Month: March 2020

Combining an all-star team of Irish talent, award-winning double-platinum selling artist Mick Flannery has collaborated with director Sinéad McDevitt and actor Steve Wall, to produce a new video for ‘Wasteland’, a stand-out track from Flannery’s #1 album released last year.

The arresting black and white video speaks straight to that universal struggle between outer and inner self. Inner voice calling out for attention. Outer – shoving it away https://linktr.ee/WastelandVideo

Commenting on the release of the film today, Mick says: “Here is some new content in strange times. Hopefully you are coping with the challenges, mentally and otherwise. I’d like to thank all involved in the making of this video, especially to Sinéad McDevitt who directed, and Steve Wall who starred. I think they did a great job, I’m happy this is being released. All the best.”

A master of nuanced micro-expression with an incredible dexterity of emotional range, Steve Wall stars in the lead role for the film.

Steve is no stranger to our eyes and ears – an Irish musician and actor, lead singer and songwriter with legendary bands The Walls and The Stunning, he is also known for roles in Vikings (MGM/History), Silent Witness (BBC), Moone Boy (Sky), Rebellion (RTE), Warrior (HBO/Cinemax).

Discussing his part in ‘Wasteland’, Steve Wall said: “My initial feeling was that it might confuse people to see the lead singer of two well-known Irish bands appearing in a video for a fellow Irish musician. But then again, artists in the world of Hip-Hop and even folk music collaborate all the time, so why not a musician and a musician-turned-actor? If it gets people talking then it’s a good thing. In the end though it was the song that convinced me, it’s beautiful, tragic and uplifting with an amazing vocal performance… Mick Flannery at his very best.”

Dublin-born Sydney-based Director Sinéad McDevitt says: “When I first listened to Wasteland, it hit me in the belly *wallop* F**k that’s powerful. I started writing the treatment and as I listened more and more, I was reminded of the older men in my life. The generation who embody that stoic, outer ‘performative’ self – with the inner, more vulnerable self hidden away somewhere.

Growing up on the northside of Dublin through the ’80s and ’90s, I certainly felt – even as a child – the social expectation upon men to act as financial provider and remain stoic, no matter the circumstances. Any open talk of gender roles, loneliness or repressed childhood injury would’ve been alien or taboo to the vast majority of families at the time – creating disconnected emotional wastelands within both sexes.

And so as Mick sang, the story of an everyday man running from his pain played out in my mind.

I saw it set in ’80s recessionary Ireland; shot in black and white to represent the timeless theme, as well as the polarity between conscious and unconscious. Key film references for the piece included Shame by Steve McQueen and Song of Granite by Pat Collins amongst others.”

The ultimate hope for ‘Wasteland‘ is that it might light a spark inside us – just a little reminder that underneath our self-sabotaging human behaviour, lies the simple truth that we’re all worthy of love, maybe even the shadow of self or the hidden bits the most.

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www.mickflannery.com/

LIVE DATES:

March 18th Sea Church, Ballycotton (SOLD OUT) **Now rescheduled to June 18th
March 19th Vicar St, Dublin (SOLD OUT) **Now rescheduled to June 19th. 
March 20th Luckers Live, Shannonbridge **Now rescheduled to May 16th

Jordan Run releases new single – ‘Outcast’ on Friday April 3^rd 2020. Songwriter and producer Aaron O’Sullivan fuses elements of folk, trap and indie to bring an exciting new track. ‘Outcast’ has a lot of colour – with haunting vocal melodies, open tuned electric guitars and backing vocals from renowned Irish songwriter Míde Houlihan, Ruby Murphy Hackett and band member Peadar O’Callaghan.  

With the release of four singles in 2019, it’s clear that Aaron is a songwriter of complete sincerity. The lushness of the verses in ‘Olivia’ give way to soulful, reflective choruses (‘She gives me peace of mind’); while the poignant  vocal of ‘Change Your Mind’ (Take a second chance if you need it, I loved you from the start) showcase a dynamic singer at his most expressive. In short, Jordan Run’s music is sophisticated while remaining relatable; catchy, while keeping its cool.   

