A symphony of ‘Other Voices’ echoes through Castletown House as Anam series hits the right note

There was something in the air at Kildare’s Castletown House as the lights came down and the cameras prepared to roll on Thursday evening last; the scene set for the first of a series born with a simple objective: breathe life into Ireland’s great buildings.

The 18th-century Palladian mansion’s Long Gallery recently played host to the first live broadcast of the country's beloved musical series, Other Voices. The event marked the beginning of Anam - Songs for Hearts and Minds series, a beautiful partnership between the Office of Public Works (OPW), the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and Other Voices.

The series fuses historic grandeur with the vibrant pulse of contemporary Irish music at four heritage sites across Ireland, transforming them into stages for diverse musical performances and beaming globally via Other Voices and the OPW's YouTube and Facebook platforms throughout May.

"We are delighted to partner with Other Voices in showcasing such contemporary musical talent here in Castletown House," said Rosemary Collier, OPW Head of Heritage Services and Capital Projects Delivery, of the collaboration. "Castletown was built to represent power and to facilitate entertainment, and this Thursday, the power of new voices filling the air of the famous Long Gallery promises a yet unheard-of experience both for audiences online and in the room."

The Kildare setting’s grandeur was only rivalled by the talent on offer with Anna Mieke, Ezra Williams, and Negro Impacto all gracing the stage. Delivering a set as delicate as porcelain, yet as sturdy as the 18th-century walls surrounding her, Wicklow-based Mieke’s ethereal voice mesmerizingly floated through the Long Gallery.

Next on the lineup was 21-year-old Cork musician, Ezra Williams (FKA Smoothboi Ezra), who has already garnered over 80 million Spotify streams. Narrating tales of relationships and self-exploration, Williams treated the audience to an endearingly shy but powerful performance of four songs from their upcoming debut album, Supernumeraries, dropping on June 16.

Finally, alt-neo-soul duo Negro Impacto wrapped up the evening, driving home the point that soul can indeed be found in Dundalk. They brought an energy that had the stately portraits eyeing each other as if considering a boogie. Their distinctive sound, a blend of rhythm and soul, impressed the audience and showcased their position among the 2FM Rising class of 2023.

✨ l a s t n i g h t ✨

Shout out to Anna Mieke, Ezra Williams & Negro Impacto for kicking off #OVAnam with all those dreamy sets inside that gorgeous room

If you missed it you can catch up https://t.co/rDunZ8eJGB pic.twitter.com/l1FPzl9XYz

— Other Voices (@OtherVoicesLive) May 5, 2023

Anam - Songs for Hearts and Minds will continue with three more intimate performances in the historic settings of Desmond Castle in Newcastle West, Co. Limerick and Cahir Castle in Tipperary, before rounding off the series at the Blasket Centre - Ionad an Bhlascaoid in Dunquin, near Other Voices' spiritual home of Dingle in West Kerry.

Philip King from Other Voices said, "It’s a real delight to partner with the OPW and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to bring live music from a diversity of Ireland's most wonderful artists into these magnificent buildings and these beautiful rooms, and to make them audible and visible the world over."

Public tickets for this series of concerts are available exclusively through competitions, with further details available online. The series will be livestreamed globally each Thursday in May at 8pm, via YouTube and Facebook.

For more information and a streaming schedule, visit Othervoices.ie.