I Draw Slow take to the stage in St Michael’s Church, Ballina on Saturday night, joining an impressive list of internationally renowned artists who have performed at the venue in recent years, including Sam Fender, Elbow, Villagers and David Gray. Young Killala band For Folks Sake will be the support act for the Dublin band.
On Friday, popular Mayo band Doppler will be one of two acts playing in TheNCF Cultural Co-op on Pearse Street.
It’s all part of this year’s Ballina Fringe Festival.
I Draw Slow will bring their extraordinary blend of Irish sensibility and American roots music to the town on Saturday, October 10.
Having released five albums to date, their fourth, ‘Turn Your Face to The Sun’, went to number one in the Irish charts, bringing the five-piece a Gold Disc from IMRO. The music of I Draw Slow has been licensed for film, TV and advertising and has been recorded and covered by several other artists. Work is currently underway on a sixth album.
I Draw Slow has been consistently redefining acoustic roots music for over almost two decades. Led by siblings and songwriters Dave and Louise Holden, with Adrian Hart on fiddle, Ryan McAuley on banjo and Konrad Liddy on double bass, this band bridges the gap between Irish storytelling and American bluegrass.
The band appeared in a major Kerrygold butter commercial which included one of their songs, ‘Swans’, and a feature on the band is often shown on Aer Lingus transatlantic flights. The five are also known for their high-production videos featuring actors such as Aidan Gillen (‘Game of Thrones’) and award winning directors Hugh O’Conor and Ronan Fox.
As well as a reputation for fine songwriting, their live shows are a unique and captivating experience, with dedicated fans travelling far and wide to see them.
In the United States, from where the band’s two most recent albums were released by a Nashville label, they have been commissioned to write original music for a major campaign in that country to highlight immigration rights.
The striking and historic church on Church Road, Ballina, has hosted a diverse range of musical performances over the years. It served as a venue for the acclaimed television music series ‘Other Voices’ in 2018 and 2020, welcoming renowned artists including Elbow, Sam Fender, Villagers and David Gray to play live in Ballina.
Also as part of Ballina Fringe Festival two acts will take to the stage of The NCF Cultural Co-op on Pearse Street this Friday, October 9, with the gig getting underway at 9pm.
Alt-folk trio Doppler, comprising Jamie, Mick and Kevin, return to live performance after a three-year hiatus. The Mayo-based group recently released its new single ‘Fiona’, and audiences can look forward to soaring fiddle melodies, rich vocal harmonies and infectious pop hooks infused with an edge of bite. Winners of the IMRO Clancy Brothers Song Contest, Doppler have shared stages with renowned acts such as The Saw Doctors, Steve Wickham and Alabama 3.
Joining them will be the solo act Death Milkshake, a skilled multi-instrumentalist, and a Today FM ‘Irish Act to Watch’ in 2025.
Tickets for all Ballina Fringe Festival events are available via Eventbrite or through the Ballina Fringe Festival website at https://ballinafringefestival.ie/.
The website also provides the full programme of events for the 2026 festival, which runs until October 11.
