‘BeautifulUniverseMasterChampion’ Released: 25th Nov 2011on Richter Collective.
Fresh from winning ‘Best Live Act’ at the first ever Northern Ireland Music Awards, signing to Sargent House Records in USA and about to embark on a December Irish Tour, ‘BeautifulUniverseMasterChampion’ is the third single to be taken from And So I Watch You From Afar’s critically acclaimed sophomore album ‘GANGS’.
UPCOMING LIVE DATES
December 28 – Club House, Castlebar
December 29 – Crane Lane Theatre, Cork
December 30 – Electric Avenue, Waterford
December 31 – Roisin Dubh, Galway
“Gangs is a very, very special album indeed” 4/5 The Fly(album review)
“an utterly immersive tour de force…’Gangs’ triumphs on every possible level” 9/10 Rock Sound (LP review)
Hot Press 4.5 / 5 (LP Review)
‘these Belfast Boys have IT!” 5/5 Artrocker (LP review)
"I'm not kidding, this piece of music will change your life" Zane Lowe, Radio 1 (re: single Search:Party:Animal)
“full of tense, nervous energy…their second album ‘Gangs’ ticks plenty of the right boxes” Q (LP review)
The second edition of Fintan Vallely’s “Companion to Irish Traditional Music” was launched on 24th November at an event in The Royal Irish Academy. Published by Cork University Press, the edition was launched by Nicholas Carolan, Director of the Irish Traditional Music Archive.
The ultimate reference for all players, devotees and students of Irish Traditional Music, The Companion to Irish Traditional Music is an indispensable reference guide to Ireland’s universally recognised Traditional music, song and dance. This comprehensive resource – now revised and greatly expanded – is the largest single collection of such diverse, essential data. It brings together the knowledge of two hundred contributors in an easy-to-use A-Z format with entries on:
• Song in Irish and English
• Dance – Step Dance, Céilí and Sets
• Solo and Group Playing
• Céilí Bands and Professionalism
• Storytelling
• Instruments and Technology
• Tune Types and Composition
• Styles and Ornamentation
• Organisations and Promotion Education and
Transmission
• Collectors and Archives
• History and Revival
• Performers, Stylists, Commentators
• Broadcasting and Recording
• English, Scottish, Welsh music and song
• Music in all Irish Counties, Europe & USA
• Timeline – 1100 BC – 2011 AD
• Irish Music Books 1724 – 2011
This extraordinary encyclopedia covers the people, instruments, styles, repertoires and regions of past and present Irish Traditional music, song and dance. Half a million words and several hundred images present facts, ideas and terminology, explore aesthetics and ideology, and document teaching, learning, study and performance.
The immense volume of biography, history and opinion is diverse yet comprehensive. It is drawn from the collective expertise of some 200 specialists who in A-Z format deal with all instruments and playing styles, repertoires, people, performance and transmission, media and professionalism, ideology, awards standards and competition. They broaden the picture to take in the musics of Scotland and England, migration to Britain and the USA, the exhilarating new internationalism and music tourism. Uniquely too, The Companion carries extensive data on Irish Traditional music as it is played in all counties of the island of Ireland, as well as in Britain, Scotland, the USA and the major European countries. This marks the book as a compendium of not only what is being done and by whom, but also of where it is happening and in what way.
A detailed time-line charts the history of music events, initiative and publications as prompted by and interwoven with history, and a categorized bibliography carries easy reference for all forms of enquiry. These pages lay out the canon of Traditional music in Ireland as assembled by its significant performers, teachers and collectors, composers and arrangers, commentators, promoters and audiences. It is an essential asset and a core reference for all research and further study in Irish studies, Irish music and ethnomusicology.
FINTAN VALLELY is a musician, writer, lecturer and researcher on Traditional music. He began to play Traditional music on the flute in the early 1960’s and compiled its first Irish-music tutor in 1986. He later studied ethnomusicology at Queens University Belfast, became The Irish Times’ Traditional music correspondent and reviewer from 1994-2000 and was columnist in that field with The Sunday Tribune 1996-2002.
