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Month: February 2019

Bairbre Anne Releases ’27’

 ‘27’ is to be the first single released off Bairbre Anne’s debut album ‘I wanted to do it right, but there’s no such thing’. The album was recorded in Black Dog Studios, London in 2016 with producer Sean Genockey. Working with Genockey and musician John Hogg (The Magpie Salute), the three wrote, recorded and completed the album in a matter of two weeks.

The album features top class musicians alongside both Genockey and Hogg, such as Paul Brady, Jesse Wood (Reef) and Melvin Duffy (First Aid Kit). Wandering in and out of genres, ‘I wanted to do it right…’ is an album full of attitude, soul and heart-break. Having recorded her two previous EP’s ‘Arrows’ (2014) and ‘Sparks’ (2015), with the same team, she is extremely excited to finally release her debut into the world.

With the time lapse in-between the recording of this album and deciding to release it, Anne moved to the other side of the world, living in the creative hub of Melbourne, Australia. Having taken time out of the music industry to travel, she is now back in Ireland and ready to make the release happen.

Music Cork Returns To Leeside For Third Year of International Music Industry Debate

IMRO sponsored Music Cork returns to Leeside for its third year this May 1 -3 bringing another impressive programme featuring music industry professionals, informative discussion panels and great live music throughout Cork city. Previous years have yielded some long-standing industry partnerships and working relationships, fostered in an informal and enlightening environment.

Delegates to Music Cork 2019 will have the opportunity to meet and network with music industry figures from Ireland and abroad, hear about and discuss industry trends and innovations, benefit from years of experience from myriad areas of the business while enjoying a relaxed three days around the vibrant streets of Cork city.

Among the speakers announced so far for May’s three-day event are Lucy Dickins, an agent at ITB (Mumford & Sons, Adele, James Blake), James Whitting, an agent at Coda, (Imagine Dragons, Ellie Goulding, Robyn & Maggie Rogers), Sarah Desmond, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Partnerships at Universal Music Group, Cesar Andion, PR & Talent at Live Nation Spain and Catherine Grieves, a Music Supervisor who has worked on shows for HBO, Channel 4 and Netflix. Also confirmed for Music Cork 2019 are Danny O’Reilly (The Coronas), Emma Zillman (Booker Kendall Calling & Blue Dot festivals), Zach Hyde (Agent UTA LA), Lisa Lester (Lawyer LA), Mark Gordon (Score Draw Music), Louize Carroll (Composer / The Blizzards), Joe Dougan (Promoter Shine Belfast), Brian Hetherman (Curve Music / Cerberus Consulting Canada).

Complimenting the discussion and debate will be a large showcase gig at the newly revamped Cyprus Avenue on Wednesday May 1 and a carefully curated music trail on Thursday May 2 featuring some of the best breaking Irish music. Early Bird delegate passes are now available from www.musiccork.com and for the special price of €109, ensure that the delegate has:

▪ A place on the Networking Pub Crawls where speakers and delegates mix (Wednesday)
▪ Access to the Opening Night Showcase and private Delegates and Speakers Lounge (Wednesday)
▪ Access to all panels, discussions and keynotes (Thursday) (All day tea & coffee plus a buffet lunch)
▪ Guaranteed access to all of Thursday Night Showcase gigs
▪ Access to the After Party (Thursday)
▪ Access to the Bacon & Bloody Mary Networking Brunch (Friday)

Music Cork 2019 again returns to The Clayton Hotel as the hub of the three-day symposium, with the city centre hotel offering easy access to the rest of the programmed events throughout the city. Shane Dunne, one of the Music Cork organisers, said: “We are delighted to be able to do this again in Cork. The feedback over the last few years from the delegates and showcasing acts has been hugely positive, people are seeing a real benefit out of coming to Music Cork. We have to thank our sponsors, without whom we wouldn’t be able to run Music Cork so affordably and offering so much over the three days for attendees.”

www.musiccork.com


Screaming Orphans Announce Single, Album and Tour Details

Celtic pop-rock band the Screaming Orphans release their cover of The Turtles’ 1967 classic pop hit ‘Happy Together’ on 15th March 2019. This is the first single to be taken from their upcoming album ‘Life In A Carnival’, released worldwide on Good Deeds Music on 15th March. The band will launch the album in the historic Proctor’s Theater outside Albany, New York on 16th March.

