Author: Breffni Banks

The Stoles have been named as semi-finalists in the international songwriting competition 2013 (ISC) with their debut single “Protest Song”.

Almost 19,000 entries were submitted from over 100 countries, and Semi-Finalists make up the top 8% of all entries.

The Stoles is an indie rock band from Dublin formed in 2012. Remarkably for a Dublin-based act, only one of the band members is native to Ireland. Displaying a unique blend of genres and musical directions, The Stoles combine the 60s glamour and 80s post-punk vigour with the psychedelic obscurity and early grunge authenticity.

Melodic and instantly recognizable, yet with a certain element of mystery and melancholy, the band doesn’t shy away from venturing into new territories and expanding its influences. The band’s initial achievements include building an impressive online following and recording their debut EP in the capital’s legendary Westland studios. The Stoles have just signed a publishing deal with German independent label Liquid Tree Records and released their debut self-titled EP on December 20th 2013.

For further info, visit www.thestolesband.com

“Four Words from Dublin”, the new single from Maurice Byrne and Alicija Barscevska (Maija Music Publishing), is now available on iTunes and Android stores.

The song evolved from Paweł Boros’s hugely popular Facebook photography project of the same name and was written in honour of all the wonderful people who come to Dublin to live, work and help make it a great place.

“Four Words From Dublin” will be released in Lithuania and Poland on March 1st 2014.

Bat Kinane & The Whole Hog Band release their debut album, “Ordinary Days”, this March, with an album launch taking place in the Tramway Theatre Blessington, Co. Wicklow on March 29^th.

Bat Kinane began his music career in rock band Glyder releasing four albums internationally and touring the world, opening stages for greats like Metallica, Slash and Thin Lizzy. In 2010 he took a completely different direction with his folk rock and Americana album “A Lifetime to Kill”. The album featured Johnny Cash’s bass player Dave Roe Rorick from Nashville as well as Ireland’s greatest soul singer, Rob Strong. It was critically acclaimed by magazines like Hotpress and Maverick Country, with regular airplay on RTE1 from John Creedon and Niall Toner, as well as regional and international stations. A Christmas song called “Turn on the Lights” was played on Today FM and KFM over Christmas 2013. Bat’s songs have made it twice to the finals of The Allingham Song Competition.

After Glyder split Bat started a family and a Roots based cover band called The Whole Hog Band to help pay the bills! The Whole Hog Band has been busy playing events all over the country. They have become a well-respected and in demand act. This led to the decision to incorporate The Whole Hog Band’s Roots and Country sound with Bat’s original compositions. The end result is the album “Ordinary Days”. Most of the album was written in July 2013 and it is Bat’s first attempt to produce, engineer and mix an album in his own studio Téach Rock Studios.

Bat and the regular members of The Whole Hog Band Band, John Treacy (Bass) and Gavan Murray (ex Jaded Sun) are joined on the album by some of Ireland’s finest musicians. Percy Robinson plays pedal steel – Percy is widely regarded as one of the best pedal steel players in the world and has played with Paul Brady, Mary Black and many more. Paul Kelly contributed the fiddle and a mandolin part – Paul performs with the best including Sharon Shannon and Eleanor Shanley. Martin Cooney also regarded as one of the best in his field plays the five string banjo and has played on recordings by The Clancy’s and Derek Warfield among others.

For more see https://www.facebook.com/TheWholeHogband

Dublin blues rockers, The Hot Sprockets, grab 2014 by the scruff of the neck with the announcement of a new single, a new album, and a date at Dublin’s Button Factory.

On March 7^th, the band release their new single, ‘Homeslice’, the follow up to last years ‘Soul Brother’, and ‘Comin’ On’, and which shows a mellower side to the band, but no less rock ‘n’ roll! The album was recorded in Grouse Lodge, Windmill lane & Orphan Studios, produced by Gavin Glass and mixed by Declan Gaffney (U2) & Dougal Lott (Ray Davies). The video for ‘Homeslice’ was directed by, well known actor/director, Hugh O’Connor(hughoconor.com).

 ‘Homeslice’ is taken from the band’s sophomore album release, which is set for release in May, and will also include the two previously mentioned singles.

