Month: December 2019

IMRO welcomed Fontaines D.C. to IMRO HQ today for the presentation of their IMRO Award in recognition of their album ‘Dogrel’ ahead of their sold out Vicar Street dates.

The IMRO Number 1 Award was introduced to acknowledge IMRO members who reach number 1 in the album charts here in Ireland.

Fontaines D.C.’s critically acclaimed debut album ‘Dogrel’ was released in April through Partisan Records and has gone on to be named BBC 6 Music Recommends Album of the Year and Rough Trade’s Album of the Year 2019, as well as reaching No.1 on the Irish Independent Charts.

The band have toured extensively over the last year and a half supporting IDLES on a sold out 30 date US tour and Shame on their last UK tour as well as selling out their own EU and UK headline tours in December 2018, January 2019, April 2019, September 2019, November and December 2019 with many 2020 dates already sold out.

Whilst on tour in the US the band played in session on the legendary The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and also performed in session a second time for long-time supporters KEXP.

Over the last year, Fontaines D.C. have released six critically acclaimed  singles, all of which garnered considerable support both from radio, with the band A-listed at BBC Radio 6 Music for their last single ‘Boys In The Better Land’, and from a vast range of international press, with the band featuring in a number of end of year lists as well as receiving high praise for their debut album from the likes of: Pitchfork, The Guardian, The Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, Q, NME, The FADER, Time Out, DIY, The Line of Best Fit, Loud & Quiet, MOJO, Q, Dork, Clash, Gigwise, So Young, Stereogum, Paste and many more.

https://www.fontainesdc.com/

New girl on the block, Bobbi Arlo has just revealed the video for debut radio smash ‘Berries’ available to watch here.

On the video Arlo says, “It’s been a week since ‘Berries’ dropped and I honestly can’t believe the response it’s getting, It’s insane. Every time I turn on the radio, I hear it playing on a station and I really didn’t expect that level of support. It makes the music video release ten times more exciting. I shot it  with director Bobby Zithelo and producer Louis Maxwell. It was such a fun shoot, I invited a bunch of my friends to Lou’s studio and we just messed around for a few hours and the result was the ‘Berries’ video. A lot of the shots were improvised, and it came out great! The video was edited by my golden girl Niamh Bryson, who did an amazing job. The video really came alive with her touch. I think it’s a  is real representation of how fun the song is. I love the video and I hope my fans do too.”

Bobbi Arlo, born and raised in Dublin, began performing in her teens. In 2018 she unveiled her first track ‘People’ on SoundCloud, closely followed by ‘Bye’, which gained her a very small dedicated fan group. Since then she’s performed on some of the biggest stages in Ireland including the main stage at Longitude 2019, where she showcased her ability to hold and entertain the masses.

Arlo has worked up an impressive CV in her short time in the industry working with some of Ireland’s most loved acts of today including Tebi Rex on their acclaimed album ‘The Young Will Eat The Old’.

Arlo’s mellow, almost hypnotic sounding voice paired with her infectiously catchy lyrics and beats make for a combination it would be impossible not to be entranced by. Her music is nothing short of feel good, feel deeply.

‘Berries’ is out now.

https://www.facebook.com/Bobbi-Arlo-354798451757268/
https://twitter.com/bobzyourunclee
https://www.instagram.com/bobbiarlo_

“I wrote this song on a train from Amsterdam to Cologne, finished it as the train ceased to move, brought it in me to a Chapel in Cologne, sang it for the first time, left the Chapel with a liberated German bible under my arm as a souvenir. Reconciling my act of theft with the thought that it would be a useful reference for a line or two at a later date, and that the greater good must prevail…” – David Keenan.

Young Irish singer-sonneteer David Keenan stokes the flames and turns up the heat ahead of his debut album release early next year, with the release of new single ‘Unholy Ghosts’. The lyric video for the song is a stunning, unfolding animation by London-based Spanish film-maker Alejandra López Martín.

The release of ‘Unholy Ghosts’ rounds off an exciting year for the Dundalk native, which has seen him tour all over Ireland, the UK and Europe with both Hozier and Rodrigo y Gabriela, host a sold-out, five-night residency at the Irish Arts Centre in New York City, sign with Rubyworks and record and ready his eagerly anticipated debut album – ‘A Beginner’s Guide To Bravery’ – which will be released on Friday 10th January. 

David Keenan is spending the days of Advent on tour around Ireland with his live band. Come find him at:

7th December – Ruby Room, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
13th December – Roisin Dubh, Galway
15th December – Dolan’s, Limerick
19th December – Acoustic room at the INEC, Killarney
20th December – Live at St. Luke’s, Cork
22nd & 23rd December – The Spirit Store, Dundalk

2020
11th January – The Empire, Belfast
13th January – The Olympia, Dublin.

