Body & Soul announces first wave of acts

Sarah Finnan

The first wave of acts for the festival have been confirmed.

Body & Soul has just announced the first round of performers set to take to the stage later this year.

Now in its 11th year, organisers are heading in with a renewed sense of purpose – ready for a completely new, more intimate festival layout, promising that this year will be “smaller, smarter, shinier”.

Champions for homegrown talent, Body & Soul is all about propelling young names up onto the stage to give them their first taste of festival life.

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Festival organisers have invited Burning Man Temple Builder Geordie Van Der Bosch to Ballinlough this year to mark the Summer Solstice. He’s been taken on board to design a 35-foot temple that will stand as a centrepiece to the festival.

Part of the brand new Ideas Programme, the temple will act as a melting pot for performers, thinkers, writers and public figures from the world of music, innovation and the arts. An immersive art piece and speaker stage by day, an exclusively programmed neon disco-beam dancefloor by night.

Cult queen Róisín Murphy will light up the stage with her left of centre dance-pop, with the likes of Kojaque, Jape and the brazenly inventive Kneecap who plan to build upon their explosive 2019 performance at the festival.

Other big names revealed for this year’s line-up include:

Metronomy
Róisín Murphy
King Kong
Company
Princess Nokia
Kojaque
Marc Rebillet
Khruangbin
Sampa The Great
Kneecap
Mango x Mathman
TMP
Jape
Daithí
Hare Squead
God Knows
The Clockworks
Elm
PowPig
Aoife Nessa Frances
Aimée
Alex Gough
Conchúr White
Denise Chaila
Somebody’s Child
Kitt Philippa
Thumper
Nealo
Soda Blonde

We are absolutely thrilled to welcome the first artists of #bodyandsoul2020 https://t.co/Id18kgBHeF

Music: Energy by @Sampa_The_Great pic.twitter.com/muNoH8kt0e

— Body&Soul (@BodyandSoulIrl) February 11, 2020

Festival-goers will be happy to know that all the old originals will be totally reimagined with the 2020 layout featuring nine bespoke venues dotted across the grounds. The Sanctuary will have its own designated acoustic stage along with massage tents, yoga salons, gong baths, a sauna and open-air hot tubs. Sounds fierce luxurious altogether.

The Woodlands Stage, made from resurrected fallen trees, will welcome a host of new voices and fresh perspectives while the 17th Century Walled Gardens will have an entirely new format of jazz, theatrical performances, parlour games, cocktails and comedy.

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And for all the foodies out there, The Orchard is the place to go for a spot of grum. Laid out like a traditional farmer’s market, it will be dedicated entirely to artisan feast-like fare – including craft beers, fine wines, long table banquets and delicious locally sourced foods. Complete with pop-up dining spots by some of Ireland’s most exciting chefs.

Body & Soul is set to take place June 19-21 at Ballinlough Castle in Co Westmeath. Stay tuned for further festival announcements in the coming weeks.