The new 333 Festival arrives on the scene next weekend with a brilliant interdisciplinary line up over three intimate floors of The Devlin Hotel. Alexis Taylor, Andy Bell and Tim Burgess headline, Ranelagh may never be the same again.
It’s always great to see new holistic events spring up (and hopefully springboard) in the city environs, taking away the pain for those whose days of setting up a tent in a field (usually beside a gang from Newry who have a boombox the size of a washing machine and prefer their house to be hard), queuing for, well, everything and carousing in a poncho and wellington boots are well and truly over.
Curated by Arveene and Síle Culley, the 333 Festival is a cultural one dayer; 13 hours of DJ’s, live music, film and food over three floors of the swanky (it’s in a hotel in Ranelagh so I’m presuming its swanky) Devlin Hotel. Billed as a ‘cultural playground’ this feels like a very safe space for adults to play, a much missed tenet of Dublin nightlife.
As you would expect from any event Arveene is involved with, the line up is first class. From local legends like Billy Scurry, Kelly Anne Byrne, Ruth Kavanagh and Fish Go Deep to new kids on the block Emmy Shigeta, Governess and Moving Still and finally to musical bon vivants Andy Bell (Oasis/Ride), Tim Burgess (The Charlatans), Bon Voyage and Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor, this has all the hallmarks of epic-ness.
The Devlin Cinema will be transformed into a mini film festival curated by Síle Culley of Audience Design, showcasing a selection of independent short films. Screenings will be accompanied by panel talks with directors and guest hosts from across the film industry and beyond. The Rooftop will host five of the most exciting acoustic acts from Ireland Music Week 2025, handpicked by the 333 team.
Guests can also enjoy a one-time rooftop menu crafted by Robin Gill (interviewed elsewhere in this issue) of the esteemed London restaurant Darby’s, created exclusively for the festival. Throw in that the Festival is partnering with a local charity, Ranelagh Community Response, and donating 50% of the event proceeds to support the Ranelagh community and you’ve got a really great thing going on.
We sent Alexis a few quick questions as he was about to board a plane for Istanbul and here are his answers.
I wanted to ask you about the new Hot Chip best of album, Joy In Repetition. When you first started, did you dream that you would ever get to release a “Best of….” band and have Peter Blake (he of Sgt Pepper fame) design the album cover?
When we started we dreamed of releasing music on any label that we thought was interesting – and all we wanted was for our music to be out in the world. When we had our Mexico EP come out on Victory Garden we were really pleased and that felt like an unlikely and amazing first stage. That someone liked it as it was and wanted to put it out, was huge for us.
The idea of a Best Of and Peter Blake painting a cover for us, was definitely not something we had imagined for our future at all – however we did love pop music and Best Ofs were part of the culture, and I did grow up going to the same restaurants in Chiswick as Peter Blake (but didn’t know him then) with my family, and my dad had his artworks on the wall at home and I took a keen interest in his work and in “Art” in general. So maybe we played the long game, I dunno!
Why do humans find joy in repetition?
I think animals do too. Maybe there is something to discover in repeating activities – working out what changes and what stays the same. Repetition is part of life. And understanding life is part of life too.
What’s hot in the UK electronic scene at the moment?
HAAi! But beyond the UK itself one of the most exciting artists is Your Danso.
Ireland is struggling to keep its clubbing culture going with venues closing down and (mainly since Covid) an apathetic youth. Is it similar in the U.K and Europe at the moment? If so, why do you think this is and what would you do to change it?
Yes it’s similar. I don’t think the youth can be blamed and called apathetic – they don’t NEED to love club culture just because others before them have, and am sure that many really do love clubbing still and clubbing culture. But also people like other things and isolation/lone time, or staying in, and saving money, may become more of a priority for some. It’s hard to argue with that course of action if people are encouraged to use their phones for every activity and to be online permanently and if there’s a cost of living crisis and also if the music industry is being destroyed and not exactly well looked after for musicians and venues alike.
What would I do? Try to encourage governmental change to support the arts would be a good start. It seems to happen in some other countries from what I can tell. Try to encourage the young to experience clubbing in person by creating more affordable and welcoming, safe spaces for all with great programming. Not always easy to do these things but of course definitely needs to be the aim.
Events like 333 are much needed at this time. It’s a fantastic line up with great talent and really sound people. Is this multi faceted approach – DJ’s/Live Music/Food/Cinema – the way forward to reawaken our love for communal events and get everyone dancing again?
I hope so.
What’s your favorite Irish…
Drink: Guinness Zero. Water. The wall of the Blarney Stone.
Foodstuff: The Olive Tapenade sandwich (hold the cheese) at Rohu’s Country Market, Inishannon, all the vegan choices at Hang Dai Chinese, and Taytos. Mainly Tayto.
Band: Sinead O’Connor, Christy Moore, Shit Robot, The Pogues, Johnnie from Optimo, Arveene, Yune Pinku.
Album: Rum, Sodomy and The Lash
Film: Samuel Beckett – Quad
Words: Leroy Tanner
333 Festival tales place at The Devlin Hotel, Ranelagh on Saturday Nov 29th.
Doors: Midday – 1.30am
