Month: July 2019

On July 5^th Reckless Records release ‘Strange Wings’, the debut solo single by Paddy Dennehy.

Lauded by Glen Hansard, Dennehy found success early, playing to a packed Everyman Theatre as Hansard’s special guest along with a live performance on The Late Late Show. Following this collaboration with his band – The Red Herring, Dennehy has been in the studio with producer Christian Best to focus his solo musical vision.

Limerick native Dennehy draws influence from fellow singer-songwriters such as Mick Flannery, Josh Ritter and Tom Waits. Dennehy doesn’t shy away from the big questions in life, his upcoming debut album explores themes of love, loss and religion in the most stark and personal manner.

‘Strange Wings’ is lyrically passionate and personal, touching on questions of love and god. This track captures the essence of Dennehy’s pensive disposition, how he strives to seek happiness in those around him, rather than looking to a higher being.

“Any sense of love or joy has come from the people around me, not the potential of something above me.” – Paddy Dennehy 

‘Strange Wings’ is available for digital download and on all streaming platforms.

LIVE DATES

July 19-21 // Knockanstockan, Wicklow
July 26 // Sirius Arts Centre, Cork
Aug 3 // Levis, Cork
Aug 8 // Cyprus Avenue (Troubadours)

Facebook: https://bit.ly/2WBqzki

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2VZMBJ9

Fangclub release their eagerly awaited sophomore album, ‘Vulture Culture’, today on Vertigo Records, get it here! The band kick off their headline UK and European tour this October, opening in Liverpool and closing in Dublin’s Button Factory, tickets available here. They also play Indiependence Festival, Cork on August 4^th.

So much of the best art, the best music, is exorcism, primal scream, raw and brutal honesty. The act of gathering up all of your fear, paranoia, addiction, love and despair and hurling it into a microphone, ripping it out of a guitar. Just such a record is Fangclub’s second album ‘Vulture Culture’, an emotional maelstrom of violence, mental illness, suicide, social vampirism, drug overdoses and not a little romance, howled out in some of the most infectious and visceral rock music of the decade.

 ‘Vulture Culture’, was recorded during an isolated, month long stint at Giant Wafer Studios in Wales with producer duo Alex Loring & Tom Andrews, that tested and toyed with the band. “We always work best in isolation,” says drummer Dara Coleman. “I jokingly went into it saying ‘I’m willing to lose my mind for this album’. Around day twenty, things started getting weird – I started getting paranoid that everyone in the house hated me.”

“There was a real atmosphere of obsession from everybody,” adds Vocalist/Guitarist Steven King. “It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done. The theme of the album became violent, there’s a lot of violence in the tone of it, towards yourself and other things.”

Steven forced himself to write his lyrics at the last minute, to ensure they were as raw and honest as possible.

“It comes off as a heavier record because I didn’t have time to hide the real stories. It really captured something. The pressure added to it, like ‘that line’s pretty revealing but I have to put it down, I don’t have anything else’. We could’ve gone in and made another debut, this punk thing with loads of hooks, or I could back myself into a corner. It’s a strangely revealing and personal album but I don’t feel afraid to share it because it’s almost as if I’ve expelled the things.”

Woven into ‘Vulture Culture’s broader sweep – obsessive love songs (‘Kingdumb’), and commentary on the carrion concerns and internalised violence of the new generation (‘Viva Violent’: “people are so violent to themselves, the way they talk to themselves, they’re living a life of violence inside, mirroring the reality of what it’s like outside,” Steven says) – are some of the most revealing confessionals in recent rock memory. From the epic, slow-burning opener ‘Last Time’ (which is made up of extracts from a confessional note that Steven wrote his girlfriend, which he sang to her in a lamplit studio) to ‘Heavy Handed’ and ‘All I Have’ which confront the mental health & substance problems that have tormented Steven and close loved ones, the album ebbs and flows with a common narrative.  Tracks like ‘Slow’, ‘Nightmare’ and prowling first single ‘Hesitations’ – featuring a children’s choir – hint at suicidal thoughts, addiction and intense paranoia. “I was completely erratic,” Steven says of his darkest moments, “I was paranoid I was being followed. I had this doomlike feeling every day that something was coming to get me.”

In summing up ‘Vulture Culture’ , Steven says “We are so proud of this record.  It’s a culmination of a lot of chaos and inner mental violence which almost capsized the band.  Making this record got us through the fog and we have a new lease of life.  The energy is real, the chaos makes sense and the violence is fuel for the fire.”

