Cork's Quarter Block Party Returns July 2023

Quarter Block Party, the renowned DIY arts and music festival has announced its highly anticipated 2023 edition, taking place in various venues around Cork City from July 14th to 16th.

This unique festival brings together a vibrant community of artists, musicians, and creative enthusiasts to celebrate the spirit of DIY culture in Ireland and showcases a diverse range of artistic expressions.

Quarter Block Party creates an immersive experience that engages both locals and visitors in an exploration of the arts scene in Cork City. By highlighting different spaces across the city into lively performance spaces, the festival highlights the city's rich cultural heritage while embracing the cutting-edge and innovative works of emerging artists. The festival's line-up for 2023 is a testament to the diversity and creativity that Quarter Block Party champions.

Among the notable acts gracing the stages this year are the Belfast based group Junk Drawer - an indie rock band known for their infectious energy and eclectic sound. Fans can expect a captivating performance filled with their signature blend of melodic hooks and introspective lyrics. They play The Nest at Coughlan's Bar on Douglas Street on Saturday 15th July, alongside Listening Face, something of a supergroup featuring members of Cork bands such as Hope Is Noise, Slow Motion Heroes and The Frank & Walters.

Earlier that afternoon Elaine Howley, a rising star in the Irish music scene will mesmerize the audience with her soulful vocals and heartfelt songwriting. Her captivating performances have garnered praise for their emotional depth and ability to connect with listeners on a profound level. She shares the indoor stage at Coughlan with Maija Sofia, a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter whose haunting melodies and poetic storytelling have earned her a dedicated following.

The opening night of the festival takes place around the trendy setting of St. Luke's Cross on the northside of Cork City. With an early show at The Chapel in Griffith College featuring an array of talent from the experimental and and avant garde genre; Cork composers Jane Deasy and Muireann Levis will both perform sets of ambience and drone; and multi-instrumentalist Ana Palindrome brings her full band to perform textural and experimental music. A very special one-off show will take place on the stage of Live At St. Luke's with limited capacity for electronic artist Flowers at Night and Mantua, the experimental project of artist Elaine Malone.

On Saturday 15th July, 1pm at Circus Factory on Centre Park Road, there will be the inaugural 'Brus Performance Marathon', an open mic for all art forms including spoken word, circus, music and everything in between. Quarter hopes to bring the arts community of Cork together to congregate, network and share their work with each other and the public.

Finally on Sunday 16th July there are concerts at The Green Room in Cork Opera House, Plugd Records and Crane Lane Theatre. Limerick shoegaze indie rockers, His Fathers Voice play alongside Fermanagh's idiosyncratic composer Róis who blends folk, jazz, and Irish traditional music. Independent music collective Sunwell Tapes will host a showcase at Plugd Records in the early evening. Craic Boi Mental is one of Ireland's most unique artists, he will headline the final ticketed show alongside the distinctive hip hop sounds of Raja Baal and An Cárthach.

The weekend will finish off with a closing party at Crane Lane Theatre with the North Kerry's biggest pop exports Messyng playing with another supergroup of the Cork music scene, Crying Loser.

Tickets for all shows go on sale on Thursday 1st June at 10am via eventbrite.ie

Don't miss out on the opportunity to immerse yourself in Cork City's vibrant cultural tapestry and experience the talent and creativity of these exceptional artists.