With an iron-clad reputation as a phenomenal live band, recent years has seen these smart blues-rockers play as special guests to higher profile acts, and more than capably hold their own. Now it’s time The Hot Sprockets claimed the stage for themselves. On Saturday June 7^th, to launch the album, the band headline The Button Factory in Dublin, in what will, no doubt, be a rock ‘n’ roll night to remember!

For further info, please visit www.thehotsprockets.com

The Hot Sprockets – Homeslice from Hugh O’Conor on Vimeo.

Mark Geary is a Dublin born musician who has split his time between Ireland and New York City over the last 20 years. He spent his early years performing in NYC at the famed Sin-e Café alongside other up and coming musicians, including friend Jeff Buckley, garnering respect and attention from both audiences and fellow artists. Of Mark’s time in New York, Time Out NY magazine said “His delicate songs about love and defiance…recall Richard Thompson and John Lennon….one of the East Village’s favourite adopted sons.”

Touring and performing live is Mark’s lifeblood. He has been featured on bills with musicians as diverse as Joe Strummer, Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, Coldplay, The Frames and The Swell Season among others.

Since 2002, Mark has released 4 studio albums and 2 live recordings. His second album, the acclaimed Ghosts, was named 2005′s Album of the Year by the Irish Voice. Billboard Magazine said Ghosts “evokes Van Morrison, particularly his early-1970s era,” and called it “a collection of superb songs delivered with a quiet intensity that will endear itself to listeners.”

To capture Mark’s talents as a performer and storyteller, the 2009 live album Live, Love, Lost It NYC showcases some of his best songs performed in front of audiences at various venues around New York City. Mark’s second live recording, Songs: Vienna was just released in December 2013. It was recorded over one night at Casino Baumgarten in Vienna with Mark’s band Grainne Hunt and Mark Penny.

In addition to his own albums, Mark has composed the score to several films; 2005’s Loggerheads, 2006’s Steel City, and 2010’s Sons of Perdition, a Tribeca Film Festival favorite and one of the first documentaries featured in the Oprah Winfrey Network Documentary Club. His songs have also been featured on various television shows including One Tree Hill and Bones.

In 2013 Mark toured throughout Ireland, the UK, New York, the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany. In November of 2013, Mark collaborated with Glen Hansard on a new version of his song Christmas Biscuits as a charity single for St. Vincent DePaul of Ireland. The song hit the Top 40 and was made the song of the week on TodayFM Ireland’s largest commercial radio station.

In 2014 Mark will be touring in Ireland, the UK, Germany, Switzerland and the Czech Republic while also working on his 5th studio record.

Mark Geary is delighted to announce his 2014 Irish Tour. Dates and Venues as below

Thursday February 27th – Harbour Bar – Bray

Sunday April 6th – Spirit Store – Dundalk

Thursday April 10th – Coughlan’s – Cork

Friday April 11th – Cleere’s – Kilkenny

Saturday April 12th – Kavanagh’s – Portlaoise

Saturday April 19th – Mill Theatre Dundrum – Dublin

Saturday May 10th – Monroe’s – Galway

Friday May 23rd – McCarthy’s – Dingle

Monday May26th – Mick Murphy’s – Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare

Friday June 20th – Blackbird – Ballycotton

Friday July 4th – Sirius Arts Centre – Cobh

Saturday July 5th – Katie Daly’s – Gorey, Co. Wexford

For times, tickets and more details on each event please visit www.markgeary.com/gigs or www.facebook.com/markygeary/events 

Nicole Maguire is a young lady from Cork making major waves on the international music scene.  Counting Damien Dempsey and Nancy Griffith as friends and mentors Nicole has grown from a shy 15 year old performing at local venues to a mesmerising, accomplished star, whether fronting a band or performing solo with acoustic guitar, most recently opening for Jake Clemons on his Irish tour.

Focused and driven, encouraged by Nanci and her band Nicole raised the money to travel to Nashville to write and from there road tested her songs around America.  More double jobbing raised the money to work with one of the most respected producers in the world, multi Grammy nominated Mitchell Froom (Pearl Jam, Randy Newman, Ron Sexsmith – to name a few).