‘Decorate Your Mind’, the first single from Brave Giant’s debut album goes on sale this Friday July 5th. It’s a powerhouse of a track and sees a slightly new direction for the band.

In just three years, Brave Giant has gone from selling out two nights Upstairs at Whelans in Dublin to the band’s biggest headline show to date at The Olympia Theatre, Dublin on Saturday November 9^th, being on the cusp of selling out almost five months out from show day. An additional allocation of tickets has been released this week and now on sale via ticketmaster.ie 

Emmett Collum (percussion), Mark Prunty (bass, guitar/vocals), Podge Gill (guitar/vocals), Ross McNerney (banjo/mandolin/keys), are Brave Giant. A band rooted in an inherited love for trad & folk, moulded, morphed and inspired by indie & alternative influences.

Last weekend (June 29^th) the four-piece gave a storming top-three billing performance at Kaleidoscope Festival Co. Wicklow. This will be followed by the #DDFIO (Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Festival in Lahinch next Saturday evening July 6^th. 

Having kicked off 2019 festival season on June 1^st with Day Tripper Festival in Waterford alongside Gavin James, Hudson Taylor and Saarloos, they band’s season also includes a main stage appearance at Indiependence main stage on August 2^nd.

Highlights from 2018 include sharing a stage with Hozier, Walking on Cars and other highly-respected Irish artists at the 2FM Christmas Ball at the 3Arena in December, a further No 1 single here at home with ‘Somebody’s Someone’, two sold-out headline shows at The Button Factory Dublin and opening band’s live record in London with three sell-out headline shows.

Since releasing its first commercial track in 2016 (‘Lordy Lordy’), Brave Giant has sold-out numerous shows in Dublin and across the country and had a string of top 5 singles including ‘The Time I Met The Devil’ and two number one’s with ‘Way To Love’ and ‘Somebody’s Someone’. Not shy to festival season either, in the three years to date some of the band’s summer festival performances include Longitude, Sea Sessions, Electric Picnic, Groove Festival and Sunflower Festival. Indeed in 2018, over 5,000 people turned out to see the band live in their home county at the Longford Town Festival. 

Brave Giant has also seen the band’s Spotify streams grow to over 2.5 million during the last year, and online video views in the same region.

The debut album was recorded earlier this spring with musician and producer Gavin Glass of Orphan Recording in the production chair. The album is currently being mastered and nearing completion. 

“We can’t wait to share this body of work. The album sees us take a new direction. We believe we’ve developed a great deal musically and lyrically!”

“We’ve explored new sounds and have drawn on influences from even more musical genres. Heavy synths, spacey guitars, driving drums and a mandolin like you’ve never heard before.”

“The core elements that make Brave Giant what it is are still there, we’ve just added some magic, we hope!”

F.  https://www.facebook.com/BraveGiantOfficial
T. @BraveGiantBand 
Insta. Bravegiantofficial 
W.https://www.bravegiantofficial.ie 

Dublin born singer songwriter Isaac Butler softly released his debut single ‘Moon Song’ on Spotify last summer, which has gone on achieve over 620k streams. He is now re-releasing the track to coincide with the summer festival season and the announcement of his first headline show in Whelan’s on Friday 8 November.

Following its initial release, ‘Moon Song’ went on to great success including being picked up by German TV show “The Bachelorette”, appearing throughout the show which broadcasts to over 2 million viewers per episode. On radio the release led to live acoustic sessions on 98FM’s Totally Irish with John Barker and RTÉ Pulse Radio with Shannon Keenan.

Since writing his first song at age 12, and going on to record it for a children’s charity CD, Isaac’s first love has been music, complete with a passion for writing and performing his own original work. Throughout his college years at UCD Isaac continued to write songs and play wherever and whenever possible. Now age 23, with his Commerce degree finished, Isaac focus on releasing his music and getting it to the ears and hearts of as many people as possible.

Having won the 98FM Hard Rock Cafe Battle Of The Buskers competition, Isaac has gone on to play Electric Picnic, the infamous Ruby Sessions, where he was invited back for a second performance just last month, as well as appearing as special guest to artists such as State Lights at The Grand Social, Lavengro in Whelan’s and more. With a busy summer ahead, which kicked off at the inaugural Kaleidoscope Festival in June, Isaac is working towards his first headline show in Whelan’s on November 8^th, ticket details for which are to be announced shortly.

Isaac has recently returned from a six-month stint of writing and recording in Los Angeles. His next releases were recorded at Eagle Rock Studios working with world class musicians that have toured with the likes of Adele and Lukas Graham. 