Last word to David Keenan: “‘Unholy Ghosts’ is an independent state of its own reckoning that graciously allows me the liberty of hopping the wall from time to time. Once inside I am taken on a tour by a young man, living on the skids by his wits – or lack of – seeking solace amongst the forgotten few who still cling to the ankles of Beauty. Broken but proud, down and out, yet retaining pride and hope, a sense of real desire, ideals and aspirations.”

‘Unholy Ghosts’ is released by Rubyworks on Friday 6th December 2019.

Working as All Is Leaf, Seán Millar releases ‘December Man’, a Christmas song featuring lush orchestral arrangements and produced and arranged by Daragh O’ Toole (known for his filmscores and string arrangements for U2, and many others).

The song has already won support from RTÉ Radio 1’s Fiachna O Braonáin and tweets of praise from fellow musicians such as Steve Wickham. 

“‘December Man’ is a Christmas movie in a song, about deciding to hope when there is none. In it a man gets dressed on Christmas eve. As he dresses in his red suit and red hat, he lets slip little details about his year. There is a twist in the tale, and maybe this man is a man we’ve all heard of – but don’t believe in anymore.Maybe he has forgotten how to believe in himself. His only truth is this: “there’s no bad children, there’s just hard times” says Seán.

The production mirrors the story, starting out like a Dylan song and ending like a hollywood ‘big movie magic’ scene.

“My reference point for Daragh was the flying scene in ET. I really wanted it to feel bleak at the start and magical at the end so the listeners travel emotionally with the narrator from despair to Courage and strength. I wrote this uplifting song at one of the lowest points of my life. I needed to believe in something, so I made something – a song about believing. I intend to release it for the month of December, every year from now on. As my ‘thank you’ to the universe.”

December Man, from All is leaf available for download this December 6th.

https://seanmillar.bandcamp.com/track/all-is-leaf-song-1-december-man

Available on all the usual platforms.
https://www.facebook.com/allisleaf/ https://www.facebook.com/sean.millar.946
https://twitter.com/seanmillardub

Following the release of the critically acclaimed single ‘All In All’ and in the midst of their ongoing tour, Hermitage Green is happy to announce the release of ‘By The Glow Of The Kerosene Light’, a festive treat for their fans.

Originally written by Canadian folk singer Wince Coles, and made more famous by Canadian outfit The Once, ‘By The Glow of the Kerosene Light’ is a song that Hermitage Green have covered in their live sets throughout their career, but have now finally got around to releasing it.

Barry from Hermitage Green says of the track…

“We first heard this song in Vancouver in 2014 on St Patrick’s day which as everyone knows is always a wild, loud and chaotic day all over the world and this was no different. The pubs were overflowing onto the streets with people celebrating all things Irish and we remember ducking out of the madness into the Rio Theatre on Grant Street , we stood at the back of the room where a band called the once were mid set. They were introducing a song called ‘By The Glow Of The Kerosene Light’. The song washed over us like a wave. It was as if you were watching the story of someone’s entire life unfolding in front of your eyes. Ever since that moment we have always loved playing and singing those words. We decided to play it in the crowd one night at a gig in Connolly’s of Leap and it was pretty clear from that moment it was going to be a special song for us and the people who came to our gigs. Every single night since then that we have sang it, something has happened. We have experienced every emotion from happiness to sadness, rousing cheers to hilarious laughter. Each one special and unique in its own way. When we went to record the song we knew capturing some of the magic that we had with our audiences and our producer Phil was aware of its delicacy from the start. He took a demo Barry had recorded in our studio one night alone and put it through a filter that created an airy drone which is basically like a bed of ambience that swirls around throughout the recording and is most prominent in the last verse when all vocals and instruments drop out. This was a wonderful piece of engineering that created the most perfect atmosphere in the studio. The essence of the song is in the words and we hope we do it justice and listeners will enjoy hearing us sing tell the story as much as we did when we first heard it.”

Hermitage Green has been touring sold-out shows right across the globe, entertaining fans with their epic performance and irresistible stage presence throughout the Middle East, Australia, North America, United Kingdom and Ireland. Selling out iconic music venues, most recently selling out The Olympia Theatre in Dublin, and five shows in four days at St Luke’s In Cork, and performing for thousands of people at some of the biggest festivals, this five piece folk-rock band has had the chance to share the stage with incredible artists such as Lewis Capaldi, Bastille, Two Door Cinema Club, Tom Odell, Gavin James, Sigrid, The Trews and others. Their latest EP, ‘Gold & Rust’, was produced by Grammy award winner Matt Lawrence (Adele, Amy Winehouse, Mumford & Sons) in the world renowned Rockfield Studios in Wales where Hermitage Green’s new recordings share company with the likes of Queen, Robert Plant and many others.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

