A swell time in store as the Riptide moves in to rock Ebrington

There are still a limited number of £5 tickets for the evening event at Ebrington Square with local legend Paul Casey also on the bill as well Little Mammoths.

Members of Irish album chart toppers The Riptide Movement said they can’t wait to take to the stage in Derry.

The band were speaking after recently shooting a video for their new album at the Rio Grande outside El Paso in Texas and ahead of the launch of their new single ‘Elephant In the Room?’ next week.

Looking ahead to Friday night’s headline concert organised by Derry City and Strabane District Council, guitarist JP Dalton says: “We have a good few fans up this way who are always asking when we are coming back so we’re looking forward to being reacquainted with them at the Maritime Festival.”

Having previously gigged in Sandinos and at Glasgowbury, The Riptide Movement’s last Derry performance was in the Memorial Hall, one of the venues where RTE filmed Other Voices in 2014.

With the Maritime Festival now in full swing until July 17th, the Dublin four-piece are keen to get some nautical action when they’re in town.

“Big time, it looks deadly!” Dalton said. “If someone wants to bring me out on a speedboat or anything moderately fast while we’re up there, I would be delighted.

“The boat festivals are pretty different to normal street festivals with all the racing and seafood, but this looks like a cracker, with the tall ships, punt races, raft races, kayaks, the whole city will be out for this one.”

So just what can fans expect when the band takes to the stage on Friday night? Dalton said: “We’re first and foremost a live band, so they can expect a full on rock-n-roll dancing show, with some new instruments and new material that we’ve been working on.

“Mal, our singer, has also been practising his stage diving, so you have been warned in case you need to go to the gym to build up some strength, there is still time!”

Having blown the Irish music scene wide open in 2014 with their Number One, gold-selling album ‘Getting Through’, a string of Top 10 singles and various sold-out headline tours, The Riptide Movement - comprising Malachy Tuohy (vocals, piano and guitar), John Dalton (guitar), Gerry McGarry (bass & harmonica) and Gar Byrne (drums & percussion) – will release their new album on October 21st.

As well as being busy doing street festivals around Ireland, they hope to be playing some dates in the UK and Germany later this year too.

Dalton says: “We’re also planning an Irish Tour for our fourth album ‘Ghosts’ which is being released on October 21st, with a show at the Olympia Theatre, Dublin on the same date to coincide with its release. Our first single will be ‘Elephant in the Room’ released on Friday, July 22nd, so we are all really excited to let this bird out of the cage.”

Derry & Strabane Council’s Festivals and Events Manager Jacqueline Whoriskey, said: “We are delighted with the music programme for the Foyle Maritime Festival which will really enhance the event for everyone, providing the perfect backdrop to all the activity in and around the city centre, along the quay and during the day at Ebrington Square, which will be a real draw for visitors to the city.

“The Music City events kicked off the celebrations perfectly, followed this week by both the amazing Cathy Davey in the Festival Village on Thursday July 14th, The Riptide Movement concert in Ebrington Square on Friday July 15th, and our spectacular Voyage of Sunniva finale event on Saturday, July 16th with music by Kila, Balkan Alien Sound and The Booka Brass Band.

“And with plenty of activity along the quayside including funfairs, boat tours, maritime markets and the Clipper Race Kitchens in Ebrington, as well as high octane stunts on the river from Friday until Sunday, it’s certainly going to be an action-packed week.”

Tickets for The Riptide Movement concert on Friday, July 15th are priced £5 but concert-goers are advised to purchase your tickets early to avoid disappointment as there is only a limited number available.

To book go to: www.foylemaritimefestival.com or telephone the Millennium Forum Box Office on 028 71 264455.

The support band for the gig the Little Mammoths have a strong link to the event, as a band member’s mother is participating in the Clipper Race. Siobhan Besley is doing Leg 7 and 8 on the DLD yacht. She is delighted the band are performing at the festival.

“It’s so exciting that my son James is performing as part of the celebrations of the RipTide Movement Concert on Friday 16 July in Ebrington. He used to play with Noah and the Whale and is the drummer in the band Little Mammoths. The members went to school together and have been together about four years. I don’t know where James got his musicality from but growing up in an Irish family my father was musical and we always had sessions in the house.”

The Foyle Maritime Festival is supported by Tourism NI, Foyle Port, Loughs Agency through the Sustainable Development Programme, Diageo, DuPont Kevlar and Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs NI Agri-Food Programme.

For more information on the festival programme visit www.foylemaritimefestival.com.