Author: Breffni Banks

Oh Bryan are an alternative rock band based in Dublin City. The band consists of Stephen O’Brien, Shane Power and Billy Campbell. Oh Bryan formed in late 2016 and have been growing from strength to strength. They recently released their debut EP ‘Rewind’ in August to a sold out show in Whelan’s.

Since the release of the EP, Oh Bryan have received an extremely positive response from national radio station Today FM. Their second single ‘Maze’ was given its first spin on the Lost In Music show hosted by Louise Duffy. Since then, the band have shared huge stages with other great Irish artists such as Little Hours, The Blizzards and Chasing Abbey. Oh Bryan have a list of dates in the coming months with headline shows in Dublin and Kilkenny.

Oh Bryan have worked very hard on their online presence. In the past 12 months they have released two self-made music videos and multiple lyric videos. They are doing particularly well on social media platforms such as Spotify where they have over 150,000 streams and on Facebook where the fan following is close to hitting 10,000 likes.

Moving into 2018 the band are already in pre-production with new music for a second EP. These new songs will be debuted at their Dublin headline show in Bello Bar on the 23^rd of March.

For more information, check out:

ohbryan.com

Dublin’s loudest Rock ‘n Roll train The Minutes return with a brand new single ‘Got My Love’ out now

Four years since their last release and a lot has happened.

The boys have become men and the men made a record, by themselves.

“Got My Love” is the first single to be released from the forthcoming third long player.

Bearing their trademark rumbles, thumps and licks “Got My Love” is swamped in illustrative assured vocals and steely slide guitars.

The Minutes will road test new material in the intimate surrounds of:

Whelans (upstairs) – Dublin May 18th (Sold Out)
Whelans (upstairs) – Dublin May 19th
Mike the Pies – Listowel May 25th

Its been a while but fear not…The Minutes are back.

www.theminutesmusic.com
www.facebook.com/theminutes
www.twitter.com/theminutes

The Ark and Improvised Music Company are looking for applications from professional artists and ensembles in jazz and improvised music for ‘Fun Size Jazz’

This is a performance and development opportunity for jazz and improvising musicians to propose  short ‘scratch’ performances aimed at young audiences. The chosen artists will have an opportunity to devise, create and deliver their short live performances for audiences of children at The Ark this summer 2018.

It is the intention to use this open call for ‘Fun Size Jazz’ as a stepping stone towards identifying projects that could be developed further in 2019 in association with IMC and The Ark for potential future Irish or international touring.

Applications are welcome from professional artists and ensembles (maximum quartet) in jazz and/or improvised music to develop short ‘scratch’ performances aimed at young audiences.

Full details on this opportunity available here:

http://www.improvisedmusic.ie/news/fun-size-jazz-performance-and-development-opportunity-for-jazz-and-improvis

Recorded as a response to the Syrian refugee crisis, ‘Home’ is the debut release by Susie Q, otherwise known as Susan Quirke – a singer, songwriter, and musician originally from Co. Limerick.

Since launching in January 2018, the track has had extensive international airplay in the US, Canada, Japan, and Germany, and Susie Q has been featured on RTE Radio 1 and in Hotpress, the Sunday Independent and on the Irish Times Róisín Meets podcast. The video accompanying the song has had a huge response online:

Youtube: http://bit.ly/2C98Ljb on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2DQilb8 

Her forthcoming album, ‘Into the Sea’, will be released later this year and blends elements of indie rock with folkier ethereal and atmospheric songs written in California, Spanish Point in Clare and at her home near Bull island in Dublin.

The album has been recorded with Irish indie luminaries including ex Lír duo, Colm Quearney and Rob Malone, and members of Irish indie legends The Frames – Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Graham Hopkins, and Justin Carroll. It was mixed and mastered by Grammy award winner Dave Odlum.

Susie Q is also known for her work as a co-founder of the A Lust For Life mental health charity and she is also a meditation teacher. She has opened for the Dalai Lama and has performed at Body&Soul, Electric Picnic and other festivals.

Susie Q will play both these festivals during the summer and will also perform as part of the ‘I Heart The Cranberries’ Dolores O’Riordain tribute concert in Dolans, Limerick on July 5th.