Mitchell was so impressed with Nicole he persuaded an elite band of musicians to record with her; drummer Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello), bassist Bob Glaub (Crosby, Stills & Nash), guitarist Val McCallum (Sheryl Crow, Lucinda Williams) with Vonda Shepherd providing backing vocals.  He also acquired the services of Grammy award winning engineer David Boucher.

The result is the album ”s David Jaymes and Tom Haxell to Nicole’s music – they agreed to release the album.

More info: www.nicolemaguire.ie

Tupelo the ever exciting, original, acoustic roots act consisting of an eclectic line-up of instruments including banjo, guitar, fiddle, double bass, mandolin, harmonica and dobro have released their brand new studio album PUSH ON.

Also the lead single “Old Country” taken from their upcoming studio album PUSH ON which was produced by Joe Chester and mixed by Greg Calbi  (Beth Orton, The National, Fallout Boy, Bruce Springsteen) and gets its official release on Feb 21st 2014. Tupelo are signed to Crashed Records. Tupelo have since released singles from their album, ‘Don’t Let Go’, ‘Firefly’, and ‘Irishman’ with the songs garnering plentiful radio play from stations up and down the nation. The album was also released in the UK with songs on the album receiving airplay on UK stations including BBC Radio 2.

Formed in the winter of 2008 in Dublin, the band attributes their progress to relentless gigging up and down the country, honing their craft doing so and gathering a word of mouth endorsement for their powerhouse live show performances.

2013 saw Tupelo embark on many overseas tours with a string of dates in the UK, Denmark, Norway, France and more. They also travelled to Russia for the first time and played several well-received shows. 2014 continues in the same vein having play a January two week sold out tour of Denmark before Irish dates and continuing on to France and back to Scandanavia again. Tupelo were also voted the Best Trad/Folk act in the Hot Press Reader’s Poll. Their album is a fine mix of nu-folk amassed in a traditional musicianship, beguiling in their youthful exuberance.

Tupelo are: James Cramer – Lead Vocals, Songwriter, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar, Guitjo, Harmonica. Kevin Duffy – Fiddle, Mandolin, Backing Vocals. Damien McMahon – Double Bass, Backing Vocals. Paul Murray – Acoustic Guitar, Dobro, Mandolin, Guitjo, Backing Vocals

2014 Irish dates:

Feb 22^nd –In-store PA – Celtic Note, Nassau Street, Dublin 2 – 1.30pm

Feb 23rd – Whelans, Dublin

Mar 1st – Monroes, Galway

Apr 3^rd – Spirit Store, Dundalk, Louth

Apr 12^th – Cleeres, Kilkenny

May 14^th – Draoicht, Blanchardstown, Dublin

For further info, visit www.tupelomusic.ie

A blend of folk and country music featuring some of Nashville’s top players, JP Ryan’s new album, ‘Take a Walk With Me’ is available from February, 28th. You can preorder from the JP Ryan store or download from all reputable digital sites.

JP Ryan has opened for Rod Stewart playing in a line up that included Natasha Bedingfield and a host of additional acts. He has opened for other established acts such as Chris Diffard, guitar virtuoso, Beppe Gambetta, Ollabelle and has played with UK bassist, Andy Baker and saxophonist (Ex-Van der Graaff Generator), Davis Jackson. With a track from his debut album, ‘Dancing With Anima’ included in a recent US Motion Picture, JP was also a recent winner of the AC Category of America’s Open Door songwriting contest, judged by members of ASCAP, BMI and the Gospel Music Association.

Reviews:

A fine songwriter & guitarist.” File Under Good Music

“Literate & lyrical – an evocatively personable approach to presenting a song.” Mutant Space

“A great voice with amazing music, great lyrics and damn fine songs.” AMA Music

“Sometimes when running a music club, as I have done for twenty-one years, a CD comes in the post. You listen to a few track and … boom … you realise there is something special here! JP Ryan writes brilliant songs!” Tony Moore, Midleton Folk Club

“A refreshingly sweet and evocative album!” Bob Katz on Dancing With Anima.

Album Launch is in Set Theatre, Kilkenny, on Friday, 28th Feb

www.jpryanmusic.com