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Month: October 2017

Schottenfest Announces 2017 Line Up

It would seem  there have always been Celts in Vienna. Even the name suggests a world and time long before the Romans. So it is no wonder that looking back through the history of this wonderful city you find footprints and more than just a trace of a Celtic Past. It would seem in fact that that Celtic thread runs throughout.

Schottenfest 2017 is an Irish, Scottish and Austrian Cultural Music festival to take place in locations throughout Vienna and focuses on the Celtic Past and builds on a fantastic debut festival in 2016.

Did you know? In the 12th century  (1155) Henry II of Austria, requiring a monastery for his new city brought Irish monks from Regensburg to Vienna. In the early Middle Ages, Irish Gaelic monks from monasteries in Ireland and the Scottish isles were actively involved in missionary work. Ireland was known in Latin as “Scotia Major”; and therefore, in German, Irish monks were called “Schotten” (Scots) or “Iroschotten”. The monasteries that they founded were called “Schottenklöster”. In the foundation documents of the Schottenstift, Henry II specified that it was to be occupied exclusively by these “Iroschotten” – “Solos elegimus Scottos”.

Drawing on Vienna’s story and the effervescent historical aromas that drift around the city walls, the Schottenfest, like the Gaelic Monks and Irish before, is intent on creating a platform for integration, creativity and learning. With musical concerts and historical presentations around the first district and beyond, the Schottenfest celebrates the rich historical links of the Viennese and the Gael, and that long lasting tradition and links between Ireland, Scotland and Austria.”

“I am extremely impressed by Schottenfest in how it has brought together so many aspects of Irish & Scottish culture in one festival, and reached out to audiences that would not previously have been aware of the strong historical links between our countries”. Kevin Dowling – Irish Ambassador Vienna                                                                  

THIS YEARS EVENTS

With events ranging from Historical tours of the Schottenstift and Cloister, presentations by Uni Wien – Irish Studies department on Hiberno/Viennese Culture and a lecture by Diarmuid Ó Ríain on the lives and teachings of the Gaelic Monks in Vienna, culminating in live-performances from a fantastic group of musicians and songwriters at Theater am Spittelberg, Aera and venues across the beautiful city of Vienna.

Mick Flannery (Ire) Karin Polwart (Sco) John Spillane (Ire) Dave Arcari (Sco) Antonia Ní Norica (At) Gráinne Hunt (Ire) The VIenna Songwriting Circle (At) Karin Rabhansl (De) The Tallaght Songwriting Collective (Ire) to top the bill. There will also be workshops and surprise performances throughout the five days of the festival.

The Schottenfest is definitely a welcome addition to the Vienna cultural scene and will hopefully continue to be so. Expertly put together and professionally carried out“. Simon Bopp – Tourism Ireland Representative Austria

We loved the idea from the beginning and look forward to working with the festival and supporting it into the future.Christoph Steinacher – Entertainments Manager – Ruby Marie Hotels

 Supported by Culture Ireland, Embassy of Ireland Vienna, Tourism Ireland (Austria) and local businesses.

Vienna – 29th November – 3rd December

www.schottenfest.com

 

 

Ailie Releases Début ‘West To The Evening Sun’

With vocal hints of Sinéad Lohan, Michael Stipe, and Agnes Obel, a nod towards Ger Wolfe’s storytelling, an international songwriting award (UKSC 2014), a dusting of Steve Reich, and the distant thump of early-90s grunge and late-90s electro, the Leitrim singer-songwriter’s début album, produced by Daragh Dukes, is a bold and striking testament to the value of quiet conscientiousness in a culture where quiet voices can all-too-often go unheard. In her own words:

I wanted to create something deeply honest, and I knew I could only do that if I peeled back every shred of pretense I could find in my body. I didn’t care how long it took – I didn’t see the point of doing it any other way.

Four years in the making, Ailie Blunnie’s much-anticipated début album, ‘West to the Evening Sun’is released November 10th at Dublin Unitarian Church, with special guests, Laetare Vocal Ensemble.

