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 5th record, The Starlight Ballroom, which is out now (September 13th, 2023).
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).
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.
With The Starlight Ballroom in tow Conlon headed for Los Angeles and with the aid of David Garza created a world of characters and misfits (The Old Songs) and dreamers (Susie Gossip).
Whether it be an isolated begrudger (All Sewn Up) or a scorned lover living in the past (Hurts Like Heaven) to a young girl on her bike crossing the gravel dirt roads of 1960’s Ireland looking for a fantastical place (Paradise Lane) at the end of the day you’ll find them all in the one place, The Starlight Ballroom.
Listen to it below:
