Author: Breffni Banks

Love music? Love poetry and spoken word? Love comedy? Then you’ll really love this……

The Circle Sessions is a weekly open mic night in Dublin. You can find them in the basement of the International Bar on Wicklow Street from 8.00pm every Monday night. To celebrate some of the wonderful acts who have found their little slice of performance Heaven, they’re taking them out of the basement and showing them the light of the Sugar Club stage. It will be a night of music, words, laughs and much much more.

So, get yourself to the Sugar Club on the 26th of September at 7pm for a look at some of the best and brightest up and coming artists from Dublin and across the country. Tickets €10 (+ booking fee) available from the venue and online.

For more information:
Facebook Event

His intimate vocals, magical melodies and exquisite guitar playing has always attracted very favourable appeal to critics (with Mojo, The Irish Times, HotPress, R2, Americana UK, OndaRock in Italy and many more) always quick to point to his unique style as well as comparisons to acts varying from the dreamy pop of The Go Betweens, Badly Drawn Boy, Elliott Smith and Prefab Sprout to the introspective and more folk-oriented Nick Drake, Leonard Cohen and Paul Simon. But he sees himself as a pop song-writer. When pop was good.

Specialized alternative radio stations were always on his side. Every album has received airplay from radio stations and DJs who love music and who love uncovering hidden gems. But with this album Cormac has seemingly hit a pulse on the mainstream and has also been playlisted on daytime stations and shows reaching a far bigger audience than previously possible. His loyal and enthusiastic fanbase (CD sales are still important for this man..the budget of every album is strictly based on the previous album sales) is growing. Finally too in his home country of Ireland where up to now the majority of sales were outside of Ireland (in the UK , Europe and US).

The second single ‘Silence And Sound’ is due for release Sept 15^th 2017.

This song has been played the most (apart from the first single) and is in keeping with his career long tradition of releasing his favourite song off an album second and not first. It also is (before release) his second most played song on Spotify. It has been noted previously than many of Cormac’s songs take something small and seemingly mundane and builds up a song from it that is deceptively bigger and more personal to listeners than one might think initially. They start small and work out. ‘Silence and Sound’ on the other hand starts big and seemingly tackles various big and universal topics but works inward culminating in the ambiguous ‘reminds me’ leaving it up the listener to decide what it reminds the singer (and more importantly the listener) of. An impressionistic painting in the verses becoming an abstract image in the verse all the while combining an intricate musicality where the goal is always maintaining a high standard of pop sensibility. The guitar playing is tricky and advanced but never sounds like it. The words are carefully constructed but sound effortless. The combination a song that works equally well in both camps he is compared to. The pop world of The Go Betweens and Badly Drawn Boy meet the introspection and more audible guitar guru of Nick Drake.

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Irish four piece Wild Youth are delighted to announce a FREE headline show at Katy’s Bar, Belfast on Wednesday 27th September, 2017. The Dublin-based band are touring in support of debut single “All or Nothing” released May 2017.

Wild Youth consists of David Whelan (vocals/guitar), Conor O’Donohoe (keyboard/vocals), Ed Porter (guitar/vocals) and Callum McAdam (drums).

Best friends from childhood Conor and David have always been making music together but it wasn’t until they met Callum and Ed in early 2016 that Wild Youth was born. Aware of each other from many years of playing in different bands they were eventually drawn together by a mutual love of rock and pop in equal measures. Once together, they went straight into the studio and started working on their vision of creating songs that you’ll want to have with you throughout the day; at home, at work, in the club, in the pub.

2017, looks set to be a big year for Wild Youth as May 26th saw the worldwide release of their debut single “All or Nothing” followed by a summer of festivals.

“All or Nothing”, the debut single by Irish band Wild Youth was produced by Phillip Magee in The Mill Studio. The video, featuring Jay Duffy and Alexandra McKay and all creative assets for the single were directed by Mark William Logan and produced by Collective Dublin.

https://www.facebook.com/bandwildyouth/

Following on the success, great reviews and widespread AirPlay of the Dublin Singer/Songwriter’s debut release ‘Landslide’ (Dublin Town) in December and 2nd release ‘Midnight’ in April, both receiving over 10,000+Facebook plays in the 1st 48hrs, Nousom Knots will release a 3rd single and video. The song is called ‘Horizons’.

Mixed and Co-produced by New York based Óisín O’Malley who has co-produced with the likes of Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads, this upbeat song about the unattainable pursuit of desire is accompanied by an exciting and thought provoking new video, filmed in Dublin.

People are hearing influences such as Bowie, Neil Young, Jeff Buckley, The Smiths and The Cure.

The video for ‘Horizons’ was released to the public on August 19th then the single will officially be released on August 26th and will be available in iTunes and all major digital distributors.