Dec 6th – Cork, IE – Live at St. Luke’s – SOLD OUT
Dec 7th – Cork, IE – Live at St. Luke’s – SOLD OUT
Dec 8th – Cork, IE – Live at St. Luke’s – SOLD OUT
Dec 14th – Galway, IE – Blackbox
Dec 20th – Belfast, IE – Limelight 2
Dec 21st – Warrenpoint, IE – Duke Street
Dec 22nd – Donegal, IE – Abbey Hotel
Dec 27th – Killarney, IE – INEC
Dec 28th – Waterford, IE – Factory
Dec 29th – Kilkenny, IE – Langtons
Jan 03rd – Ennis, IE – Glor
Jan 10th – Thurles, IE – The Source Arts Centre
Jan 11th – Mayo, IE – The Royal Theatre
Jan 17th – Wexford, IE – National Opera House
Feb 5th – Glasgow, UK – St. Luke’s
Feb 6th – Manchester, UK – Nights People
Feb 7th – Cardiff, UK – The Globe
Feb 8th – Birmingham, UK – Hare and Hounds

https://www.hermitagegreen.com
https://www.facebook.com/hermitagegreen https://www.instagram.com/hermitagegreen/
https://twitter.com/hermitagegreen
http://bit.ly/HG-Spotifymain

Sea Sessions Surf & Music Festival have revealed their heavy hitting headliners for 2020.

Versatile, Gavin James and Sigrid are set to top the bill at Sea Sessions Surf & Music Festival on the 19 – 21 June 2020. Over the jam packed weekend they will be joined by Eats Everything, Inhaler, KNEECAP, Ziggy Alberts, Lyra, Thumper, Joel Corry, Mark Blair, The Revenge and Koko with many many more acts to be announced.

Versatile are now firmly established as Irelands number 1 Rap Act. They’ve sold out the 13,000 Capacity 3 Arena and they’re touring the UK with the likes of Snoop Dogg. Their dynamic high energy live shows are unmissable. Needing little introduction, festival favourite Gavin James is set to return to Bundoran this summer after a busy worldwide touring schedule. Gavin is currently one of the biggest acts in the country and his sets have always gone down a storm at the festival.  Last but certainly not least, the trio of headliners is completed with Norwegian superstar Sigrid. Known for her incredible live performances filled with hits such as ‘Strangers’ and ‘Don’t Feel Like Crying’, her performance is sure to be one of the highlights of the weekend. 

Festival Director Ray O’Donoghue says, “We’ve sold out Sea Sessionsevery year for the past 6 years, and this year promises to be no different. We really think this is the strongest lineup yet. All 3 headline acts sell out the 3 Arena, that’s nearly 40,000 fans. We’ve some new surprises this year too, with a new area and lots more Skateboarding and Sports activity. We know it’s not even Christmas but we just can’t wait until the summer.” 

Early Bird tickets have been snapped up by Sea Sessions Surf & Music Festival fans and are now sold out. Day and Weekend tickets are on sale this Friday from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide and on www.ticketmaster.ie. Tickets are priced from €119.90 for 3 days and €149.90 to include 4 nights camping. There are also limited single day tickets available from €59.90. Check out www.seasessions.com for more details.

From humble beginnings in 2008, Sea Sessions Surf & Music Festival has grown into one of Ireland’s top music festivals and the only festival in Ireland to truly embrace the Surfing lifestyle. The Festival has hosted some of the biggest artists in the world including Dizzee Rascal, Paul Weller, Clean Bandit, Dermot Kennedy, Tinie Tempah and loads more. It’s also the only festival in the country to bring together Music, Surfing, Skateboarding, BMX, Graffiti and much much more. 

Sea Sessions Surf & Music Festival has sold out in advance every year for the past 6 years. Winner of IMRO Festival of the Year at the 2017 IMRO Awards alongside picking up a gong for Festival of the Year at the “Excellence in local Government Awards”, the festival sees the entire town of Bundoran come to life over a weekend in June. With camping, Glamping and not to mention the dramatic coastline it’s known as one of the highlights of the entire Wild Atlantic Way!

Sea Sessions Surf & Music Festival
19 – 21 June 2020
www.ticketmaster.ie and Ticketmaster Outlets Nationwide.

www.seasessions.com

Delorentos re-release their Christmas EP, ‘Be Here Christmas Time’, to celebrate the end of another momentous year!

The ‘Be Here Christmas Time’ EP comprises an original and two resolutely seasonal cover versions and all profits will be donated to Focus Ireland.