The Screaming Orphans are the four Diver sisters – Joan, Angela, Gráinne and Marie Thérèse – hailing from Bundoran in Donegal. From an early age the Diver sisters performed with their mother Kathleen Fitzgerald, a well-known céilí singer, playing shows in Ireland, England and Germany. When the band hit their teenage years, they formed The Screaming Orphans. In 1997 The Orphans received their big break when Sinead O’Connor asked them to be her opening act and sing with her on her Gospel Oak tour, which lead to gigs in Europe, America and Canada and appearances on the David Letterman show amongst numerous others. In the intervening years the band have topped the iTunes World Music Charts, recorded with The Chieftains and Peter Gabriel, and toured all over the world.

The Screaming Orphans have an eclectic range of influences; from an obvious passion for Irish traditional and céilí music, through to girl-pop such as The Bangles, and classic folk-rock like Simon and Garfunkel. They pull these disparate elements together to create melody driven songs with an infectious vocal hook. ‘Happy Together’ was a natural cover choice and has been part of the band’s live repertoire for years.

‘Life In A Carnival’ will be the Screaming Orphan’s fourteenth release and they have built up a solid and devoted fanbase in Ireland and the US, both of which they consider home. In fact their fans are so loyal that fifty American fans are travelling with The Screaming Orphans on tour in Ireland in April! This is the sixth time The Screaming Orphans have taken fans on the road with them, in what they call ‘The Cultural Fan Tour’. 

This year The Cultural Fan Tour will take place from April 4th to April 15th and gigs confirmed so far include The Sanctuary in Ennis, The Castle in Westport, The Allingham Arms in Bundoran and Whelans in Dublin. The band travel with their fans, take them sightseeing and have dinner with them, as well as introduce them to other Irish musicians along the way. Fans come from all over the US and from all walks of life. In the past this has included ER doctors, farmers, actors, cops, district attorneys and housewives from Oregon, California, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and North Dakota. 

As one can imagine The Cultural Fan Tour has led to some fairly unique situations! The 2017 tour had a couple who now have a baby boy nicknamed ‘Ireland’ as he was their Irish gift. A newlywed couple took the tour as their honeymoon. The band’s current logo was the product of the 2013 tour as Brian Karas, a graphic designer, was one of the fans along that time and he created the logo for the sisters. The band love the opportunity to interact with and get to know their fans, and the fans love the exclusive access to the band, so the Tour is a highlight for everyone who takes part.

Catch Screaming Orphans while they’re in Ireland;

Friday 5th April                     The Sanctuary, Cruises, Abbey Street, Ennis. Co Clare
Sunday 7th April                   The Castle Late Night Venue, Castlebar St, Westport, Co Mayo
Monday 8th April                  Allingham Hotel Bundoran, Co. Donegal
Sunday 14th April                Whelans, Dublin

www.screamingorphans.com 


Paul Noonan Announces ‘Beauitful Phones’

Paul Noonan announces a new track ‘Beautiful Phones’, which is available across digital platforms today.

Produced by the Gloaming’s Thomas Bartlett, it was recorded between Dublin and New York as part of an ongoing collaboration.  In a grimly modern take on “the dog ate my homework”, Paul’s laptop was stolen in London recently and a lot of music was lost to the bad guys. He is now backing that sh*t up…

Paul says of the song –

“While it’s not an overtly political song, it was triggered by an early pearl of wisdom from Donald Trump’s White House adventure, in which he gushed that the West Wing had some “beautiful phones”.

Toward the end of last year Paul released ‘Moth To Your Flame’ and before that the Side 4 Collective released ‘The Flood’, a song penned by Paul. Also last year, he teamed up with Daithi on the atmospheric ‘Jesus, Take The Wheel’.  One of Ireland’s most respected songwriters, Paul has also released music under the Printer Clips handle as well as curating shows such as Starboard Home and the Imagining Ireland series at the NCH.

