Author: Breffni Banks

‘The Acoustic Yard’ is a new monthly singer/songwriter session taking place in Matt Molloy’s and starting on Tuesday 25th of February 2014. This showcase event hosted by David Dee Moore is supported by IMRO (Irish Music Rights Organisation) and Matt Molloy’s bar and will feature some of the best songwriters from around the world.

The first session in February will focus on the talented songwriters from Mayo with special guest Sinead Madden, originally a Claremorris native setting the standard. Sinead released her critically acclaimed solo CD ‘Honey Promises’ in 2010, with her voice and songs compared to that of Sarah McLachlan. She has worked with Maire Brennan penning two songs on her latest CD ‘Signature’ and has toured playing fiddle and singing with Clannad.

Sinead is currently working with Rock legends Def Leppard and recently recorded with Joe Elliott on the newest offering from The Down and Outz. She has shared the stage with some of Ireland’s finest exports such as Brian Kennedy, Glen Hansard and Mundy to name a few.

Tony Reidy was born and reared in Aughagower near Westport, Co Mayo. He started songwriting in the late eighties and has released three CDs ‘The Coldest Day In Winter’ and ‘A Rough Shot Of Lipstick’ and his latest CD ‘Hayshed Days’. He has gained a considerable reputation as a songwriter with themes including tales of informers, small town romance, dreamers, losers and clowns. His songs have been regularly played on RTE and the BBC.

Brian Duffy is a native of Westport, Co. Mayo, Ireland. From an early age music developed naturally for him and he started performing from the age of 10 and has been immersed in music ever since. From the age of 17 Brian took his work abroad and has traveled extensively throughout the world, playing music and absorbing different influences along the way. He recently released his latest CD ‘I am so’ a wonderful collection of contemporary original songs that concentrate on his folk and traditional roots.

The Acoustic Yard will also offer new artists a platform and Peter Lawlor from Castlebar will complete the bill. Peter is the principle songwriter with ‘Hail from Russia’ who release their new EP in March 2014.

For further info contact David Dee Moore at theacousticyard@nullgmail.com

With the support of DCAL and Derry City Council, Other Voices Derry~Londonderry will return this weekend with a stellar line-up including some of the finest names in music. In the intimate setting of The Glassworks and across venues throughout the city, audiences can expect a musical experience like no other.

The IMRO Other Room will return on Monday 10th February to form the final part of the twelfth series of Other Voices. After consideration of hundreds of entries for the open call and over 2,000 public votes, the Viewers’ Choice, Conor Walsh, has been selected to perform alongside Derry natives, The Clameens and Wonder Villains, flexible five-piece, Silences, Dublin based indie-rockers Spies and the ever energetic Donegal band, Mojo Gogo.

The Glassworks, Derry line-up

Friday
Public Service Broadcasting
Foy Vance
Bell X1
Colm Mac Con Iomaire

Saturday

Little Matador
The Amazing Snakeheads
Walking on Cars
The Bohicas

Sunday

The Gloaming
Poliça
George Ezra
East India Youth

The Other Voices Music Trail kicks off on tonight in Sandinos with a special gig from BBC Radio DJ and Irish native, Annie Mac. Tickets are available now from www.wegottickets.com/event/258857 . For full details of acts and venues there will be programmes available at locations across the city or online at http://derry2014.othervoices.ie/music-trail.

The world’s largest video crew, Fan Footage will make a return after their success on the Other Voices Dingle music trail, to help audiences capture the magic of the music trail and share online. For more information on how you can be part of the fan footage crew visit https://fanfootage.com/ and download the app.

Tickets to the Glassworks are free and can be won through various online and media competitions so keep an eye on the website at http://derry2014.othervoices.ie/tickets for details. Tickets will also be available across the weekend at various events. To stay up to date with announcements please log on to www.othervoices.ie and follow on Facebook (facebook.com/othervoices) and Twitter (@othervoiceslive).

For those who don’t make it to Derry, The Glassworks performances will be streamed live online via www.rte.ie/othervoices, the RTÉ Player and http://www.theguardian.com/uk.

Other Voices is supported by DCAL, Derry City Council, RTÉ, Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, IMRO, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

In the midst of the IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Awards last night, Kodaline, after a stellar live performance, became the latest recipients of the IMRO No. 1 Award. The band were presented with their award by IMRO Chairman, Keith Donald, in recognition of their album, “In A Perfect World”, reaching the top spot in the Irish album charts in 2013.

The band are getting ready to head to Canada and the US later this week on their “Love Like This” tour after an impressive start to 2014, picking up the Public Choice Award at the Eurosonic Music Festival in Netherlands last month. The guys will be back on Irish soil for a series of live dates in March, including a performance at the O2 Dublin on 16^th March. Kodaline have also just been named as support for Kings of Leon in Marlay Park this July.

The IMRO No. 1 Award recognises the achievement of IMRO members who reach the top spot in the Irish Album and Independent Album charts. Previous recipients have included The Coronas, Villagers, Little Green Cars and Finbar Furey.

www.kodaline.com

Last night, 2FM’s Paddy McKenna hosted the much-anticipated 6th IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Awards at the Irish Music Rights Organisation Headquarters in Dublin.

The award for National Live Music Venue of the Year (via public vote) for the first time was Cork’s newly established venue, Coughlan’s. Of the annual awards voted by over 8,500 IMRO members, Keith Donald, IMRO Chairman said “The IMRO Live Music Venue of The Year Awards is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the hard work, vision and creativity that the live music venue and festival sectors deliver week in, week out throughout Ireland”.

Other winners in the regional categories include:

Dublin – Whelans
Rest of Leinster – Mermaid Arts Centre, Wicklow
Munster – Crane Lane Theatre, Cork
Ulster – An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny
Connacht – Matt Molloy’s, Westport, Co. Mayo

Also nabbing accolades for IMRO Live Music Festival of the Year and IMRO Best Small Live Music Festival were Electric Picnic and Body & Soul respectively.

Performances on the night came from Kodaline (who were presented the IMRO No.1 Award to acknowledge their album going to number 1 in June 2013), Gavin James, I Am The Cosmos and IMRO’s newest member Eve Murtagh.

Hot Press Editor Niall Stokes also gave special commendations, presenting awards to Dolans in Limerick and Coughlans in Cork.

He said “Live music is more important than ever for musicians and bands – so it is crucial they they have the best possible venues to play in. The IMRO Live Music Venue Awards are a brilliant platform for recognising all of the good work that is happening all over Ireland in creating those opportunities for musicians.

“Great venues are really important in creating scenes and both Dolan’s in Limerick and Coughlan’s in Cork fit that description perfectly. The overall winner of the Hot Press Live Music Venue of the Year is Whelan’s, in Dublin.

“Whelan’s is one of the great Irish venues. It has made a huge contribution to Irish music and Irish musicians over the past 25 years, nurturing many of the artists who have gone on to make a huge impression internationally. And they are still playing an essential part in bringing young bands and artists through. They are hugely deserving of this accolade – especially at the beginning of their 25th Anniversary celebrations.”

Pictured is the crew from Coughlan’s, Cork with IMRO Chairman, Keith Donald.