TCDSU Ents Officer reacts to first Trinity Ball acts

Ents Officer Padraic Rowley gives Trinity News his take on the first four acts announced to play at Trinity Ball

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With Trinity Ball just over two months away, the first acts of the line-up were announced earlier this week. The Riptide Movement, Wilkinson, SG Lewis and Nick Johnson are all scheduled to perform at the on-campus event. Trinity News spoke to the Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) Ents Officer, Padraic Rowley, about the newly-announced acts.

The Riptide Movement

The Riptide Movement are a folk-rock band hailing from Lucan in Dublin. The group released their third studio album Ghosts in October of last year, and are currently touring Germany. They are set to play in the Olympia on March 17, just three weeks before Trinity Ball.

Having been met with huge success in Ireland for a number of years now, theirs is undoubtedly a name that many ball-goers will be excited by. Rowley welcomed the presence of this Irish success story at Trinity Ball, saying: “The Riptide Movement are an act I remember seeing when I was still in secondary school. They’ve taken off to be truly successful now, but I feel they still have the same air of raw coolness about them.”

Wilkinson

Wilkinson is a British drum and bass music producer and DJ who gained fame in 2013 with his top-ten single Afterglow. His second studio album Hypnotic is forthcoming, with a release date yet to be announced. Three singles from the album were released last year, the latest being Sweet Lies with vocals from former X-Factor contestant Karen Harding. He is currently touring the UK.

Judging by line-ups in recent years, Wilkinson is likely to be one of a number of dance acts to take to the stage this year. Rowley expressed his excitement at what the DJ will bring to the Ball, saying: “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a fan of somebody this heavy on the drum & bass scene. He is just one of those acts that makes you stay on the dance floor when you were too tired and wanted to leave hours ago.”

SG Lewis

SG Lewis is a music producer from Liverpool. He released his debut EP Shivers in 2015 having been signed by PMR, the record label that had previously signed names such as Disclosure and Jessie Ware. Influenced by both club music and singer-songwriters, his music is characterised by a combination of soulful vocals and club beats.

In stark contrast to the upbeat sound of Wilkinson, SG Lewis is notable for the mellow nature characteristic of much of his music. Whilst this make him seem like an unusual choice for Trinity Ball, Rowley is particularly optimistic about this pick nonetheless: “I genuinely can’t wait to see him perform. Although more chill than most acts in the line-up, he is potentially one of my favourites.”

Nic Johnson

Nic Johnson is an assistant professor in Drama at Trinity, as well as being a performer, director, writer, and artistic director of Painted Filly Theatre in Dublin. His TFM programme, Plastic Soul, is the station’s longest running programme, broadcasting every Thursday between 10 pm and midnight. The DJ’s appearance at Trinity Ball will see him bring Plastic Soul to the live stage.

Johnson is notable for the fact that he is a Trinity-made act, and TFM fans in particular are likely to be thrilled to see a name synonymous with the station on the bill. Amongst such fans is Rowley, who is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to see Plastic Soul brought to life: “I’m a Trinity FM head myself … The man is practically a legend in the TFM studio as he has been playing, for over a decade, the most eclectic mixes of music to grace its airwaves. I can’t wait to see what it’s like on the night.”

Trinity ball will take place on campus on Friday 7 April.