‘West to the Evening Sun’ takes an emotionally vibrant journey through soundscapes of hope and loss, urban and Celtic, myth and magic:

This album extends beyond innovative musical arrangements, even beyond the skill of poetic, expressive lyrics. Blunnie’s songs are transcendent and transporting.”(Colleen Taylor, Irish Echo, New York)

From Leitrim, Ailie grew up steeped in the stillness and beauty of the north-west. Her college studies took her east – first music, and later, psychology and psychotherapy – and, now based in Dublin, she uses elements from her experiences, rural to city, arts to science, to craft a sound-world that is expansive yet hauntingly intimate.

‘West to the Evening Sun’ will be available to buy on Ailie’s website, and to stream/download on all the usual online platforms, from November 10th.

A taster from the Leitrim singer-songwriter’s forthcoming début album shows a craftswoman who knows the right measure of guile and atmospherics which a soundscape of this majesty requires.” (Jim Carroll, Irish Times)

Videos for:

Beat Of Your Heart (April 2017)
And So To Sleep (August 2017)
There Is No Sound (August 2017)

Website: ailieblunnie.com / Facebook: @ailiemusic / Twitter: @AilieBlunnie

Not Monsters Share Video for Next Single ‘Cleo’

Not Monsters started as a merging of styles between the melodic experimentalism of CFIT and the powerhouse riffing of Punch Face Champions. In the two years they’ve been together, this Dublin based supergroup have already played a number of shows around Ireland including Vantastival, Canalaphonic, State’s Faces 2016, Knockanstockan and Electric Picnic. Following on from their previous single releases – “Sharpshooter” and “On Tilt,” Not Monsters are about to launch their newest single, “Cleo” on November 4th in The Underground.

‘Cleo’ is released on Friday 3rd November.

http://www.notmonsters.com/

 

Spring Tides Release ‘Sun Sessions’

Spring Tides release their 2nd EP today, the 31st of October 2017. All 4 tracks were recorded at the world famous Sun Studios, Memphis, Tennessee on a balmy Thursday evening in September 2015. Due to a succession of unfortunate mishaps they haven’t seen the light of day until now.

Under the watchful gaze of Curry Weber and with the assistance of some of the most talented session players Memphis has to offer, some chancers from Donegal realised a long held dream of recording at the birthplace of Rock’n’Roll. Standing in the same spot Elvis recorded ‘Hound Dog’ and Johnny recorded ‘Folsom’, Spring Tides added their names to the end of a long list of their musical heroes. With Rick Steff (Lucero) on keys, Krista Wroten Combest (Dead Soldiers, Memphis Dawls) on fiddle and Richard Alan Ford on pedal steel guitar the result is a band finding their own sound somewhere between The Band and The Black Keys.

The release goes lives online on the 31st of October, tour dates include: 3rd Nov @ The 502, Louisville, Ky; 4th Nov @ The 5th Province, Chicago, IL and a launch show 10th Nov, Sandinos, Derry with support from Jordan O’Keefe and The Easy Street Pickings. Further shows to be added for 2018.

https://www.facebook.com/springtidesmusic/

IMRO Other Room Shortlist Announced

Having received more than 1,000 entries to this year’s eir Other Voices Open Call, we’re down to a shortlist of 4 incredible new Irish acts. Now it’s time for you to pick your favourite and make your vote count!

Voting closes at midnight on Friday, November 3rd, 2017.

Click here to vote: http://2fm.rte.ie/2017/10/27/eir-voices-open-call/

The selected artist will travel to Dingle, Kerry, this December to perform at the eir Other Voices Festival, courtesy of eir. Their performance, at the IMRO Other Room recordings, will feature on the RTE TV series in 2018. The successful act will also receive further music-career support from eir including three days in a recording studio with an engineer, the production company and budget to create a music performance video, along with practical music industry mentoring from the eir Other Voices team. eir – making possible great new Irish music.

For more information on eir Other Voices Festival 2017 and to register for the opportunity to access more than 70 free events on the Music Trail at the eir Other Voices Festival see www.othervoices.ie

Col Patterson Shares New Single “Hard To Believe”

Col Patterson’s Journey to recording music wasn’t a straight forward one- The Kildare man suffered a life-changing One Punch attack New Years Night 2001 which brought on many years of Depression and Agoraphobia as reported by Joe.ie – his anxiety was worsening, which resulted in him leaving his job in Dublin and returning to the family home in Kildare. Things deteriorated rapidly for him as he became more anxious and ashamed of leaving the house, culminating in a suicide attempt.