Susie Q says she wrote the song in response to feeling disturbed by news reports of unaccompanied children who fled their homeland and ended up living on the streets or in refugee camps. “What’s going on in Syria and elsewhere is horrific and it’s important we speak out. ‘Home’ is a plea for peace and a reminder that whatever your race or religion, we are all one people, and together share this planet as our home. I think it’s important to remind ourselves of our shared humanity during these turbulent times. It can sometimes be easy to see each other as separate, but fundamentally we are all connected.”

“In many ways, today’s refugees across the world are not unlike those who fled the famine in Ireland on coffin ships in the 1800s. I think it’s important to remember that whatever our beliefs might be, most people in the world crave peace, safety, a home, an education, and decent lives for themselves and their children.”

“Susie Q has a voice that pulls you right in.. she is a gifted Irish artist and her new song Home is a powerful, beautiful and much-needed call to humanity that needs to be heard.” – Fiachna Ó Braonáin (RTÉ Radio 1 / Hothouse Flowers)

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | iTUNES

Dublin indie-pop four piece Montauk Hotel have released their new single ‘Hands’.

Following the success of their debut E.P. and single ‘Sense of Place’ last year, Montauk Hotel’s latest release ‘Hands’ showcases their ability to fuse strong melodies with glistening guitars to create their own brand of 80s influenced glimmer of indie pop. Montauk Hotel are made up of Claudia Verdecchia (vocals), Shell Dooley (guitars), Aoife Hester (bass) and Karima Dillon-El Toukhy (drums).

The band have garnered a reputation as one of the city’s most exciting live acts, with shows including The Last Mixed Tape’s Lost Series, Bello Bar, The Sound House, The Bowery, Vantastival and Sunflower Festival, as well as headline shows at Whelans, Sin E, The Harbour Bar and The Workman’s Club.

The single will be accompanied by the following tour dates:

March 17^th – The Workman’s Club, Dublin
March 28^th – Whelan’s, Dublin
April 5^th – The Menagerie, Belfast
April 27^th – The Underground, Dublin

‘Hands’ is available on Spotify and Apple Music and for download from iTunes.

“A gorgeous jangly pop noise” Hot Press

“the Dublin band’s vapourous indie guitar married with strident vocals… is delicately-spun and melodic stuff” RTE Entertainment – Irish Band Set to Rise 2017

Listen to ‘Hands’ on Spotify:

‘Hands’ is also available on iTunes.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Twitter: @MontaukHotel

Instagram: @montaukhotelband

Facebook

Soundcloud

Breaking Tunes

YouTube

Website: www.montauk-hotel.com

There was a tremendous turnout in the Seven Oaks Hotel on Saturday 10th March for the Pan Celtic national song contest where eighteen original songs went head to head for the top prize of €1,000 and the honour of representing Ireland in the International Contest in Letterkenny in April. Galway based musicians Pádraic Seoighe and Niall Teague scooped the top prize with their song ‘Ar Saoire’.

The 18 finalists from across the country, including two from Carlow, performed live before an audience of more than 300 and the judging panel of Alan Swan, Head of Music with RTÉ 2fm, Rossa Ó Snodaigh of Kíla fame and well known local musician Pádraigín Caesar.

Musical director for the contest was Ollie Hennessy while the Pan Celtic House Band featuring Ollie on piano and keyboard, Aoife Kavanagh on fiddle and Tom McDermott on drums provided accompaniment for many of the compositions.

Local musician and singer Eric Butler was guest performer for the evening while local rapper Jahk O’ Connaith also entertained the crowd with his song ‘Gan Dídean’. Main sponsor of the gala event was IMRO and the winning composers were presented with the national trophy and a cheque for €1,000. Gael Linn and Glór Cheatharlach sponsored the runners up prizes.

The judges were extremely impressed by the high standard of the entries and were visibly moved by the professional delivery of all finalists.

Having listened to all 18 songs and marked each performance under the agreed criteria the marks were finally totted up and the winners announced. A big cheer went up when it was announced that 3^rd place would be shared by Áine Durkin for her song ‘Grá faoi Bhláth’ which was performed by local singer Lisa De Buitléar and the group Blind Poets from Cork with their song ‘Farraigí Garbha’ . Pádraic Jack from the Aran Islands was thrilled to be placed second with his song ‘I bhfostú sa bhFiántais while the top prize of €1,000 and the Pan Celtic trophy went to Pádraic Seoighe and Niall Teague from Galway for their composition ‘Ar Saoire’ which is based around the refugee crisis.  Pádraic and Niall will now look forward to a trip to Letterkenny over the Easter break where they will represent Ireland at the Pan Celtic International Song Contest competing against the entries from the other participating Celtic nations of Wales, Scotland, Brittany, Cornwall and The Isle of Man.