All data in the book is supported by a website – www.companion.ie – which provides detailed advice on creative ways to use the volume, and links to websites which cover other aspects of the book’s topics.
The Contemporary Music Centre launches promotional CD Contemporary Music from Ireland Volume Ten
The Contemporary Music Centre launches the tenth volume in its promotional CD series Contemporary Music from Ireland at 6pm, Wednesday, 7 Dec 2011. Orlaith McBride, Director, The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon, which grant aids the Contemporary Music Centre, officially launches the CD which is supported by Culture Ireland and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Lottery Fund. The CD launch will feature live performance with Paul Roe, clarinet, as well as an outdoor electro-acoustic programme.
The CMC promotional CD series gives a snapshot of what is happening right now in contemporary music in Ireland. Volume Ten features ten works, selected for variety of styles and all written in the twenty-first century. As well as showcasing the vitality of Irish composition, the CD features many national and international performing groups and individuals, all of whom are committed and active perfomers of new music.
“The works featured on Contemporary Music from Ireland, Volume 10, celebrate diversity: the “what’s new”, “what’s innovative”, “what’s vibrant” within the music of Ireland over the last five years. The sonic rewards are plentiful and we hope these works entertain, inspire and entrance you as they have audiences in Ireland and abroad” says Evonne Ferguson, Director, The Contemporary Music Centre.
The CD will be distributed nationally and internationally to radio stations, festivals, concert promoters, performers and universities amongst other places. All the tracks may be broadcast and further information on all composers can be found on the Centre’s web site at www.cmc.ie.
Video interviews with the featured composers about their works on the CD will be available on www.cmc.ie during December. A selection of tracks from the disc will also be available to listen to through streaming on CMC's web site following the official launch.
The Centre has been producing CDs of Irish composers' work for over fifteen years. As well as producing ten volumes of Contemporary Music from Ireland the Centre partnered with Diatribe Records in 2010 for the release of Solo Series I – a 4-CD box set. The Centre plans to further develop its CD series in 2012 with a new series aimed at presenting a representative cross-section of new music
The Contemporary Music Centre is Ireland's national archive, resource centre and promotional body for new music, supporting the work of Irish composers from the Republic and Northern Ireland. The Centre is supported by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon.
For further information on Contemporary Music from Ireland Volume 10, the composers and performers featured contact Karen Hennessy, Promotion Manager, The Contemporary Music Centre, 19 Fishamble Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 8. Tel: 01 673 1922 Email khennessy@nullcmc.ie web site www.cmc.ie
The Contemporary Music Centre launches the tenth volume in its promotional CD series Contemporary Music from Ireland at 6pm, Wednesday, 7 Dec 2011. Orlaith McBride, Director, The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon, which grant aids the Contemporary Music Centre, officially launches the CD which is supported by Culture Ireland and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Lottery Fund. The CD launch will feature live performance with Paul Roe, clarinet, as well as an outdoor electro-acoustic programme.
The CMC promotional CD series gives a snapshot of what is happening right now in contemporary music in Ireland. Volume Ten features ten works, selected for variety of styles and all written in the twenty-first century. As well as showcasing the vitality of Irish composition, the CD features many national and international performing groups and individuals, all of whom are committed and active performers of new music.
“The works featured on Contemporary Music from Ireland, Volume 10, celebrate diversity: the “what’s new”, “what’s innovative”, “what’s vibrant” within the music of Ireland over the last five years. The sonic rewards are plentiful and we hope these works entertain, inspire and entrance you as they have audiences in Ireland and abroad” says Evonne Ferguson, Director, The Contemporary Music Centre.
The CD will be distributed nationally and internationally to radio stations, festivals, concert promoters, performers and universities amongst other places. All the tracks may be broadcast and further information on all composers can be found on the Centre’s web site at www.cmc.ie.
Video interviews with the featured composers about their works on the CD will be available on www.cmc.ie during December. A selection of tracks from the disc will also be available to listen to through streaming on CMC's web site following the official launch.
The Centre has been producing CDs of Irish composers' work for over fifteen years. As well as producing ten volumes of Contemporary Music from Ireland the Centre partnered with Diatribe Records in 2010 for the release of Solo Series I – a 4-CD box set. The Centre plans to further develop its CD series in 2012 with a new series aimed at presenting a representative cross-section of new music
‘Frozen Bones’ is the debut EP from Belfast band, Window Seats. Mixed and mastered by Neal Calderwood (Jody Has A Hitlist, The Answer, General Fiasco, Fighting With Wire), it will be released on 2nd December 2011.
The EP features the singles ‘Rat’ and ‘Local Superhero’ and arrives on the back of their highly acclaimed music video for ‘Local Superhero’, which has been nominated for Best Production Effects at the Irish Music Television Awards 2011.
On 2nd December the band will begin a tour in support of the release, starting with a Belfast launch at Animal Disco club, Auntie Annie's. Up-to-date information and access to music and videos at windowseatsofficial.com.
Press
‘Local Superhero’ single review
“…a Foo Fighters-sized guitar anthem, only with an almighty Belfast drawl behind it… for the love of all things wild and noisy, don’t let it pass you by.”
– Celina Murphy, Hot Press
‘Rat’ single review
“…an intriguingly hard-hitting combination of heavy guitar crunch and poppy jangle…”
– David Roy, The Irish News
2011-2012 Tour Dates
2nd Dec – Belfast, Co. Antrim
‘Frozen Bones’ EP launch
3rd Dec – Draperstown, Co. L/Derry
G Sessions (with Rams’ Pocket Radio, Katie and the Carnival)
Rainy Boy Sleep aka Stevie Martin with his unique songwriting haunting voice and production skills spent the Summer capturing the hearts of many playing Glastonbury, Hard Rock Calling Hyde Park London, Ray Davies Meltdown Festival, Southbank London, Reading,Leeds Festivals on the BBC introducing stage and supporting Cyndi Lauper on her UK tour along with Glasgowbury, Vantastival, Stendahl Festival, many other club shows and radio sessions.
Rainy Boy Sleep
“Ladies and gentlemen, we give you Rainy Boy Sleep – the discovery of the weekend for us. He's from Northern Ireland, but he sounds like he should be soundtracking American teen movies starring Ellen Page and Michael Cera – and we mean that in a good way”. Review from Leeds Festival
“His guitar is fantastic and his voice is beautiful”
"It’s Extraordinary and teach me how to do it please"
Gary from Snow Patrol
“what sprang from the speakers was the sound of one
of Northern Ireland’s most exciting new solo acts”.
AU Magazine
Following his summer of Concerts and Festivals Rainy Boy Sleep will be appearing live Saturday 3rd December – Dublin – Whelans
'New Album ‘Light Side Of The Dark’ from Tony Floyd Kenna & Joe McGuinness.
Going under the name ‘Wanman & Floyd’ Joe and Tony release their first joint ‘Solo’ Album. They have played and recorded together on and off for over 30 years, mainly in their band 'Maggies Farm'.
Having written and recorded 'Roadbike Julia' for the Musicians Together site in July 2011 they decided they may as well do a whole album. So meeting every Friday morning over a 7 or 8 week period the remaining 9 tracks were written and recorded.
Although their hearts lie in Blues and Blues Rock you will find other genres creeping in here too. So expect blistering guitar solos and pounding bass, as well as a few softer moments! All songs written, played, sung, recorded and produced by Tony and Joe.
Available on Cd Baby, itunes and other music sites as well as at Tony and Joe’s forthcoming guest appearances in December. Released by Razor Blade Records & Music, November 21st. 2011.
“Elysian Dreams” is an eclectic blend of world, classical, contemporary, Native American and Irish/Celtic Folk sounds. Two songs taken from the album were released earlier this year. “I will carry you” and “Dance with the River” met with rave reviews from live audiences and the broadcast community with both songs play-listed on radio. This incredible new album also features a narration by Choctaw elder, Gary White Deer.
