The Big Bang Festival of Rhythm
Happy City, Big Bang 2009, photograph, Christian Staunton
Fifteen years ago, the first Big Bang Festival was organised in Dublin by CityArts and Wet Paint Arts, changing the landscape of drumming in Ireland forever. Big Bang, now an independent festival, continues to celebrate a broad spectrum of styles of drumming, but also rhythm as it affects other art forms such as dance, voice and visual art. The Big Bang has presented a diverse range of international performers: Trilok Gurtu (India), HeartBeat Percussion (Singapore), Monobloco (Brazil), Seckou Keita (Senegal), Andrea Piccioni (Italy) and Abdullah Chhadeh (Syria).
Abdullah Chhadeh, Emer Mayock and Nick Roth, Big Bang Festival, 2008
In 2009, the headline acts were Mamady Keita from Guinea, Johnny Khalsi from the Dhol Foundation, London, Sergio Krakowski from Brazil and Steve Arguelles from Argentina.
In addition there were performances and workshops from some of the best artists from the Irish drumming and jazz fraternities.
• Workshop participants travelled to Dublin from the UK, Cork and Galway for the festival.
• Over the weekend July 24th-26th, there were 4 performances and three workshops, with over 70 people at the most popular workshops and over 700 and the most popular gig. There were 37 workshops and 3 performances in the build up to the festival.
A high point for participants and audiences is the annual 'Big Bang' when drumming groups from all over the country converge for a free event. This event is an open call to drummers, aspiring drummers, community groups or people interested in rhythm of movement of any kind.
Find out more on:
www.myspace.com/bigbangfestival
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Bang-Festival-of-Rhythm/103057234395
or email info@bigbangfestival.com
Big Bang is supported by CityArts.
