With vinyl record albums surging in popularity despite costing many times a DVD or download, the Vinyl Festival will return to Dun Laoghaire for a second time in November.

Among the highlights of the three-day festival, which runs from 1 to 3 November, will be a live performance at the Pavilion Theatre by most of the members of Horslips, who recorded their Horslips Live album in the old Pavilion Cinema in the town 43 years ago.

Barry Devlin, Jim Lockhart and Johhny Fean will play two live gigs on 1 and 2 November as one of the highlights of the festival. The other headline gig will be in the Lighthouse on the Saturday night — a DJ set from actor Vicky McClure, famous for her roles in Line of Duty and This is England, spinning the twelve-inchers until late.

Other events include Newstalk’s Tom Dunne playing tracks from the Beatles’ Abbey Road and discussing its recording and legacy as it celebrates its 50th birthday, plus Liam Ó Maonlaí discussing the Hothouse Flowers’ debut album, People, playing some of the tracks on vinyl and live on piano.

Festival co-director Brian O’Flaherty said: “A mutual love of music, the excitement at the return of an old format that many felt was gone, and a wish to celebrate it in our local community – these are the reasons we created the Dún Laoghaire Vinyl Festival.”

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Fellow director Neil Goodman added: “This year’s event will be even bigger and more varied, with something for audiophiles of all ages and musical tastes: from punk to soul, from recording to sleeve design – with vinyl, the music is only part of the story.”

There will be plenty of vinyl on display and to buy throughout the festival, courtesy of Irish Record Fairs, plus a wide range of talent including international musicians, writers and filmmakers, taking part in a broad series of discussions, and playing selections from their favourite vinyl records.

The line-up includes Leslie Dowdall, Damian O’Neill and Michael Bradley of The Undertones, The Cranberries’ Noel Hogan, authors Stuart Cosgrove, Geraldine Quigley and Jennifer Otter Bickerdike, as well as directors Richie Smyth and Kevin Godley examining the relationship between video and vinyl sales. 

Established radio DJs Dave Fanning, Tom Dunne, Peter Devlin and Dan Hegarty along with journalists, Roisin Dwyer and Nadine O’Regan, will act as moderators and interviewers for the discussions.

Tickets start at €10 and there’s more information here.

Photo: Steve Averill and Niall McCormack pictured at the attending the 2018 Vinyl Festival