Irish singer-songwriter ULTAN CONLON found a haven for his unique sound and sensibility in Los Angeles, California, with Grammy Award- winning David Garza (Fiona Apple) producing Ultan’s fifth record, The Starlight Ballroom, which drops on September 13th, 2023. Today, Ultan shares the lead song, and accompanying video, “The Old Songs”.
The Old Songs is written by Ultan Conlon and David Garza. Conceived during pre-production in Los Angeles when Garza came up with the rousing balladeer chorus “Who’s gonna sing the old songs, when all the old timers are gone?’ Ultan got to thinking about the sessions in his cousin’s pub JJ Hough’s in Banagher, Co Offaly. Everyone would get up and sing, sometimes badly but it all sounded magnificent. No song was discriminated against, if it was catchy it would be sung and all present would join in. The song represents community and connection with a dollop of humour thrown in for good measure.
David Garza, a big fan of Fairground Attraction, discovered that Ultan knew Eddi Reader and immediately asked if they could get her to add her voice to the track. The bar room scene was lacking a female voice. Eddi added her magnificent brogue, feisty character and trademark theatrical voice to the track which further enriches this symbolic song.
ABOUT THE ALBUM:
Ultan first met David in LA in 2017 while playing some shows with him at Largo, the nightclub where Sean and Sara Watkins host The Watkins Family Hour. Ultan says: “When I met David and we played some songs together I saw his unbridled energy and talent and knew I wanted to work with him” Fast forward 6 years and The Starlight Ballroom is born.
The formidable group of musicians includes producer and co-writer Garza on numerous instruments, Amy Wood— Drums (Fiona Apple, Iggy Pop, St Vincent) Sebastian Steinberg, Double Bass (Fiona Apple, Iron and Wine, Neil Diamond, KD Lang) Dave Curtis – Strings and Programming (Aj Croce). The Starlight Ballroom is engineered and mixed by John Would (Fiona Apple, Warren Zevon)
Conlon’s poetically enigmatic songs and “lyrical gems” (No Depression)
The Starlight Ballroom was a ballroom of romance in Westport, Co. Mayo, which opened in the early 1960’s and closed in 1981. Thousands of people would pack into the hall to see local Irish Show bands and the best international acts of the day. Roy Orbison played The Starlight in 1969 and Ultan’s song The Starlight Ballroom takes in and ponders the night in question.
BIO:
Irish singer-songwriter, Ultan Conlon has shared the stage with the likes of John Fogerty, Mavis Staples, Jackson Browne, Bryan Ferry, John Grant, Eddi Reader, Patty Griffin, Richard Hawley, among others.
Ultan has also performed duets with John Martyn, Jackson Browne, Mary Coughlan, Grant-Lee Philips, Eddi Reader and Hollywood legend John C Reilly to name but a few. John Martyn recorded Ultan’s song “Really Gone” in 2004 and Mary Coughlan recorded Ultan’s “A Weak Heart Like Mine” in 2017.
Many of Ultan’s critically acclaimed songs have received extensive airplay in Ireland (RTE Radio 1, Lyric FM) and the UK (BBC). ‘The Starlight Ballroom’, Ultan’s upcoming studio album is produced by Grammy Award-winner David Garza and is Ultan’s fifth record.
UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
Thursday 20/04/23 (SOLD OUT)
The Studio Café, Rathfarnham. Co. Dublin. INFO
Friday 21/04/23
Dooley’s. Rathcormac. Co Cork INFO (LOW TICKETS)
Friday 28/04/23
The Bastion Kitchen. Athlone. Co Westmeath INFO. (LOW TICKETS)
Saturday 29/04/23
The Bastion K2tchen. Castlerea. Co Roscommon INFO
Saturday 06/05/23
Kilcash Community Center, kilcash. Co Tipperary (Book. 0868451833,) INFO
Friday 12/05/23
Fore Abbey Cafe. Fore. Co Westmeath INFO
Friday 19/05/23
The Corner Stone. Woodford. Co Galway INFO
Thur 27/05/23
Lizzy’s Little kitchen. Listowel. Co Kerry INFO
Saturday 03/06/23
Ultan Conlon W/Special Guest Sabrina Dinan, The Roisin Dubh. Galway. Co Galway INFO
Saturday/Sunday 17&18/06/23
Ark Storytelling Festival, Valencia. Co Kerry INFO
Thur 22/06/23
The Cutting Vedge. Kilkenny. Co Kilkenny INFO
