Gentlemen of the road

AWARD-winning British folk-rock group Mumford & Sons has kindly decided to organise a one-day music festival in Salthill Park entitled â€ËœGentlemen Of The Road'. 'We want to stop off in towns not usually heavily toured by bands, and celebrate the people, food and music that inhabit them,' says the band. The festival, which is fast approaching, takes place on June 9 and is an all-day event with two stages and an array of internationally renowned musical talent. All bands and artists set to take part in the event have been hand picked by Mumford & Sons and are some of their favourite bands and songwriters in the world. Joining the line-up are The Vaccines, Willy Mason, Zulu Winter, Nathaniel Rateliff, The Correspondents and Moulettes. There are very few people who are not aware of Mumford & Sons' amazing rise to global success on the back of their debut album, Sign No More, which topped the charts in Ireland and all over the world. The band received countless awards and accolades for their record and invigorating live shows, which culminated with a performance at last year's Grammy Awards alongside Bob Dylan. Currently recording their second album, the band will be taking this opportunity to unleash some of their new material at the Galway seaside venue, as well as playing the foot-stomping, inspirational hits off Sign No More. 'We're keen to promote the town's local businesses, and we'll be using the local bars and venues for aftershow parties, whilst working closely with the local people to get everyone involved in making these shows spectacular. There will be a host of our friends playing too, and the vibe falls somewhere between â€Ëœtravelling Victorian circus' and â€ËœVictorian travelling circus', it should be a whole lot of fun,' added the band. Set to perform just before the headliners is a band not all that used to playing second fiddle. London-based four-piece The Vaccines have had an amazing year in their own right, since the release of their debut album, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines, last March. Having previously been forced to cancel a gig in Galway they will finally bring their raucous rock â€Ëœn' roll sound to the West of Ireland. The festival will also incorporate a smaller stage where Martha's Vineyard's very own Willy Mason will perform alongside The Correspondents and Moulettes, in what will be a sweeter and more intimate setting. With 15,000 tickets available and priced at €49.50, this festival is a bargain and a very rare occasion. â€â€œ Darragh O'Dea