‘Moon Song’ is out now. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/isaacbutlermusic/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isaacbutler1/

Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy is a week-long summer school in traditional music and set dance held annually at Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare. The first and biggest of such events, it commemorates the town’s best-known uilleann piper, Willie Clancy, and has been running since just after his death in 1973.

The week long summer school, in which it registers hundreds of students to learn traditional Irish music and set dance with over 150 teachers, and all-inclusive music festival takes place Saturday 6th through to Sunday 14th July. This year, the new leaseholders of Tom Malone’s Pub & Markethouse, Brian and Susan Flynn have launched the perfect lineup for music aficionados who prefer to “experience” live music and interact with artists performing a diverse range of acts, spanning genres like trad rock, folk, ballad, musical theatre, and more. Daily sessions of traditional Irish music will be held in the bar featuring musicians who have toured the world to international acclaim. This year the Flynns are focused on conceiving, creating, and executing impactful, music-based live experiences delivered across multiple mediums.

ÉIRE CEOL, a Limerick based duo, will open the festival for the Markethouse. A fresh and lively band with magnetic energy and musical nods to classic ballad and trad. THE ATLANTIC REBELS, a Clare based trio, founded by singer and songwriter, DAMIEN GORMLEY, are known to rock out their rebel type ballads. An electric trio that will no doubt entertain with their fast energy. DUFRANE, a young lively foot stomping duo and the rawness of performance and poetic lyricism combine to make something refreshingly hip and unexpectedly timeless. TINY GIANTS, a 4 piece band from Limerick will be bringing their signature brand of soulful music to Miltown Malbay. They certainly have a unique twist on all songs and this band knows how to bring the party. CLOVER, one of Ireland’s premier folk and ballad band, having toured Ireland, Scotland,  UK, Spain & Australia will be rocking out their compelling mix of Irish favourites. THE ROGUES, a 3 piece band from Limerick are known for their massively energetic performances covering The Wolfe Tones, The Dubliners, Christy Moore, The Dublin City Ramblers, The Fureys and more. THE BUSKER, the widely popular one man band, Paul Fahy has over 15 years music dedicated to the music business playing and performing the best of rock, pop, rock n’roll, country, Irish and a variety of favourites. FRETLESS, will close the festival. A Miltown Malbay based duo, singer and songwriter Seán O Malley and drummer Alan Clancy, will bring their seductively compelling mix of ballad and bluesy rock, blending ethereal vocals with guitar and cajón til the early hours. 

Musical enthusiasts can experience the history of the bar, it’s traditional and showband roots. The travelling troubadour Maggie Barry, along with the great Michael Gorman, Bridie Gallagher, Joe Heaney, the hypnotist Edwin Heath and many more performed in the Markethouse. There is even a rumour that Van Morrison himself played there!

Tom Malone’s Pub & Markethouse looks to be no doubt bringing together leading artists to deliver a very unique music festival experience for everyone. With the mix of trad and bands and the unique acoustic sound of the bar, punters will surely be leaving Miltown Malbay with good memories!

Saturday 6th – Éire Ceol

Sunday 7th – The Atlantic Rebels

Monday 8th – Dufrane

Tuesday 9th – Tiny Giants

Wednesday 10th – Clover

Thursday 11th – The Rogues

Friday 12th – The Busker

Saturday 13th – Fretless

INHOUSE DAILY TRAD MUSIC SESSIONS

http://scoilsamhraidhwillieclancy.com/phone/index.html

Finnian has just released his latest single ‘Where We Go’.

Finnian is a songwriter from Dundalk, Ireland. Over the last number of years he has toured extensively throughout his home country and Europe. He recently supported David Keenan on his Irish Tour and is now releasing the second single ‘Where We Go’ from his fourth coming album ‘Under The Influence’.

Finnian started out as a folk based singer-songwriter renowned for a strong and dynamic vocal. He has been praised by peers in the industry and audiences throughout Ireland and Europe for his honest, clever and thought provoking lyrics and although playing as a solo acoustic based artist is something that he thoroughly enjoys and executes with a passion and energy that has received critical acclaim he decided to add another dynamic to his music.

Just over a year ago he put together a band of greatly accomplished musicians in their own right and submerged himself in the hunt for a new sound. Something that would merge lyrics and music more consistently.

