Micro-festival gives new meaning to Gig Economy

Groove Tube with Cian O’Connell

Described as a micro-music festival on a Saturday afternoon in Galway, Gig Economy is the latest project to be undertaken by local music connoisseur Keith Wallace. It is an event presented by Trusted Trail, the promotional parallel to Keith’s Rusted Rail, one of the city’s longest-running independent labels.

Gig Economy will hope to follow in the success of the original music nights that have sprouted around Galway in recent months like Free House, A Modern Movement and Tigh Aoibhneas.

Its launch will take place in the beer garden of Carroll’s on Dominick Street at 3pm on Saturday week, March 5. Entry is free and the maiden line-up features A Lilac Decline, Brain Kelly and Field Trip.

In utilising Carroll’s Caravan Club, Gig Economy is availing of a space not always associated with original music. As the conversation continues around the venues and resources available to artists in the city, it is encouraging to see more spaces being opened up for these kinds of gigs.

On top of that, this venture is aided by government funding in a welcome example of department funds trickling down to a very local level.

“It’s something that I was intending on kicking off just as the pandemic kicked in,” Keith explains.

“I’ve been sitting on it for two years, not knowing what the story would be with capacity or finding a place to put it on where people would feel safe – all those kinds of things.

“Now that restrictions have lifted, it seems to be the time to do it. [Carroll’s] is my favourite pub in Galway. I actually put gigs on there about five years ago in the pizza bus that used to be there. It’s a food truck now but I did this event called ‘Bus King’ so a pun on busking, and I’ve always had a good relationship with the people that run Carroll’s.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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