticipated debut album is ready for release: The Lucky Ones. Because that’s what they are, those two friends from Haarlem who found each other by odd chance. Two guys who realise how extraordinary life is, and who write songs about it. Cheerful songs on first listen, but with a deeper layer for those willing to listen. And every day more and more people are willing to listen to their songs. They’re ready for take off, they’re the lucky ones: Jack and the Weatherman.

Contemporary Irish Trad Group

Athrú are a new, vibrant, award winning, contemporary Irish Trad group that draw upon influences from Belfast and beyond to deliver music that is a combination of powerful accompaniment fused with modern tunes and delicate harmonies that is dynamic, energetic and fresh. The band originated through sessions in Belfast in early 2014, and despite their short time together have won Derry's "An Re Nua 2014" Competition, and have began recording their début EP album to be released next year. Through several competitions and festival appearances such as “Fleadh Cheoil Na hÉireann”, "Pan Celtic Festival", "Club Sásta", and supporting the likes of Trad super-groups: MOXIE, KAN, Goitse, Buille and the Máirtín O'Connor Trio; they have begun to build a strong following with their great sets and infectious onstage character.

 The band includes Belfast musicians Niall McIlroy (whistles/flutes/guitars), Cormac Crummey (guitars/fiddle/banjo), Brendan Loughran (concertina). Kevin Meehan from Dublin (bodhran/percussion/whistles) and Conor Broderick from Galway (piano/rhodes).

“Colm Phelan Encompasses Innovation & Tradition with every beat’” - Junior Davey (Five Time All Ireland Champion)

“Colm Phelan is one of Ireland’s leading young percussionists, and an exceptional Bodhrán player, providing new dimensions to the voice instrument” – Niall Keegan, Course Director, BA Irish Music and Dance.

"Going where no Bodhran player has gone before" Irish Music Magazine

Portlaoise-born Colm has been playing Bodhrán and Ceili Band drums since childhood and has been a prominent contender in the All Ireland competition since his earliest years of playing both Bodhran and Drums; in fact Colm qualified for the All-Ireland finals in his very first year of playing. Colm is a winner of numerous titles down through the years with his proudest achievements being the first ever World Bodhrán Champion, in Miltown, Co Kerry in 2006 ,and in the same year winning the All Ireland in Letterkenny for the second year in succession. This back-to-back achievement was closely echoed in his unique multiple Ceili Band drum competition successes. An All Ireland winner on both Bodhran and Ceili Band drums is no mean feat.

Benedict Benjamin is Ben Rubinstein, formerly of The Mariner’s Children and Peggy Sue(Wichita). His third album ‘Tunnel’ is a collection of sixties influenced psychedlic folk rock that mixes samples and live instrumentation to create a sound that feels both old and new.

After touring his second album with a band the pandemic happened. Deprived of collaborators, Ben adopted very different methods of writing and arranging to those used in his previous work, sampling and editing drum solos from old jazz records to create rhythm tracks then writing from there. The result is a rhythmically dynamic record that pulls in elements of psychedelic rock, folk, jazz and electronic music.

Colm McMenamy is following