Dervish Announce New Album ‘The Great Irish Songbook’

Beloved Irish folk group Dervish enlisted a remarkable array of guest vocalists and musicians for their new album ‘The Great Irish Songbook’, including acclaimed Welsh singer-songwriter David Gray. The album, which will be released on April 12, was produced by Graham Henderson (Sinéad O’Connor). 

Gray’s stark, contemplative interpretation of ‘The West Coast of Clare’ powerfully conveys the longing and heartbreak of a lost love. The song, written by Andy Irvine, was first recorded by legendary folk quartet Planxty (of which Irvine was a founding member, along with Dónal Lunny, Christy Moore, and Liam O’Flynn) and is regarded as a modern classic of the Irish traditional music canon. The track is available today via all digital service providers. The album is available for pre-order. 

Over the last three decades, Dervish has been acknowledged as one of the world’s most renowned and imaginative interpreters of Irish folk music. ‘The Great Irish Songbook’ is their first studio album in more than a decade and features guest appearances by over a dozen luminaries across an eclectic range of genres. 

Dervish will be on tour in the US throughout March. In the coming weeks, Dervish will announce full details of ‘The Great Irish Songbook Live’, a show that will begin touring internationally in late 2019 and will feature guests from the album.

Dervish ‘The Great Irish Songbook’ track listing: 

1. The Rambling Irishman (featuring Cathy Jordan)
2. There’s Whiskey in the Jar (featuring The SteelDrivers)
3. Molly Malone (featuring Imelda May)
4. The Galway Shawl (featuring Steve Earle)
5. She Moved Through The Fair (featuring Andrea Corr)
6. The Rocky Road to Dublin (featuring Brendan Gleeson)
7. Down by the Sally Gardens (featuring Kate Rusby)
8. On Raglan Road (featuring Vince Gill)
9. Dónal Óg (featuring Cathy Jordan)
10. The Fields of Athenry (featuring Jamey Johnson)
11. The May Morning Dew (featuring Rhiannon Giddens)
12. The West Coast of Clare (featuring David Gray)
13. The Parting Glass (featuring Abigail Washburn)

Molly Sterling Shares ‘Feeble’

Molly Sterling has just released her new single and debut video ‘Feeble’.

Made in collaboration with critically acclaimed videographer DOCK Visual .

Directed, filmed and edited by DOCK (www.dockvisual.com).

Track produced by Ryan Vail, mixed and recorded by Caolan Austin in Small Town America Studio, Derry. Mastered by Robin Schmidt.

Molly Sterling (20) a young Dublin-based artist that has been steadily creating a firm place for herself within the Irish music scene, being recognised for her tumultuous lyrics, distinctive vocals, dark and brooding arrangements, as well as being remembered for her stand-out live performances.

A wordsmith and songwriter by nature, her third single release follows in the footsteps of her previously released heavily personal tracks ‘Plain Static’ and ‘Stripped Down’. 

Sterling has appeared at the likes of Hard Working Class Heroes, Other Voices (Dingle), Output Festival, First Fortnight, Forbidden Fruit and Sea Sessions, to name but a few. Being a memorable live performer, it wasn’t long until she was approached by MCD to work together towards her debut headline show. Taking place March 22nd, in Whelans (Upstairs), it came as no surprise that it has already SOLD OUT.

2019 is set to be a huge year for Molly Sterling, with plans already underway for her forthcoming debut EP release.