To back the release Nousom Knots will play a headline concert, with full backing band of some of Ireland’s and U.S. Finest musicians, in Whelan’s (upstairs) on Sat August 26th. Included in his lineup is the ex lead-guitarist for Enrique Iglesias and Mr. North.

Tickets available here.

http://nousomknots.com/

At fifteen Con Murphy got his first guitar. At 19 he was in his first band and wrote his first song, and now, ready for his music career he is releasing his debut album to the world early next year. ‘Don’t Freak Out’ is the first single which has gone straight to No2 in the iTunes Singer/Songwriter Charts.

Con was told to build his live following first, ‘get a fanbase’ they said! So he cut his teeth and introduced his music by supporting Mundy, Paddy Casey, Damien Dempsey and Duke Special. Last year he travelled to Stöðvarfjörður (pronounced Stood-Var-Fjur-duur)) in Iceland to help a friend build a state of the art recording studio in an old disused fish factory that had been taken over by some very creative minded people. He ended up playing the launch, but little did he know he’d be playing alongside Iceland’s No.1 selling artist ‘Prins Polo’ as well as various other well renowned Icelandic musicians. Con was a big hit on the night. He’s been invited back over to tour Iceland, and now has a huge fanbase in a tiny town there, including former Icelandic football international Ivar Ingimarsson who played in the English Premier League for Reading FC, Con says ‘ you know you’ve made it when Ivar Ingimarsson’s son asks you for your autograph!!’

This wasn’t Con’s first brush with fame. Black Sabbath’s Tony Martin paid an unplanned visit to a small venue Con was performing recently. After sitting through the full set, Tony asked if he could join him for the last song of the night where he played a Whitesnake classic from his time spent with them. Tony encouraged Con to keep writing and releasing his music after hearing a snapshot of what Con could do!

Upcoming Live Shows:
Mondays – Mayo, Westport, The Towers (residency)
28th Oct – Galway, Headford, Campbells Tavern
2/3 Nov – United Arab Emirates, Dubai, Sharjah Wanderers

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Dublin duo Hudson Taylor return with their brand new single – ‘Feel It Again’, the first fresh music from Alfie and Harry in two years.

Since the release of their debut album in 2015, the brothers have been busy touring around Europe, writing songs for their next record, and jamming and hanging out with musical pals both here and in the UK. 

‘Feel It Again’ is the first track from a forthcoming EP release. It was produced by Ryan Hadlock, best known for his work with The Lumineers and Vance Joy, and mixed by Ruadhri Cushnan (Mumford & Sons, Ed Sheeran) in Dublin.

The Hudson Taylor boys are currently splitting their time between the studio, putting the finishing touches to their new recordings, and the summer festival circuit. They play the Electric Picnic in Stradbally on September 1st.

‘Feel It Again’ goes on-sale on Friday 25th August.

https://www.hudsontaylormusic.com/

KARMS are a thundering indie rock 4 piece from Dublin made up of brothers Colm and Stephen O’Loughlin, and friends Danny Farrelly and Jay Maleney.

Following on from the success of their huge debut single ‘We Always Lose’, KARMS are back with the release of their much anticipated debut EP and massive lead single ‘River’.

Recorded at Attica Audio in Donegal with Scottish producer Tony Doogan (Mogwai, Belle and Sebastian), the EP combines bone crushing anthems like ‘River’, ‘We Always Lose’ and ‘She Said’ with the delicate ‘Beautiful Magic’ making this another tasty introduction to KARMS.

‘River’ is available for download and streaming from September 6th.

https://www.karmsmusic.com/

Niall Connolly returns with his 8th studio album and tour. ‘Dream Your Way Out of This One’, released 15th September, evokes the longing to keep a hold of our humanity amidst the fractured and fragile status of the current social climate. The album is a response to a perilous modern zeitgeist: an attempt to understand, to resist, and, ultimately, remain hopeful. ‘Dream Your Way Out Of This One’ is Connolly’s most political album to date conjuring imagery of conflict and its consequences, both past and present.

Exploring his experience as an immigrant in a society as it stratifies, atomises, and shows the potential to fray, Connolly observes the effects of political climate on family as well as society. Written amidst the social tempests that call into question all we take for granted, Connolly depicts the change in how we now respond to this unmasked world. Echoing the poetry and defiance of songwriters from turbulent decades past, Connolly brings a multicolored palette of emotion to this 12-track album. ‘Dream Your Way Out of This One’ is a collaboration between Niall Connolly and his long-term New York band: Dennis Cronin (Vic Chesnutt, Guided By Voices, Lambchop, Willard Grant Conspiracy, Vitamin-D), Chris Foley (Arlen Roth Band, Mother Feather, Susan McKeown, Michael Brunnock, Thisway), Len Monachello (All Night Chemists, Thisway) and Brandon Wilde (All Night Chemists, Thisway, Black Bunny). It also features guest performances by Deni Bonet (R.E.M., Cyndi Lauper, Sarah McLachlan and more), Javier Más (former multi-instrumentalist with Leonard Cohen) and Glen Hansard. Together they have created Connolly’s finest album to date.