His first full album ‘Under The Influence’ due for release in Summer 2019 is the embodiment of two years of hard work and is a hugely ambitious yet solid projection of that sound he was searching for. Nine tracks Recorded to tape it is a throwback to 70’s style production and yet has a completely contemporary vibe, produced by Peter Baldwin of Blackmountain Studio. It was mixed by Grammy award winning engineer Ben Kane ( D’Angelo, The Roots, Nora Jones, Emily King) and Sees him collaborate with some of Ireland’s finest talent including Jess Kav of Barq and Booka Brass to name a few.

https://www.facebook.com/Finnianmusic/
https://twitter.com/finnianmusic
https://www.instagram.com/finnianmusic/

Aiken Promotions proudly presents Lankum live at Vicar Street, Friday 25^th October 2019. Tickets €25.00 inclusive of booking fee, on sale this Friday at 10AM.

The Dublin based four-piece present a new live show ahead of their much-anticipated 3rd album which will be released on Rough Trade late Autumn.

Lankum have an alchemical ability to combine traditional folk roots with contemporary undercurrents to forge music that is dark, mysterious and transcendental. Comprising brothers Ian Lynch (uillean pipes, tin whistle, vocals), Daragh Lynch (vocals, guitar) alongside Cormac Mac Diarmada (fiddle) and Radie Peat (harmonium, accordion, vocals), Lankum channel a diverse set of influences and histories to create a beautifully rare thing: a songbook from and for the people.

Born of years criss-crossing Dublin’s folk and experimental scenes, their two albums ‘Cold Old Fire’ (2013, recorded under former name Lynched) and Rough Trade debut ‘Between The Earth and Sky’ (2017) breath new life into ancient/modern rituals with urban punk fervour, rural psycho-geography and, underpinning it all, the eternal drone of the uilleann pipes.

Website
Rough Trade

Sea Sessions Surf & Music Festival are set to release a strictly limited number of super early bird tickets for 2020 following another sell out success this year. Sea Sessions 2020 will return to the unique festival setting of Donegal’s Bundoran on 19th – 21st June 2020.   

Super Early Bird Tickets are strictly limited and go on sale from www.ticketmaster.ie this Thursday 4 July at 9am sharp.

SUPER EARLY BIRD PRICES

Non Camping : €99.90
Camping : €129.90
Upgrade to VIP on either ticket €50

Festival director Ray O’Donoghue says: “This year was such a great year. We were blown away by the performances and the crowd! Dermot Kennedy was a particular highlight for me! The crowds were really really sound and the sports worked out perfectly! Especially the surf competition. We cant wait to do it all again! We have a few surprises in store for 2020!”

Sea Sessions Surf & Music Festivalhas firmly established itself as one of the most important dates on the Irish Festival circuit, winning IMRO Festival of the year at the 2017 IMRO awards along with picking up the gong for Festival of the year at the “Excellence in Local Government Awards”. 

Supported by and working with Donegal County Council and Failte Ireland the event has become an important kick start to the tourist season for the capital of Irish surfing, Bundoran. The festival started in 2008 as an after party for a Surfing Competition and now it holds the top Surfing Competition in the country as well as hosting the world’s top skateboarders, BMX’ers and loads of beach sports. 

Sea Sessions Surf & Music Festival 

19th- 21st June 2020

www.seasessions.com

The ‘London’ EP is a vast departure from the bulk of Femmepop’s previous work. Is it an EP of melodies, sounds and beats that she needed to get out of her system. Femmepop wanted to create a body of work without using her main instrument, the voice. “I realise this is taking a gamble with my listeners but artistically I must do what feels right at the time. I wanted to experiment and branch out as I feel I can do so much more than sticking to the one sound or genre. That is why since I released my first song my sound has always changed.”

The ’London’ EP is a mixture of deep emotions within. “It is about the continuous love affair I have had since I first visited the city. The EP is full of love and sadness. I have always seen the beauty and felt the charm of this city and in the most mundane and ordinary occurrences. I have always loved it’s noisy and dirty underground, it’s tower blocks, green parks, Camden, it’s music, culture, people and accents. It’s abundance of energy, it’s fire. The raw, the gritty, the polite, the angry, the urbanity – the general eb and flow of the city.”

This EP tries to capture all this grit and fire. It was born on walks home through its nightlife. “I felt so alive like I could burst looking out across the River Thames from the Southbank and these tunes flooded out. It also captures how all this Londoness is slowly disappearing through gentrification and how I feel this amazing city may lose all its uniqueness through years of a greed obsessed government.
This is my London.”

‘London’ EP is released 12^th July.