UPCOMING LIVE APPEARANCES

Feb 22 – ConsentFest, The Grand Social
Feb 26 – Tamino (support slot), The Sugar Club (Aiken)
Mar 22 – Molly Sterling (Headline show MCD), Whelans (SOLD OUT)
01 June –
K-FestF

Plus more to be announced…

MOLLY STERLING ON : Facebook | Twitter Instagram

Mind YourSelf: Mental Health and Music

Date: 25.05.2019
Location: The Tara Building, 11-15 Tara Street, Dublin 2
DOORS: 3:30 PM / 6:30 PM

TICKETS: €5 – €10* @ www.weareselfmade.io

Workshop . Panel Discussion . Live Performance . Art . Zines

On Saturday May 25th, SelfMade will run a two-part event, sponsored by IMRO, looking at mental health in the Irish music scene and in particular the challenges affecting developing musicians in their professional and personal lives. There has been a huge step-up in the level of conversation on mental health in recent years and we’re proud to use our next event to encourage conversation, break the stigma, and facilitate a route to a healthier music industry.

Featuring: Maria Kelly, Paddy Hanna, Caoimhe Barry (Wyvern Lingo), Michael Pope (Le Galaxie)

Panel Hosted by Louise Bruton & Workshop led by Aoife Ruth

4pmAfternoon Workshop: Working with Your Inner Critic
The two-part event will start with an interactive workshop focusing on how musicians can work with their inner critic – the internal voice that can often hold us back, tell us we’re not good enough, or make us anxious about putting ourselves out there. Instead of silencing or fighting off the inner critic, this workshop will seek to get to know it by exploring the origins of self-criticism and how it impacts musicians and creatives in their life and work. The workshop will be led by psychotherapist, musician, researcher and BIMM lecturer, Aoife Ruth, in collaboration with Wyvern Lingo’s Caoimhe Barry.

7pm – Evening Session: Mind YourSelf Panel and Performances
Our evening panel features a line-up of Irish artists who have all used their creative work and social platforms to highlight career-related mental health and anxiety, and have been open about the more challenging and hands-on aspects of developing a music career. The Mind YourSelf panel will look at the factors affecting the mental health of artists and how these manifest, as well as the importance of open discussion and self-care, access to support (as well as ways artists can support each other), and the need for positive cultural and industry change. Discussion and Q&A will be led by music journalist and activist, Louise Bruton, and the panel will be opened and closed with live performances.

Performance Times TBC

SelfMade is a platform to explore the unseen sides of a music career through discussion, performance, art and zines. With a strong focus on women in music, our goal is to celebrate the work of DIY musicians and to create a supportive space to explore the realities of getting a music project or career off the ground. SelfMade is organised independently by artist, Joanna Bain, and musician/label co-founder Julie Hawk (HAVVK) in collaboration with a collective of Irish musicians. Sponsored by: IMRO

The Gloaming Release New Album Today

The Gloaming are delighted to announce that our new studio album ‘The Gloaming 3’  will be released on 22 February 2019. Produced by Thomas Bartlett, it was recorded last autumn in New York at Reservoir Studios. 

The author Colm Tóibín has generously shared  some thoughts which we’ve included below along with cover art which we are grateful to say has once again been provided by the artists Shana & Robert Parke Harrison. 

The band look forward to performing this new music in some beautiful venues  beginning next month.  A full list of dates is below.  Please note that from 2020 the band will be taking a break.

The Gloaming play The National Concert Hall on March 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 9,th 10th, & 11th.

The Gloaming (3)

What you notice first in the work of ‘The Gloaming’ is the energy that comes from the clash and then the connection between tradition and innovation, between following contours that have been inherited and then creating a new tonal realm for that very inheritance. The music is nourished by diversity and range, it is open to the world, but it is also rooted in Ireland; it comes from a close study and deep knowledge of a tradition strong enough to be played with and enriched.

In the music of ‘The Gloaming’, there is also a tension between complexity in studio work and arrangement and a sort of simplicity and directness in the way the music hits the listener’s nervous system. In the playing of Martin Hayes and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh there is always a melancholy undertone which becomes more forceful as the music lifts and entertains the possibility of joy, paying attention to the rhythm and the melodic line while offering homage to high and hard-won emotion. 