Moving to Ireland feels like a homecoming for US artist Jared Dylan. Already a hit in America with over 1.5 million streams on Spotify, Jared is moving to work with Irish musicians and producers while he releases his latest collection of songs and touring the island.  

Jared Dylan’s first Irish release will be single ‘Can’t Stop’ on Friday 16 March 2018 ahead of his EP this summer. Single ‘Can’t Stop’ is available for pre order now on https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/cant-stop-single/1349989423 

2018 is expected to be a year full of new music and exciting performances as Jared Dylan moves to Dublin. Following a writing session with Paddy Casey at the historic Grouse Lodge Studios, Jared says “I feel inspired in Ireland and I feel like I am finally making the music I’ve always wanted to make.” Just the beginning of his Irish adventure, Jared plans to collaborate with many more Irish musicians while based here.

At the age of 23, New Jersey native Jared Dylan has already amassed a library of hundreds of original compositions. His recent work has garnered the attention of some of the industry’s most notable writers and producers having songs mixed and remixed by talent such as Danny Saber (David Bowie, Madonna, The Rolling Stones), Carmen Rizzo (Coldplay, Seal, Alanis Morissette), The Fonogenics (Juliette Lewis, Kris Kristofferson, Micky Dolenz), and more. 

From a young age, Jared was active in Pathways for Exceptional Children, a program that mentors children with special needs. Jared began ‘Pathways Rock’ with the Executive Director, Melinda Jennis, forming America’s first ever all-inclusive rock band. Young people with and without disabilities came together to perform music.

Before leaving for college at University of Miami’s Frost School of Music’s Bruce Hornsby Creative American Music Program, Jared wrote enough original music to pique the interest of a composer/musician Eric Alexandrakis, who introduced Jared to Producer Anthony Resta (Elton John, Collective Soul, Duran Duran) in Massachusetts. This resulted in Jared’s first EP ‘IN PANIC’, packing a musical punch with elements of Brit-pop, 80s driven vocals and string ballads. The release of the EP and the tracks’ accompanying videos have garnered Jared a strong YouTube following.

‘Can’t Stop’ is available across all digital platforms from Friday 16 March.

Tour Dates: 

Cork Natives Blind Poets release a new song and prepare for National Pan Celtic Festival this Saturday

Blind Poets have just released a new single ‘Luna Solara’ this week, which has already had interest from Dan Hegarty on 2FM. They are also finalists in the Pan Celtic Song Competition which takes place this Saturday in Carlow.

The new Cork band have just recently begun performing live and have already been added to the 2018 Cork Folk Festival.

Blind Poet’s music lies somewhere between a neo-classical, contemporary Celtic folk and contemporary world music sound; a music which entwines the traditional and the modern.

Luna Solara https://www.facebook.com/BlindPoets/videos/2008847869436217/

https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/blindpoets4

https://kazodoherty.wixsite.com/blindpoets

https://www.facebook.com/BlindPoets

Launching what is set the be their year with a ferocious kick of rock & roll, noise pop quintet THUMPER present new single ‘AFL’. Produced by Dan Fox of Girlband, mixed by Michael Heffernan and mastered by Fergal Davis, the track captures both the raw energy and playfulness the band is known for in their live performances. ‘AFL’ is the first sign of THUMPER coming into their own. With this single the band are building on the success of their previous releases and they are ready to open the floodgates. 

Said frontman Oisin Leahy Furlong about the inspiration behind the single: “The song is about ageing rapidly but gaining no wisdom; Feeling like a child in a man’s suit, desperately playing catch-up in the Imposter Syndrome Champions League. Every Friday night gasping for answers in the smoking area of your nearest terror den. The music thunders on and words fall away like the raving of a calm lunatic. There’s no conclusion, even at the end.”

Gearing up for an incredibly busy summer THUMPER have confirmed dates at some of the countries best festivals including Sea Sessions, with more to be announced very soon. The band will also host a single launch show for ‘AFL’ on Saturday, April 7 at the Sugar Club where fans will get the chance to experience their raucous and frenzied live shows for themselves.

“AFL”  is available for preorder from the 9th of March and is out on the March 30th.

TOUR DATES

March 16 – Workman’s Club, Dublin
April 7 – The Sugar Club, Dublin
June 22 – Sea Sessions, Bundoran