1. ‘Be Here Christmas Time‘ – an original Delorentos tune, described by the band as a “lullaby for grownups“. It celebrates the simple act of sharing time with a loved one – not the obligatory family mash-up but time with your best pal, who gets you and accepts you and who you can chat with into the early hours, or sit with happily in complete silence. Christmas can be difficult for many of us and, with its celebration becoming more and more contorted, this song tries to capture its most special element: the opportunity, in mid-winter, to down tools and be with those you love.

2. ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)‘ –a version of the classic Phil Spector-produced tune – originally sung by Darlene Love and released on the 1963 Christmas album “A Christmas Gift For You From Phillies Records”. Recorded by Gavin Blake for Today FM.

3. ‘Winter Song‘ – a version of what has rapidly become regarded as a classic Christmas tune, originally released by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson in 2008 and a minor hit in their native Canada.

The quartet round off 2019 with a set of Irish tour dates, celebrating the 10^th anniversary of the release of ‘S.E.C.R.E.T.’. These are…

December 18^th – Cyprus Avenue, Cork
December 19^th – Dolan’s Warehouse, Limerick
December 20^th – Roisín Dubh, Galway
December 23^rd – Whelan’s, Dublin

All profits from the sale of the EP will be donated to Focus Ireland.

Track Dogs have released a video for their track “All Clapped Out”, which features the band singing acapela with only hand claps for accompaniment.  The lyrics of the song aim to draw attention to the issue of the homeless, the vulnerable and marginalised in society, particularly during the months of December and January.

“No one should have to sleep in the street, under a bridge, without a roof, without a home.”

The band hope to spread a message of kindness with the hashtags #homelessness #isnotachoice #bekind

Track Dogs have been barnstorming the UK in 2019 with some major festival appearances and collaborations. It has been a pivotal year including playing to a heaving, rocking Trafalgar Square and surprise on-stage participation of Show of Hands’ Steve Knightley and Seth Lakeman at Shrewsbury Folk Festival. Well-established in Spain where they are based, they are surprising UK music lovers with “Sun-shiny songs thriving on dark themes behind irresistible rhythms.”

“All Clapped Out” is available from Dec 6th with the pre-sale of Fire on The Rails, the band’s 8th album, due for release on January 24th.

Robb Murphy releases ‘Pale White’ for the holiday season.

‘Pale White’ is a Christmas song that sings of how we come together each year for the holiday season, putting aside differences and making an effort to see friends and family.  It is also a time for reflection and fond memories of those who are sadly no longer with us. “Cause we go all the way, and in the cracks we find we can go some more,” even in tough times there is always hope.  Just when you think you have been pushed to the limit we find there is always room to grow a little more.

Accompanying the song will be a video, filmed and directed by Firefly Films.

 ‘Pale White’ will be available on Bandcamp, iTunes, iTunes Music Player, Google Play Music, Amazon and other online music stores from the 6^th of December 2019.

LIVE DATES
Thursday 5^th of December – Christmas with Robb Murphy – Accidental Theatre, Belfast
Friday 13^th of December – Seeds of the Earth, Sunflower Bar – Belfast

Robb Murphy Official Website: http://www.robbmurphy.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/55dbjYHxlUUwKAmzlg8yyY
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RobbMurphy
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/robbmurphy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRobbMurphy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRobbMurphy 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therobbmurphy/
Bandcamp: https://robbmurphy.bandcamp.com/

KC VIK release their new single ‘The Boss’ on 6th December.

While their freshman offering, ‘The Gambler’s Partner’, was enthrallingly raw, with only acoustic guitar and cello blending with Kaitlin’s solo vocal to create a haunting and intimate alt-folk sound, what’s next shows a development towards something even more dynamic and potent. With the invaluable help of engineer Alex Borwick, their sophomore release dials the KC VIK sound up a notch, by way of added harmonic layers and percussive drive from the inimitable bodhran player, Conor Lyons (of The Bonnymen). 

Unflinching from its explosive introduction, ‘The Boss’ is an unapologetic, if at times tongue in cheek, commentary on labour exploitation. The song follows the experience of the kind of self-serving power which uses and abuses earnest ambition to profit off the backs of its workers. The rhythmic drive (created by the drum and cello baseline) embodies a relentless and perpetual ‘treadmill’ like pattern, while the powerful cascading guitar finger-picking and echoing riffs between the guitar and cello express steps taken forward and backward again; a journey leading nowhere, never culminating in the achievement of a goal. 

Overall, ‘The Boss’ is a rousing anthem that will simultaneously inspire listeners to get dancing and stick it to the man.

‘The Boss’ will be released on all major streaming and download platforms on Friday December 6. Details of the launch party will be announced in the near future. You can find the band on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter using @kcvikduo, or else on Spotify, imusic and YouTube as KC VIK.