I tried to kill myself at one point when I was at my lowest ebb and could see no future,” Col revealed. “Thankfully, my sister walked in on me and brought me to hospital.

The legacy of that attack is periods of deep depression and ongoing medication for a number of years. It’s been a constant struggle to get back my self-confidence and only for good friends and family, I’d be fecked altogether, I’ve no doubt about it.

I’m trying to slowly build a new life for myself and I’m getting the help I need to do get back the confidence I once had, but I don’t feel like the same guy at all.

I know I’m lucky he didn’t kill me that night, but in a sense, he killed a big part of me with that punch and my life and self-confidence has never been the same again.

I miss the old Col…

In recent years, Col, with the help of his Mc Garvey cousins, was encouraged to jam music again and started writing songs like he did as a teenager, which culminated with the 2015 release “Kicks” under the bandname “The Vinylheads”.

The cousins will never know how much their encouragement and sacrifice in travelling to my house to play music brought me back from deep despair. We found a really top gent and amazing Producer in Martin Quinn who also encouraged us to record without pressure-With “Kicks” the Album, there’s a legacy of songs we can all be proud of!

BBC 6 music picked the title track as their Recommends of the week and there was huge support from RTÉ DJs such as John Creedon, local radio stations like KFM and Shannonside, Edmund McKay in Glasgow on CelticRadio and more! There were rave reviews in Hot Press, on the GoldenPlec Site and Pure M Magazine.

Col decided to record a second Album under his own name in 2017- “Hangover Moon” , under Martin Quinn’s guidance once again! “Martin’s a Star and has worked with Aine Cahill and the Strypes of late to name a few. He knows I’m fragile with my confidence and is a genius at the desk! I wouldn’t record with anybody else“.

Col was humbled to be given 4 Stars by Tony Clayton-Lea of the Irish Times:

Col Patterson blends weighty lyrics and sunburst sounds.“- Tony Clayton-Lea (4/5 Stars):

Col’s influences range from Elbow, The Doors, The Stranglers, Tom Petty to The Beatles, Bowie, Paul Weller and The Killers.

Playing live has been a huge issue for Col as a result of the legacy of that One Punch Attack, but plans are afoot for 2018 to take tentative steps onto the scene. There’s even rumours of a third Album. Watch this space.

@colpmusic -Twitter

https://www.facebook.com/ColPmusic/ -Facebook

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpEK0hBwOlMCInqxM7wxiAg -Youtube

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4NhV3PeZqb82r58jMgmf5g – Spotify

Hendrick Lane Debut ‘Tokyo’

Hendrick Lane is a new Hip Hop duo from Dublin, Ireland. They release their debut single entitled ‘Tokyo’ on 27th October. ‘Tokyo ‘explores long distance relationships merely on the surface but deeply rooted, with the duo conveying a spiritual journey through life. The song undertone highlights their awareness of a higher being, yet materialism in today’s world (Tokyo) constantly leads them astray. They allow themselves to be led, certain that they have not lost their moral compass (“It’s no more than flirting”) searching for a balance between the sacred and profane.

Hendrick Lane are an Irish duo with a laconic style and rockstar prowess on stage. They mix flows and melodies to create a versatile Hip-Hop sound. Hovay and Sevn gained popularity through recording and writing songs in their bedroom. The young duo bring an alternative style of gritty confessional storytelling to the music scene combining Hip Hop, RnB and Pop.

‘Tokyo’ is available on 27 October 2017 on Spotify, ITunes, Apple Music and all other digital outlets for download and stream.

Follow Hendrick Lane on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and SOUNDCLOUD.