SHISHONNAH, formed in 2010, is a merger of the talents of Irish artist Liz Madden and US artist Jenne Lennon—both accomplished musicians, performers and songwriters. They blend their Irish and American musical heritage with their Celtic and Native American traditions, creating their own distinctive and innovative sound. Their original songs will take you to a place that defines the human experience and uplifts the soul. With incredible vocal arrangements, their sound reflects a canvas as diverse as the lands of their upbringing. The album is as much an instrumental as vocal with the ladies playing piano, harp, bodhran, whistle, Native American flute, keyboards and percussion.
Madden and Lennon have performed and headlined individually in venues worldwide. As SHISHONNAH, their most recent performance was with the world renowned Elgin Children’s Chorus in Chicago which received superlative reviews and ovations beyond all expectations.
They are currently finalising performance dates for 2012, which will include the United States, the U.K., Ireland, and Europe.
“Noelle’s Burden”, penned by Eoghan McNeill, is the first official Christmas release from The New Free. The single will be launched on Sunday 27th Nov in Dublin’s very slick Odessa Club. Recorded at the famous, Grouse Lodge Studios, it has a subtle waltz tempo, coupled with lonely church warmth, powerful chamber harmonies and echoes of promises made with the best of intentions.
The band were recently invoted to record four tracks in RTE for the famous “2fm live sessions” with Dan Hegarty. They recently played The Green Village festival with Ryan Sheridan, Bipolar Empire and The Stunning. The band are presently recording their debut album at Grouse Lodge Studios set for release in Spring 2012
“Too Many Drugs is a delightful mélange of hippy vibes, Celtic rock, punk attitude and infectious hooks. It has a restless percussive drive that takes over where The Pale left off, an accordion and a bouzouki high on something, and Eoghan McNeill's frenzied vocals. "You Shook Me All Night Long" is a crafty marriage of the AC/DC classic and Shane MacGowan’s "Rainy night in Soho". MAGIC!!!” – Jackie Hayden, Hotpress on The New Free’s recent single, Too Many Drugs.
Eoghan McNeill (Bass, Guitar & Lead Vocal), Ciaran Finn (Guitar, Fiddle, Banjo & Vocals), James O’Connor (Accordion, Harmonica& Vocals), Fiach O’Connor (Bodhran, Bouzouki, Guitar & Vocals).
Noelle’s Burden is currently available on iTunes and Tower Records!
Featuring Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh on hardanger fiddle with dancer Nic Gareiss & special guests
Sunday 11th December 2011
Doors 7.30pm, Show 8pm sharp.
Boys School @ Smock Alley Theatre, Exchange Street Lower, Temple Bar, Dublin 8
Dublin Laptop Orchestra – bring “the physicality and energy of acoustic music to electronic performance.” (Journal of Music)
Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh – “the most imaginative and fascinating musician in all of trad” (Irish Echo)
Nic Gareiss – “mesmerizing… a whirling dervish in tap shoes” (Bay City Times)
In collaboration with some of the most exciting musicians in traditional Irish music, the Dublin Laptop Orchestra present a unique concert of new music at Smock Alley Theatre. The concert will feature a series of completely new pieces that combine Irish traditional music with live electronics. Laptops will be used to create complex rhythms and virtual droning fiddle strings, controllers will manipulate sound and allow it to blend with musicians in real-time, and the sounds of the performers themselves will even be used as raw material for completely improvised creations. This collaboration aims to infuse Irish traditional music with some of the potential that modern technology offers. Definitely not to be missed!
The Dublin Laptop Orchestra makes music with lots of laptops, hands, golf controllers, and hemispherical speakers. Their aim is to bring some theatricality and ‘physical presence´ into electronic music performance. They do this by creating software instruments that require movement and skill from performers and encourage interaction and improvisation. Irish traditional music is a particular focus as they look to capture some of the energy and excitement that naturally occurs in live ‘trad´ performances.
Dublin Laptop Orchestra are Rachel Ní Chuinn, Jenn Kirby, David Collier, Enda Gallery, Mark Rooney, Tara Lewis, Amanda Feery, Alex Dowling and Saramai Leech.
This collaboration was made possible through the generous support of the Arts Council´s Deis Fund for the Traditional Arts and the Trinity College Provost´s Fund for the Visual & Performing Arts.
Tickets: €10
Bookings: www.smockalley.com
Tickets also available at the door on the night
