Published: Wednesday, 1st September, 2010 5:00pm

Gonzo Club all Cavan at EP

Darragh Slacke.

As if you needed any encouragement to stick on your wellies, pack your camping gear and head for The Electric Picnic in Stradbally this weekend, here's at least 15 more reasons to go, and all of them from Cavan!

The Gonzo Club - a collective of Cavan artists and musicians fronted by Philip Doherty and Daragh Slacke - bring their brand new show to The Electric Picnic this Sunday, September 5.

Featuring no less than 15 performers from the Co. Cavan area in the space of a single jam-packed hour of entertainment, the Gonzo Club Cabaret will be at The Word Tent from 7pm until 8pm.

"In one hour a host of Cavan talent will bring The Word stage to life through a cacophony of song, beat poetry, sculpture, dance and theatre," promises Gonzo theatre director, Philip Doherty.

During this eclectic show punctuated with a beat poetry narrative, various genres of music and entertainment will explode into life.

Performances will range from trad to soul to free jazz, alongside rap, comedy, funk, metal, theatre, live sculpture (complete with chainsaws) and more.

The Gonzo Club collective for the Co. Laois event are: Philip Doherty, poet, writer, director and actor; Daragh Slacke, musician; Shane Carroll, singer, bass, actor; Lee O'Brien, actor, singer, dancer, guitar; Alan Darcy, drums, percussion, saxophone; Daragh Slacke, guitar, banjo, singer; Jamie Byrne, bass, percussion; Cormac McCann, keys, singer, comedian; Daire Reilly, saxophone; Ciaran O'Neill, vocals; guitar; Joey Burns, trumpet, chainsaw, sculptor; Peter Sheridan, guitar, mandolin, bouzouki; Robert Perry, percussion, vocal effects, theremin, whistle; Micheal O'Brien, sound; Ivan McCabe, lights, special effects; Michelle Leggett, costume.

Other Cavan performers looking forward to taking the stage at the Stradbally event this weekend include Ballyhaise folk songstress Lisa O'Neill, Belturbet's Brendan Perry of Dead Can Dance fame, and Emily's Eldest, a duo comprising Eileen Tackney from Cootehill and Ben Tiernan from Oldcastle.

Catch Lisa at the main stage in the Body And Soul area at 2pm on Saturday, Emily's Eldest at the Body And Soul stage at 3.30pm on Saturday, and Perry at The Cosby Stage, also on Saturday, at 9.15pm.