 

Declan O’Rourke’s ‘Chronicles Of The Great Irish Famine’ Out Friday

Fifteen years in the making, this epic song cycle combines the best of traditional Irish music and the heart of modern song-writing to present a series of extraordinary true tales from the most dynamic period in Irelands history. Inspired by John O’Connor’s book “The Workhouses of Ireland” O’Rourke wrote ‘Poor Boys Shoes’ the first song of the collection, and recalls, “The hair stood up on my neck when I read the lines: ‘The man who carried his wife from the workhouse to their old home, mile after weary mile, and was discovered next morning dead, his wife’s feet held to his breast as if he was trying to warm them…’ I had stumbled into a chapter of history I knew almost nothing about. I wanted to be a witness, to share these stories the best way I knew how, through music.” Known as the Great Irish Famine, An Gorta Mór was by far the most impactful era in the recorded history of Ireland. The effect on the population was so devastating that seven generations and 170 years later, Irelands population is still far from where it was in the 1840s. The Famine marked the beginning of a boom in Irish immigration resulting in over 80 million across the world claiming Irish heritage today. The album covers hyper-real photo illustration features O’Rourke and band members re-enacting a scene from one historical tale. Following the ambush and shooting of the landlord ‘Manning’ in Co. Westmeath, locals formed a mob, found Manning’s body, hacked the corpse into pieces and threw them into a ditch. In another story from 1849, the 23-year-old captain Curry Shaw abandoned his passengers and made off in the only lifeboat when ‘The Hannah’ struck ice in the frigid waters off Newfoundland. He left them to their fate. In an age where people are still fleeing their homelands en masse, struggling to escape tyranny and poverty, too often in vessels unfit for human transportation, these stories are as relevant as ever and speak to us of our own humanity.  Says O’Rourke, “The songs in this project are an attempt to bring fresh air to an unhealed wound, and to remind the Irish people of what we have overcome.” Nine of the album’s musicians will tour the new compositions across Ireland in December, including Mike McGoldrick, Dermot Byrne, Floriane Blancke, Jack Maher, Chris Herzberger, Catriona Frost, Rob Calder and John Sheahan. The winter of 2017/18 will mark the 170th anniversary of the peak of this most significant series of events. ‘Chronicles of the Great Irish Famine’ will be released in October 2017.

Born in Dublin, now living on the wild windswept west coast of Ireland, O’Rourke spent eight years of his youth in Australia. At 13, a priest in Kyabram gave him his first guitar. His debut album, aptly named “Since Kyabram”, was nominated for three Meteor Awards, including “Best Male Artist”, “Best New Album”, and “Best Folk/Trad Artist”, and achieved double Platinum. In 2016 he released his fifth studio album “In Full Colour”, recorded with a full 50-piece orchestra. A prolific writer and story-teller, his latest song-cycle entitled “Chronicles Of The Great Irish Famine” will be launched in Ireland in November of this year. Glen Hansard calls him “a timeless troubadour with a voice that breaks through all your defences and gets to the heart of the matter”. His songs have been admired by James Taylor and John Sheahan (The Dubliners); by Eddi Reader, John Prine and and Paul Weller. BBC Radio notes, “There is something so simple but overwhelmingly powerful about the melodies and emotive storytelling.

Elements of folk, colored with subtle, finger-picked acoustic guitar and O’Rourke’s warm, enveloping voice.The Wall Street Journal

declanorourke.com

Chris Haze Shares Official Video for ‘Say Goodbye’

The highly anticipated music video for Chris Haze’s new single “Say Goodbye” is out now!

“Say Goodbye” released in September debuted at Number 1 on the Irish Singer Songwriter Chart and at Number 39 on the Official Irish Singles Charts. Making this Haze’s 3rd Irish Chart Position in 12 months and his second Number 1. On top of being the 8th most played song on Irish Radio for release week. The song was also added to some major Spotify playlists all over Scandinavia by Official Spotify Editors.

The song has racked up almost 10K Streams and counting on Spotify since it’s Sept 8th without any major marketing budget or promotional campaign. Haze’s listenership has been up 8,000% on Spotify since “Say Goodbye” was released.

Johnny Rayge & Friends Host Tom Petty Tribute for Peter McVerry Trust

In memory of the late great Tom Petty, The Grand Social hosting a tribute night for fans of Mr. Integrity on Thursday 25th October. Tickets priced €10 plus booking fee are available from www.tickets.ie 

Performing the music of the iconic Mr. Petty will be Johnny Rayge & Friends & Special Guests.

More than just a musician, Tom Petty was also a noted philanthropist, with a heavy focus on tackling homelessness. In keeping with this spirit of charity, all profits from this show will be donated to the Peter McVerry Trust, something we hope would make Mr. Petty proud.

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