National Celtic Festival Focus: PORTS

Answered by: Ryan Griffiths

Describe your sound in four words: Harmonic, rhythmic, melodic, lyrical.

Give us a brief history of yourself and your music: We come from Derry, in the north-west of Ireland. We've been together for 4 years and released our debut album The Devil Is A Songbird last year and it was shortlisted for album of the year in Northern Ireland.

Is there a Celtic background in your family history? The four of us have strong Celtic connections as do most Irish. Some of our names can be traced back as far as the 1100s and were lords of Inishowen. 

Is there one solid definition of Celtic music, or is it a broad church where lots of elements can be incorporated? Like most music today, a genre can impact others and subgenres can develop from that. I think Celtic music has a core base of rhythm and melody that has grown and will do with the impact of those other elements.

What album would you offer someone who knew nothing about Celtic music as an introduction and why? Andy Irvine/Paul Brady. A perfect mixture of instrumental and folk stories, of love, loss, immigration and war, wrapped in beautiful Irish melodies. If you like old folk stories, traditional instruments, this album will capture the poetic and musical mind.

Do you experience many Celtic Festivals? Do people hold them regularly? In Ireland, there would a lot of Celtic and Trad festivals, the biggest probably being the Fleadh, which is each year in August. In Derry, you'll find a trad session most nights. 

Do you plan to hang out for the entire festival or only be there for your set? We don't arrive until the Sunday afternoon, but that evening we'll try and take in as much as we can and see as many acts as possible. I'm sure that's what a festival's all about. 

What day(s) are you playing the festival? 11 Jun

Website link for more info? facebook.com/portsband