Mull It Over 025: Pure Shores
A sensible journey to the heart of the Mid Ulster dream. Sound of the Shore 2024 - a recap.
We were somewhere around Ballyronan on the edge of Lough Neagh when the caffeine began to take hold. I remember saying something like ‘I feel fantastic, Mid Ulster looks beautiful in the sun today’. And suddenly there was a John Deere tractor turning right into the field in front of me just as I was trying to overtake, and the stench of slurry filled up the car. A voice was screaming ‘Holy Jesus! Where did that come from?’ My partner woke up and asked ‘What are you shouting about?’ I said it was nothing. No point mentioning the near death experience, I thought. Everyone has one soon enough.
It was pretty smooth sailing after that.
This was my latest pilgrimage to the heart of the Mid Ulster dream - Sound of the Shore. A locally run music festival held on a private beach, tucked away neatly on the north western tip of Ireland’s largest lake, Lough Neagh. It is a family affair. Run by the Scott family and founded by Matthew Scott who selflessly offers up his own slice of paradise to musicians and music lovers alike for two days at the beginning of the summer. Every year now since 2017, before Summer arrives for everyone else on the solstice, Sound of the Shore has become the unofficial start to the season for the 500 or so lucky revellers there on the beach on the first weekend of June.
I was there in 2017. Bales of hay cosplayed as the seating, no camping option was available and safety regulations were but a twinkle in Matthew Scott's eye. I remember vividly a viking boat, idly floating atop the lough, being set alight as the jubilations reached their zenith. After that, I don’t remember much. As the festival gained in popularity, they came for the hay bales and they came for the burning vessels. But they couldn’t take away the true spirit of Sound of the Shore - a music festival where you will feel as welcome with a ten month old baby or a ten glass of Smirnoff. I know, I’ve done both.
In 2024, the seventh year of its existence, there is a noticeable jump in the stakes. Over the years, as Sound of the Shore has grown in size and popularity, so too have the names of the acts on its self-built stage. This year, the festival boasts the likes of Dea Matrona, the exciting 70s-inspired duo about to head off on tour with Sheryl Crow. The Unholy Gospel Band, a supergroup of Northern Irish musicians including Cormac Neeson of The Answer and then there’s The Belfast Empire’s newest long term lodger - Chris Taplin, headlining the Sunday evening slot. That is a serious lineup and speaks volumes of the pulling power Sound of the Shore has and the ear for talent from those in the booking office.
But as the festival has grown in size and stature, it maintains its wholesome, real and familial spirit, because that is exactly what it is. From the homemade, stone houseboat which overlooks the beach to the self-built bar and stage, everything about Sound of the Shore is tangible and true - it even prides itself on being entirely self sufficient, receiving no money or help from public institutions. The festival was built from a desire to host a show the founders would have liked to attend themselves, and rolls on with the undeniable fuel of love, music and locally brewed ale. It is, in a word - class.
I didn’t see the headliners in 2017, due to matters well in my control but unfortunately mishandled. I didn’t see the headliners in 2024 due to nipping off early to the campsite with an aforementioned ten month old raver. This year, with the baby asleep beside me I had what I can only describe as an unholy gospel experience as I drifted off to the rock and roll hymns of ‘Tender’ by Blur and ‘Movin’ on Up’ by Primal Scream, as Cormac Neeson and co brought the heat to Ballyronan as the sun set on the shore and the rest of the revellers geared up for the headline DJ set. Fireworks followed, and for once, I was one of the first at the party to go to sleep.
Sunday was the cool off. A far bigger cohort of young families descended on to the beach as the clouds lifted on Saturday night’s 80s and 90s fuelled DJ set. Featuring a noticeably more acoustic offering, country music and bluegrass singalongs sustained the good spirits and it wasn’t long until the bar tap guarding the local ale was being tested again. With the camping equipment packed up and the car loaded, we decided to catch some of the last remaining performers. A true standout included a relatively new artist to the local scene - Sophie French. I wrote about Sophie in last week’s article where I spoke about her latest single ‘Riviera’. Soundtracking the collective comedown for those who gave it their all the night before, Sophie’s set, as I have mentioned, recalled Lorde’s famous 2022 Sunday set at Glastonbury, providing the soft landing everyone needed. For having only two singles released, Sophie knows what she’s doing up on the stage. Add in a cover of Fleetwood Mac and we were all wishing the fun could go on for another night.
But all good things come to an end. Or do they? Sound of the Shore, if Matthew Scott doesn’t mind me saying - stands on the shoulders of Rory Gallagher’s infamous Rock The Lough gig in Ballyronan in 1989. The spirit of that gig lives on, not least due to the fact that some of the staging materials from that 1989 show have been repurposed to fit the Sound of the Shore stage. A nice touch, in a corner of the world built on nice touches.
Nothing ever really ends.
The beach is quiet now. But if you would like to get a taste of Sound of the Shore you can attend the sister event - The Beach Party, a summer send off which usually takes place in the middle of August. Keep an eye on the SOTS Instagram page for more information.
A personal thank you to Matthew for being so accommodating to our crew, camping with young children. Everything ran smoothly due in no small part to the help of the Scott family.
And as always, thanks for reading the latest edition of Mull It Over. The radio show returns next week featuring some of my favourite artists that I’ve written about over the past month. Make sure to follow Belfast Built Digital Radio for all the announcements.
Happy Friday folks
Chris
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