19 July 2024

blackdeerfest

Event review: Black Deer Festival 2024

The Black Deer Festival 2024 delivered an intimate and family-friendly experience, despite a few unexpected challenges. Known for its relaxed atmosphere, the festival maintained its charm with a blend of music, crafts, and food, but the unpredictable weather added an element of surprise.  Small but mighty  The festival’s small size contributed to its cozy, communal feel, which many attendees appreciated. However, the windy conditions posed significant challenges – of course, that’s no fault of the organisers. One of the notable incidents involved a hat stand being blown over. Another mishap occurred during a grilling demonstration by a master griller, where the grill was toppled by the wind, resulting in steaks being dropped into the charcoal and almost setting the stage on fire. These incidents, though chaotic, added a layer of excitement and unpredictability to the event. Drama is oftentimes a fun aside to the main event, something that people can’t control but create the kind of memories that last – who would forget a near stage fire?!  Unlike larger festivals where crowds can feel overwhelming, Black Deer’s compact layout encouraged interaction and camaraderie among attendees. This intimate setting allowed festival-goers to forge connections not only with fellow music enthusiasts but also with the artisans and vendors showcasing their wares. The accessibility of performers and the opportunity for spontaneous encounters added a personal touch, enhancing the overall experience beyond mere entertainment.  Throughout the festival grounds, the sense of community was palpable. From impromptu jam sessions in secluded corners to shared moments of awe during standout performances, each interaction contributed to a collective tapestry of memories. Families with children, seasoned festival veterans, and first-time visitors alike found themselves drawn into the festival’s warm embrace, where every smile exchanged and story shared became threads in the fabric of Black Deer’s legacy.  Craft and lifestyle offerings  The lifestyle tents, although limited in number, were a highlight. Attendees were treated to an array of unique items, from guitars made out of cigar boxes to beautiful hats and stunning jewellery. The quality of the crafts on display was impressive, with vendors being kind and open to conversation. The crafts added to the feeling of community, supporting small and medium business and gives even more kudos the family festival experience.     Read the full feature in our free digital magazine here: https://bit.ly/3WUe56j Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: editor@maverick-country.com

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CMAT

Beyond Nashville: CMAT

Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, better known as CMAT, is causing a stir in the UK. It’s near impossible to get tickets to her live performances before they’re sold out, news stories about her confident style choices and outspoken nature abound and she was nominated (alongside the likes of Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and Olivia Rodrigo) for International Artist of the Year at the 2024 Brit Awards. But she’s not a pop artist, she’s a country star.      CMAT’s second album, ‘Crazymad, For Me’ was released in 2023. It went number one in her native Ireland and broke the top 25 in the UK charts. Before she broke through on her own, she was in a band; “The reason that band dissolved was because I was writing lyrics and making songs that were specific to me and my experiences, and were honest,” she said in 2022. “The feedback that I was getting was, like, ‘We can’t release joke music. Like, this isn’t a comedy act.’ And I was, like, ‘I’m not doing comedy music. I’m writing the way I talk to people.’ The way I communicate is exactly the way in speech and amongst friends as it is in music.” It’s an evident truth, CMAT’s writing sways between sarcastic, astute observation and, above all, honest.     It was in 2018 that CMAT went to London for a songwriting workshop by pop superstar Charli XCX. It changed everything for her. She moved from Manchester back to her native Dublin and soon she was penning her first album, 2022’s ‘If My Wife New I’d Be Dead’. It was lauded as a huge success, with critics noting that the album provided thought-provoking insights into loneliness, speckled with her trademark humour.      The single ‘I Wanna Be A Cowboy, Baby!’ is an indication of CMAT’s inspirations. She’s a country music fan who writes country music, even if she’s far from its original land. ‘If My Wife New I’d Be Dead’ includes traditionally country instrumentation, featuring steel guitar, banjo and strings. It’s not every day that a country musician from Ireland reaches success, but with her patented blend of upbeat pop and country, CMAT is the crossover star that the country has been waiting for. Tracks like ‘Nashville’ seek to question her own place in country music, CMAT writes that she is ‘gonna tell everybody I know that I’m moving to Nashville’, just for the leaving party. It’s a song that takes on the traditional country ballad, the strings swell and an acoustic guitar comes in, ready to tell the story of leaving that emulates John Denver’s ‘Leaving On A Jet Plane’, whilst maintaining her Irishness with the phrase ‘Who would want my ends’ (for those who are unaware, that’s the bits you leave behind’.     Read the full feature in our free digital magazine here: https://bit.ly/3WUe56j Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: editor@maverick-country.com  

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