Pavement and KETTAMA added to Heineken® Big Top 2023 line up

29 March 2023

Galway International Arts Festival and Róisín Dubh are delighted to announce Pavement and KETTAMA will perform at the Heineken® Big Top next July.

Galway International Arts Festival and Róisín Dubh are delighted to announce two more acts who will perform at the Heineken® Big Top next July.

KETTAMA will perform Sunday 23 July 2023.

Pavement will perform Monday 24 July 2023.

Galway-born producer KETTAMA burst onto the house and electro scene in recent years, with the release of his 2018 EP Bucklyn Bridge, which featured the track B O D Y giving him a significant break. Other tracks by KETTAMA include Kilt, Eastside Avenue, Temperature Rising and The Way You Feel. He released an EP titled G-TOWN 001 on his own label, G-TOWN RECORDS which he launched alongside his collaborator Shampain. Other EPs include Close Your Eyes and his latest 2023 release, G-TOWN 004. Having played in clubs and festivals in the US, China, Australia, Japan, mainland Europe and up and down the UK, KETTAMA returns to Galway for his first hometown gig since 2019.

Widely renowned as one of the most popular and influential bands to come out of the American underground in the last three decades, Pavement are Stephen Malkmus, Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg, Mark Ibold, Bob Nastanovich and Steve West. The band released five era-defining albums – Slanted And Enchanted (1992), Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994), Wowee Zowee (1995), Brighten The Corners (1997) and Terror Twilight (1999) – before disbanding in 1999. Pavement’s 2022 reunion saw them headline Primavera Sound and perform sold-out multi-night runs in Los Angeles, New York, and London.

KETTAMA and Pavement will join Bell X1, Fat Freddy’s Drop and Kaiser Chiefs, who have been previously announced to play the Heineken Big Top in July. The full programme for Galway International Arts Festival 2023 will be announced in May.

Bell X1 make a welcome return to the Galway International Arts Festival stage on Friday 28 July for what is sure to be one of the best live gigs of the summer. One of the great Irish bands and firm crowd favourite who always deliver a great performance, audiences can expect to hear hits such as Rocky Took a Lover, The Great Defector, The End is Nigh and Flame amongst others.

Fat Freddy’s Drop are regarded as one of the great live acts. Combining techno, house, soul, dub, reggae, funk rhythm and blues, they have built a sizeable following of Fred heads both at home and internationally. With the Guardian newspaper describing them as a “funk machine” and a “must see live gig”, this is a night not to be missed by music fans. Fat Freddys Drop play the Heineken® Big Top on Thursday 20 July.

Kaiser Chiefs will take to the stage of the Heineken Big Top for a much anticipated performance on Thursday 27 July next. One of the UK’s best loved bands, with hits such as Ruby and I Predict a Riot, Kaiser Chiefs always deliver a great crowd pleasing live show.

Tickets for the Kaiser Chiefs, Bell X1, Fat Freddy’s Drop, KETTAMA and Pavement are now on sale through the Festival section of the website.

Galway International Arts Festival would like to acknowledge the support of its principal funding agencies the Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland; its Drinks Partner Heineken; and Education Partner University of Galway.