Denim, digital cameras and a packed theatre – How Galway’s musicians and audiences are finding their groove
Picture the scene: Around Galway teenagers gather in Nuns Island Theatre, a palpable sense of excitement and anticipation hangs in the air. These are the lucky ones – tickets for what is about to unfold sold out within minutes.
Eight bands are due to take to the stage for what is the first Youth Lates event of 2026 in Galway, a supportive space for young artists to develop skills and connect with the audience.
It feels, in some ways, like a restoration of humanity, that an exclusive music event for teenagers might be the coolest place to spend a March evening in Galway. The initiative, backed by the nationwide education programme Music Generation, is designed to do just that.
There is a distinct aesthetic to this crowd. Denim in every wash and style marks a resurgence in youth fashion, and, instead of smartphones in everyone’s hands, many carry digital cameras, documenting the night in grainy flashes.
Teens gather in clusters, chatting and laughing, inching closer to the backlit stage as Emma Lohan, a music facilitator with Music Generation and event host for the evening, starts the show.
Youth Lates was introduced in September 2024 as a collaboration between Galway City Council, Galway City Comhairle na nÓg, Youth Work Ireland Galway, and Music Generation Galway City as a means to provide an alternative night-time experience.
Focused around music and entertainment, Youth Lates has seen a repeated success in their live music performances. The event is an industry-standard live show with musicians expected to carry out their own set-up and sound check. The show runs as any other concert. Photographers and videographers are seen capturing the moment, gathering media coverage for the bands to later use in self-promotion.
Some performers gracing the stage during Youth Lates are connected through Music Generation, a national initiative supporting and educating young musicians. The first show of the year is fit with all genres of music and performance from singer-songwriter to classic rap beats.
Among them at the March event are Paranoia and Infared, both part of the Future Sounds programme, which helps participants bridge the gap between learning music and performing live.
In the weeks leading up to the performance, the two bands refined their setlists and develop their sound under the guidance of music educators like Adam Downey during Monday night rehearsals held at Galway Community College.
Mr Downey is a professional musician who turned to teaching during the pandemic, and has had the honour of seeing bands graduate from the education programme and go onto be working and touring musicians. He has also worked with both Paranoia and Infared over the past two years.
“I am passing on skills that I wish I had when I was that age. Practical things about cable management, how to set up a stage, looking after your own equipment, and how to work with sound engineers,” he told the Irish Independent one night in a noisy band room as Infared begin their sound check.
“That stuff I had to figure out the hard way growing up. It’s good to be able to pass that on, to give people a better start when they are finding their own feet gigging.”
He said one of the clearest signs of progress is the feedback from industry professionals like sound engineers that wouldn’t work with young people on the day to day.
The positive reports are a tell-tale sign of the effective measures Music Generation provides for young people in the profession, he said.
When I met Infared, it was over a Teams call. Four teenagers sat together in an attic bedroom, hints of grunge influence surrounding them.
The band name, unintentionally misspelled, came from a staring competition with a science poster in school, the band told the Irish Independent.
Infared began as a two-piece in early 2024 and has since grown into a four-member band. Initially rooted in a post-grunge sound, with inspirations from Green Day and Nirvana, they have moved towards a punk sound, driven by original material.
Ashley Hansen, the band’s bassist, said their song Don’t Wake Up marked a turning point, helping them break into the punk scene. It remains a band favourite.
Between writing music and simply “vibing” together, the group has developed a deeper understanding of their craft, something they say can be difficult to access as young musicians.
“I actually know what an amp is telling me,” Levi Boyle, the guitarist, told the Irish Independent when he reflects on what he has learned. The hardest thing being all the names that “you do not find outside of music.”
“I still don’t really know what a master is, I just know it makes the amp louder,” he added jovially.
Taking on ticketed gigs at Galway music hotspots like Sally Longs, Monroe’s, and Ol’ 55, Infared has quite a following with nearly 1,000 Instagram followers and fans who show up to Youth Lates with branded merch.
The group has two released songs on Spotify so performing on stage comes with a sing-along energy from the crowd. Their March performance proving no different as lead singer Jay Tierney dazzled a hungry crowd with every song.
Paranoia: stepping back onto the stage
A few years older, and with a markedly different sound, Paranoia made their debut back on the Youth Lates stage after taking some time off performing.
The group first came together during a Transition Year programme, after performing for a Music Generation teacher and recognising the level of talent among their classmates. Since the four members came together last July, they have grown more confident, using music as both an outlet and a passion project while venturing through college.
The heart of the band has been around for some years coming in and out of Music Generation programmes as it hosts different members.
Finding their name was less intentional and “complete trial and error,” the band told the Irish Independent. “We don't know how we came up with paranoia but we were looking for that kind of aesthetic in the first place.”
When asked how Music Generation has propelled their craft, the band pointed to the opportunities that seem to present themselves within the programme. “It really helped us, honestly, to become more comfortable performing because they always have the opportunity to perform somewhere.”
The exposure to the stage proved worthy as Paranoia’s lead singer naturally floats around singing classics from Freaky Friday and fan-favourites from Paramore. The Youth Lates audience responded in kindness, singing along and creating dance circles for those who couldn’t help themselves to a boogie.
Events like Youth Lates, and Music Generation, offer more than just a night of music. They provide a structured, supportive space for young artists to develop performance skills, build confidence, and connect with audiences in an environment free from substances and drinking culture.
For the audience, it hosts a judgement-free and communal environment surrounded around a mutual love.
But for everyone in the room, it is more than just a gig, it is a glimpse into what comes next.
“I would recommend bringing ear protection,” Paranoia drummer, Confidence, warned me before the show. “It will hurt your ears.”