‘May 12th, 1916- A Song for James Connolly’ explores the political through the personal. Told from the point of view of James Connolly’s daughter, Nora, and his wife, Lily, listeners experience the layers of a life behind a historic figure.This song’s creation was the result of a challenge from the great Dublin singer Susan McKeown in preparation for the centenary of 1916, and draws on factual documents and interviews with Nora Connolly.

‘Artificial Lake’ as lead single asks the listener to question their perception of the reality being offered to them. Yet it’s also a call to find joy despite the loss of innocence. “I know, I know, it’s an artificial lake/but the swans are real, and the trees look great.” With it’s 90’s feel and punchy hook, ‘Artificial Lake’ encapsulates the essence of ‘Dream Your Way Out of This One’ – a succinct and formidable building block for an album of encompassing scope. A highly engaging and entertaining storyteller and performer, Connolly has played international festivals including Glastonbury, Prague Fringe Festival, Cork Folk Festival, Acoustic Festival Düsseldorf and Cuala NYC. He will embark on 17-date tour across Ireland where he will bring his new collection of stories to the stage and sitting room. Dream Your Way Out of This One was produced by Brandon Wilde in the songwriter’s adopted home in Brooklyn and mastered by Ruairí O’Flaherty in Los Angeles.

“Terrific. Disarming and beautifully crafted folk-pop. Connolly is a witty storyteller and a not-to-be-missed songsmith.” – The Chicago Tribune

“Among the most vibrant, poignant, and authentic indie folk artists in New York City.” – No Depression

IRISH TOUR DATES

September 14 – Harbour Bar, Bray
September 15 – Jolly Roger, Sherkin Island
September 16 – Jolly Roger, Sherkin Island
September 17 – Monk’s Lane, Timoleague
September 18 – Logue’s, Carrigart, Donegal
September 19 – The American Bar, Belfast
September 20 – Fealty’s, Bangor
September 21 – Spirit Store, Dundalk
September 22 – Bennigan’s, Derry
September 23 – TBA
September 24 – House Concert, Waterford
September 25 – Mick Murphy’s, Ballymore Eustace, Kildare
September 26 – The Sky and the Ground, Wexford
September 27 – Whelan’s, Dublin (Full band gig)
September 28 – Roisin Dubh, Galway(Full band gig)
September 29 – Coughlan’s, Cork (Full band gig)
September 30 – House Concert (Full band gig)

www.niallconnolly.com

The Revs were an indie rock band from Kilcar, County Donegal in Ireland.

The group consisted of three childhood friends; Rory Gallagher (named after the famous blues guitarist Rory Gallagher and who had previously released the album 20th Century at the age of 18) on bass guitar and vocals, John McIntyre (guitar, vocals) and Michael O’ Donnell (drums, percussion).

The Revs formed on the eve of the 2000 millennium with an aim to “change the face of Irish music”. And, in so many ways they did. The Revs became a house hold name in Ireland from 2000. Having played the Main stages of Slane, Witnness and Oxegen and supporting The Hives, Muse and Snow Patrol, the band became known for their committed and high energy performance.

The Revs released their debut “Sonictonic” in 2002, a live album recorded at Temple Bar Music Centre in Dublin (Now the Button Factory).

After 3 albums and countless tours of Europe, Australia and the US they called it a day in 2006.

In its early days, the band’s music courted controversy with its attacks on manufactured pop; for example, the group’s single “Louis Walsh” targeted Louis Walsh (titled by many as the Svengali behind Westlife and Boyzone).

The Revs take it all back after 10 years! The boys are looking forward to sweating it out once again after 10 years on August 26th to a long since sold out audience lucky enough to get tickets for the band’s reunion show at Whelan’s Main Room, Wexford Street, Dublin.

Photo: (c) Christy McNamara 2017

Pale Rivers are a five piece Alternative/Rock/Pop band based out of Cork, Ireland. Having spent the last year writing and refining their songs and recordings, they currently are set to release their third single ‘West Point’ on 29th August.

Recorded at Orphan Studios in Dublin with Gavin Glass producing the track, and Kieran Lynch(R.E.M, U2, Elvis Costello) on mixing duties. Following on from their previous releases ‘August 6th’ and ‘Heart Throb’, this track sees the band exploring darker territories both sonically and thematically.

https://www.facebook.com/palerivers/