Iarla Ó Lionáird’s voice has a force that is both haunting and tender. In the versions here of poems ranging from a lament by the seventeenth century poet Eoghan Ruadh Mhac an Bhaird to work by twentieth century poets such as Seán Ó Riordáin and Liam Ó Muirthile, Ó Lionáird has a lovely way of lingering on a note, taking his time on a phrase, varying the way he approaches a line ending. The stark power of his singing is tempered by sheer musical intelligence that is matched by the playing of Dennis Cahill and Thomas Bartlett. (Bartlett’s restrained and inspired playing on ‘The Pink House’ is masterly.)

When you listen to a track like ‘Doctor O’Neill’ on this album, what emerges is the brilliant intuition and unique tact of the band. Listen to Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh as solo player on a hardanger d’amore on the opening of this track being slowly joined by other instruments. The aim is control and subtlety, the maintenance of a single emotion, and then the release of a soaring energy. The ensemble offers a dynamic play between the instruments that, like so much of the music on this album, creates a rare and exhilarating kind of beauty. 

Colm Tóibín

Stockton’s Wing Announce Single and ‘Retrospective’ Tour

Stockton’s Wing present their new single ‘We Had It All’ on 7th March, marking their first new music in over twenty years.  ‘A Retrospective’ tour follows in April & May.  All proceeds from the single go to MS Ireland, as frontman Mike Hanrahan explains, “Two of my close musician friends, Mark Gilligan and Niall O Callanáin have been living with MS for a number of years. Their courage and determination to adjust their lives through sheer positive thinking is inspirational. We are delighted to be involved and urge everyone to download the single, all proceeds will go directly to MS Ireland who provide such a high level of support and care for thousands living with the condition”.

Ava Battles CEO of MS Ireland “Everyone at MS Ireland is delighted that Stockton Wing have reunited and are launching their single ‘We Had it all’ in aid of MS Ireland. All proceeds from the sale of the single will go directly towards the provision of services provided by MS Ireland to the 9,000 people living with MS in Ireland. We are greatly appreciative of their fantastic support and generosity”. 

The single is supported by their ‘A Retrospective’ tour – tickets are on sale now for their concerts in Dublin, Cork and Ennis on 18th, 19th and 21st April and 3rd May in Ratoath.  ‘A Retrospective’ tells the story of Stocktons Wing through music, songs and stories and their vast music catalogue spanning 4 decades – from the early recordings of ‘Take a chance’ to the innovative and critically acclaimed ‘Light in the Western Sky’, the excitement of a big band sound on ‘Full flight’ and ‘Stockton’s Wing Live’ and the engaging and stunning return to basics on ‘The Crooked Rose’. 

Stocktons Wing is made up of a collective of musicians who have stepped in and out over the years, all adding their own sounds to the band.  This tour will feature special guests and regulars including Tara Breen, Karol Lynch, Tommy Hayes, Paul Roche, Mike Hanrahan and Paul McSherry. During their 40-year career, Stocktons Wing recorded and performed with Ronnie Drew, The Dubliners, Sammy Davis Junior, Maura O Connell, Val Doonican, Sharon Shannon, Moxie, Sean McGuire, Finbar Furey and The Clancy Brothers, played at both Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’ shows in Ireland and appeared in Oscar nominated movie The Field featuring John Hurt and Richard Harris.

‘A Retrospective’ Tour covers 40+ years of music and highlights – overview:

1978       First album ‘Stockton’s Wing’ released

1980       ‘Take A chance’ featuring Mike Hanrahan and Maura O’ Connell duet.

1982       ‘Light in the Western Sky’ – a highly polished album which represented a significant shift in their musical direction, focusing more on the band’s creative original material. The album featured two hit singles, written by Mike Hanrahan – ‘Beautiful Affair’ and ‘Walk Away’.  The album, produced by PJ Curtis, is regarded by many as one of the great innovative recordings in Irish music.

Several TV appearances with Val Doonican on BBC.

‘Beautiful Affair’ enters the British charts.

Intensive touring throughout Britain including all major Folk festivals

1985       Live album ‘Stockton’s Wing Live-Take One’ produced by Bill Whelan. Reviewed by The New York Times “they were eclectic, electric, passionate, personal, innovative and powerful.”  Tours of America, Canada, Europe and Australia.

