Ireland’s longest running independent festival, Body & Soul, returns for its 13th edition to the idyllic gardens of Ballinlough Castle, Clonmellon, Co. Westmeath from June 16th to 18th.
Late last year, Body & Soul shared an early glimpse of a discerning musical programme in the making, confirming Moderat, Gilles Peterson, Shanti Celeste, BCUC, Sorcha Richardson and Aoife Nessa Frances for the 2023 edition. Today, February 1st 2023, Body & Soul announces the next 31 musical purveyors who will gather together for the Summer Solstice, adding their infectious vibes to the already vibrant line-up.
In addition to the already announced, The Blessed Madonna, Denise Chaila, Kojaque, The Murder Capital and Kneecap are just some of the acts revealed.
Community takes centre stage this year with a three-day celebration of the diverse creative landscape of Ireland. A theme that will be woven into the very fabric of the festival to celebrate the boundary breaking makers, creators, artists, performers and free-thinking festival-goers that have journeyed with Body & Soul year-on-year.
The female-led team will further engage attendees through a dedicated program that spotlights creative and community groups through performances, workshops, talks and panels, adding even more magic to the wondrous grounds of Ballinlough Castle.
Elsewhere, the former lead guitarist of The War On Drugs, Kurt Vile & The Violators brings his solo works to Body & Soul and one of the most legendary partnerships in music, Fabio & Grooverider and The Outlook Orchestra (A/V Show) come to throw down the history of jungle and drum and bass. The legendary duo join Denise Chaila and Kojaque in celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop at Body & Soul along the Hennessy Music Trail.
The eclectic offering continues with the exceptional eleven-piece techno marching band, MEUTE, while the always mesmerising Beth Orton brings her signature folktronica to the star-filled night skies of Body & Soul. Public Service Broadcasting will douse Westmeath in infectious energy with their combination of electronics and surging guitar rock and hailing from the Sahara Desert region of Northern Mali, global world music superstars Tinariwen promise to whip up a Body & Soul storm with their unique guitar-driven meld of traditional Tuareg sounds, African music and Western rock.
Dubliner folk-duo and brothers, Ye Vagabonds join the lineup with their timeless storytelling and ethereal harmonies, eight-piece group, Kokoroko will play their unique fusion of jazz and Afrobeat, Welsh chanteuse and electronic producer Gwenno will gift her unique musical stylings to the Body & Soul tribe and Amsterdam based duo WEVAL bring their dance floor focused live experience straight off the back of an extensive EU, UK and North American tour.
More homegrown talent comes from Ailbhe Reddy, who recently announced her new album Endless Affair will drop on St. Patrick’s Day, March 2023 and London electronic duo REAL LIES are lining up to deliver a relentlessly propulsive club-ready set. Anna Mieke’s lyrically ornate and instrumental delicacies will lull listeners to a dreamlike space, Neo-soul trailblazer, RUTI continues to radiate those lakeside summer vibes, while Choice Music Prize 2022 Best Album nominees Thumper, arrive with one of the sharpest, tightest noise-rock feasts on the festival circuit.
Creating more communal dancefloor magic will be South London duo, Joy Anonymous, and run away pop sensations Sing Along Social, while Junior Brother delivers an alt folk set that bears out his Irish Times ‘Best Irish Act of 2019’ accolade. The wonderfully unique Kormac’s Equivalent Exchange offers an all-senses dance-floor experience, blending electronica with orchestra, an array of vocalists, rappers and left-field musicians creating a joyous cacophony of music.
As the Solstice sun fades, the tempo surges across Body & Soul and 2023 promises evocative dance floor experiences into the early hours. At the very centre of this programme is the incredible 35 foot tall, totem-like wooden performance space – The Beacon Soundsystem, a bespoke creation from master craftsman Toby Hatchett. Returning after a wildly successful debut at Body & Soul 2022, revellers will party late into the night beneath its sentinel 100 ft laser and state of the art 360 degree Function One sound system. Moving into its own unique arena this year, it will host an array of world class international and local DJs, and hypnotic live performers, including a landmark All Female Friday line up led by Avalon Emerson (AD 93) – a DJ renowned for her dynamic approach that reaches into all eras and genres of dance music and joined under the Ballinlough skies by the already announced Bristol powerhouse Shanti Celeste, the massively in-demand Australian electronic producer and DJ, HAAi alongside homegrown heroes, Kerry-native, Efa O’Neill and Berlin based Sara Miller.
Keeping the body moving and the heart pulsing all weekend long will be the aforementioned The Blessed Madonna, and new to the line-up, the extraordinary Gerd Janson, one of the world’s most respected proponents of house and techno, a performer who continues to defy genre, retaining a residency at Frankfurt’s Robert-Johnson club since 2000. The palette of sounds is as varied as ever and Body & Soul are delighted to add Coco Maria, a selector, curator and radio host with original style and impeccable taste, who joins the festival alongside previously announced BBC star and Brownswood Recordings label boss Gilles Peterson.
The Beacon Soundsystem further cements its status as a sacred dance floor, as Body & Soul once again celebrate the coming of the Summer Solstice with The Pagan Rave – a ceremonial salute to the festival’s Solstice roots, featuring over 20 performers in breathtaking handmade costumes and masks.
Heading toward the 13th edition of Body & Soul, the mother of Ireland’s independent festivals continues to hone and evolve a truly bespoke experience beyond the bright lights and throbbing rhythms of the musical stages.
At the epicentre of the festival lies the Avant Garden – a 17th century garden dedicated to feasting and decadence. Featuring the finer things in life, it is a true discovery at Body & Soul where delicious food, champagne and cocktails are served up against a backdrop of acoustic, jazz and orchestral sounds. Here you can expect the unexpected, such as the First Tastes dating experience, Food on Board, a drag brunch, a pop-up restaurant from some of Ireland’s most exciting artisan chefs and the annual Masquerade ‘Solstice’ Costume Ball.
The brand new Sanctuary Stage and Pamper Gardens are the restorative cornerstone of Body & Soul, home to a dedicated wellness programme featuring yoga classes, holistic therapies, seaweed baths, saunas, sound baths and late night ambient immersions.
The Woodlands, a festival favourite, will host large-scale immersive environments fusing sculpture, installation art, performance and sound, along with a heaving party at the Cabin in the Woods and the Dark & Stormy cocktail bar. The Hennessy House will celebrate 50 years of hip hop music and culture with DJs, MCs, artists, dancers and spoken word poets, whilst The Orchard offers a home for the curious – featuring emerging acts and established artists across cabaret, theatre, comedy and culture.
As always with Body & Soul, it’s the nooks and crannies and unexpected surprises that continue to delight festival goers between its myriad of stages.
Emerging after a 2-year hiatus in 2022, Body & Soul reimagined its roots as a smaller, boutique festival with a carefully curated atmosphere. Heading into 2023, it continues to evolve this intimate experience with just 5,000 weekend tickets being made available. Body & Soul remains strictly over 21s but welcomes families back to Ballinlough for this edition, with children aged 13 and below.
Body & Soul is aiming to become Ireland’s first circular festival by 2027. For 2023, the festival continues to lead the way in sustainability by making all campsites 100% Leave No Trace Camping, ensuring that festival-goers recycle their waste and take all of their camping gear home. As a proud member of the EU Green Deal Circular Festivals, Body & Soul collaborates with more than 17 European festivals to collectively reduce our environmental impact on the planet.
16 – 18 June 2023 | Ballinlough Castle Estate, Co. Westmeath, Ireland.