5 acts you need to see at Flourish

Gigs are back on the menu and with a huge lineup of live music heading to the Button Factory this week, we’ve highlighted the essential shows.

It’s been a minute since we could showcase our favourite acts from all corners of the country in an intimate space and celebrate what is undoubtedly a golden era for emerging Irish artists. The restart of the live events industry also provides a clean slate of sorts and an opportunity to promote a more sustainable, conscious, and kind cultural landscape.

So with all that in mind, we’ve teamed up with Collective Films and Sense to run a series of intimate live events curated by Will Rolfe featuring 12 of the country’s most exciting acts at the Button Factory.

Kicking off on Tuesday 11 October, Flourish brings into full focus Sense’s committed approach in working with artists, collaborators and partners to promote an overall kinder environment. Going forward Sense will ask all gig-goers to join them by planting a Tree In Ireland, with the option to add €2 to your ticket, which covers the cost of planting at least one native Irish tree in Ireland. Partnering with Trees on the Land, who are working to leave a living legacy of tree cover and woodland for future generations, they will match each donation by gig-goer each year and more. So far, they’ve helped plant 1165 Trees in Ireland thanks to donations in 2020. 

Ahead of the shows, we’ve selected five of the must see acts from rising neo-soul stars to drill duos. Supporting emerging talent, promoting sustainability and having a good time while you are at it. What’s not to like?

shiv

It feels like the stars have aligned this week for rising neo-soul star shiv’s forthcoming performance. After so long without gigs we aren’t feeling fussy, but given the set-up, timing of the show and new music we’re being spoilt with a gig that ticks all the boxes as live music returns. Having built a reputation as one of Ireland’s most impressive vocalists she doubled down on the buzz last Friday with the release of her sophomore EP The Love Interlude. What’s more is its vulnerable songwriting will be showcased in the Button Factory’s intimate settings and ticket holders will be amongst the first to hear all the new tracks. A must-see.

shiv plays Tuesday 11 October, doors open 19.30.

Séllo

A frontrunner in Ireland’s most explosive genre, Séllo’s brand of drill grounds itself in the black Irish experience. Whether it’s the chant-inducing sounds of ‘OGGY’ or the bilingual bars in ‘As Gaileage’, the D22 spitter is threatening to blow the lid of the bubbling scene one track at a time.

Séllo plays Wednesday 13 October 2021, doors open at 19.30.

Elzzz x Trever

Rap music’s rich tapestry has been blessed with a host of iconic duos across its history. Outkast challenged the East Coast West Coast dichotomy in the States, making weird and wacky trunk rattlers on their own terms, Run The Jewels laughed at the notion that rap is a young person’s game and Pete Rock and CL Smooth’s philosophical approach made a lasting impression on the sound.

Dublin spitters Elzzz and Trever are putting their own stamp on drill, regularly laying each other up with the finesse of an olympic volleyball team. While it’s clear to hear in the music, their chemistry comes into full focus during live performances and they are to preview a number of tracks they have in the vault.

Elzzz and Trever play Tuesday 12 October, doors open at 19.30.

Lucy McWilliams

Highlighted as one of ‘Future Of Irish Music’ artists in 2021, Lucy McWilliams has made good on the promise shown in her first couple of tracks with a string of collaborations with Malaki and Matthew Harris.  She heads to the Button Factory with a voice that demands considered attention off the back of a number of festival appearances this summer.

Lucy McWilliams plays Thursday 14 October, doors open at 19.30.

EMA

Woozy head honcho and Skin&Blister member EMA joins an eclectic lineup on the final night of the series. Expect the kind of dark, grimey basement fillers that have been so sorely missed in our lives.

EMA plays Friday 15 October, doors open at 19.30.

Tickets for all shows are ON SALE NOW priced from €12. Click here for tickets.