1986       ‘Full Flight’ featuring hit singles ‘Why Wait Until Tomorrow’, ‘Avondale’, ‘New Clare Revival’ and ‘So many Miles’. 

1986       Hit single ‘Avondale’ released in America where the group continued to headline major festivals.

1987       ‘Celtic Roots Revival’ album produced by Steve Cooney received critical acclaim.

Recorded two tracks with The Dubliners.

1988       Played before Michael Jackson at both ‘Thriller’ gigs in Pairc Ui Chaoimh Cork.

1989       Guest appearance performing with Sammy Davis Jnr. in Dublin’s Lansdowne Road as part of his world tour with Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli.

1990       Stockton’s Wing on location in Connemara for the Noel Pearson/Jim Sheridan film production of the John B. Keane play ‘The Field’ which featured Oscar nominee Richard Harris and John Hurt.

1992       ‘The Crooked Rose’ produced by Bill Whelan shows a return to the acoustic sound of previous releases.

1993       On tour with Finbar Furey

1995       ‘Beautiful Affair’ voted into the Top 75 Songs in the history of RTE Radio.

‘Beautiful Affair’ voted number 7 in all time Irish songs Poll by Today FM listeners.

2003       Stockton’s Wing held their first reunion concert in their hometown of Ennis, Co. Clare, which was a huge success with over 1200 people packed into the West County Hotel.

2017       Awarded a Civic reception by Clare County Council for contribution to Music and to Clare throughout the world.

2018       40-year celebration Tour – the band performed a number of key festivals to mark forty years of their music.

2019       Stockton’s Wing ‘A Retrospective’ tour in April & May with new single ‘We had it all’

‘A RETROSPECTIVE’ TOUR:

Thurs 18 April Áras Chrónáin Ionad Cultúir, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
Doors 8pm / show 8.30pm. Info: 01-4574847 or gig@nullaraschronain.ie. Tickets: €15 araschronain.ie 

Fri. 19 April Triskel Christchurch, Tobin St, Cork
Doors 7.30pm / Show 8pm. Box office 021 427 2022. Tickets €27 triskelartscentre.ie

Sun. 21 April Treacy’s West County Hotel, Ennis, Co Clare

Doors 7.15pm / Support: Fiddle Case 8pm. Stockton’s Wing on stage 8.45pm. Bookings 065 686 9600
Tickets €25 + booking fee in advance / €30 on the door on the night treacyswestcounty.com

Fri. 3rd May The Venue Theatre, Ratoath, Co Meath

Doors 7.45pm / show 8pm. Tickets €25 + €2 booking fee online. Box office 01 689 5600 venuetheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873602825

facebook.com/stocktonswingmusic
mikehanrahan.com
twitter.com/stocktonswing1

V98 Share Video for ‘Dublin’

Introducing ‘Dublin’ the debut single from emerging Irish Indie Rockers V98 (Formally Velcro98)

The first cut from their forthcoming debut EP perfectly embodies the high energy of their much lauded live shows.

Charismatic front-man Darragh Geoghan’s impassioned vocal sets a yearning tone on a bed of hook laden guitars that climax to a foot-stomping burst of vocal harmonies. 

V98’s ‘Dublin’ encompasses all the ingredients for an indie pop-rock classic, paired with a video featuring some iconic Dublin locations.

“The aim for ‘Dublin’ was to take traditional lyrical themes of love and loss – which can be voiced in quite a disembodied way in a lot of songs – and tether them to a very real location: the city which we have all lived in, left, and returned to at some time or another in our lives. At the same time there’s a kind of knowing wink to the often kitschy idea of “Irishness” in this song.

 Folk music references, Dublin bus routes, a Celtic sounding breakdown and, crucially, like most Irish love stories, it begins in the back of a pub.”  

The Video for V98’s ‘Dublin’ was directed by Dave Fox, filmed by Tom Simington and stars Mark Griffin and Karen Killeen.

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Photo: Molly Keane

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