This quiet intensity is a unique element of the artist’s live shows, which have included an appearance at the Ruby Sessions Dublin, packing out their debut Coughlans show in Cork, support slots for Ariel Posen, Cory Wong (Vulfpeck) and James Arthur, and appearances at a number of major festivals (Electric Picnic, All Together Now, and Indiependence).  

 Jordan Run release debut EP – ‘Corners’ – on the 1st of May 2020. 

Hailing from Clonakilty, West Cork, Eve Clague is a singer-songwriter who draws on the rich variety of music she grew up with in her home and community to create a highly personal and direct style of song writing. Following the release of her debut EP ‘Young Naïve Me’ in 2019, Eve has shared a gorgeous jazzy neo-soul number ‘Down Down Down’, available to buy or stream now.

Having left school at the age of 15, Eve toured nationally with a number of bands as a vocalist and saxophone player, and has clocked up more hours as a working musician than most artists in their early twenties. However, it was her enrollment in CIT Cork School of Music in 2014 which really gave Eve the time and space to develop her song writing and collaborate with a huge range of like-minded musicians.

Since its release in April of 2019, her debut EP ‘Young Naive Me’ has received many plays on national radio stations such as RTE R1, Lyric FM, 8Radio, Eirewave, as well on regional stations at home and abroad – Red FM, KCLR FM, Hoxton Radio UK and more.

Nialler9.com featured ‘Young Naive Me’ in their song of the week section, and Remy praised her distinctive voice and a timeless quality to the song writing and arrangements.

With a band made up of well-known players from Cork’s jazz/neo-soul scene: Brian Dunlea on bass, Paul Leonard on drums, Eve Clague on acoustic guitar and vocals, her brother Sam Clague on electric guitar, Diarmait Mac Carthaigh on keys, and featuring some of her own string arrangements, Eve’s music crosses genres very naturally in songs which centre around her acoustic guitar and deeply honest vocal style.

Eve’s single release launch, due to take place at Coughlan’s Live, Cork, this weekend, has unfortunately been cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak. You can support Eve by purchasing the new single for €1, or her previously release EP for €5, on her Bandcamp: https://eveclague.bandcamp.com/music

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Introducing Pauric O’Meara and his second single from debut EP, ‘Wasting Time’. Due for release 20/03/20 ahead of his Whelan’s headliner on April 24th and upcoming tour of the UK and USA.

Pauric O’ Meara has launched into 2020 with a bang. His first single ‘Is This Real?’ from forthcoming debut EP (‘Looking Forward To Hindsight’) was released on January 31st and has already garnered over 30,000 streams to date.

Wasting no time, O’ Meara releases the second single from his upcoming debut EP ‘Wasting Time’ on March 20th.

It arrives following a landmark year for O’ Meara – which saw headline shows at the Sound House and the Workman’s Club, as well as his Electric Picnic debut.

Pauric is an independent singer songwriter from Co. Tipperary, based in Dublin. Drawing inspiration from Bruce Springsteen, Sam Fender and The Kooks, O’Meara’s has been making his mark on the Irish music scene for quite a few years. His raw, powerful vocal has been known to grab people’s attention, and his previous work has garnered over 150K on Spotify alone.

He has performed in many top venues around Ireland supporting bands such as Hermitage Green, Hudson Taylor, Billow Wood, Amazing Apples and HAWK but had a breakthrough year in 2019, with 2 headline shows in Dublin in The Soundhouse and Workmans Club, as well as making his Electric Picnic Festival debut

With the release of his EP ‘Looking Forward To Hindsight’ and a tour booked in Ireland, England, Scotland, Germany and America, 2020 looks set to be Paurics biggest year yet

‘Wasting Time’ is the second track from O’Mearas forthcoming EP ‘Looking Forward To Hindsight’ The EP discusses how hindsight can be our best friend and our worst enemy, depending on the situation and what mindset you are in during or after the event has taken place.  First single ‘Is This Real’ honed in on the devastation caused by a deteriorating relationship and the hopeless feeling that comes with.

‘Wasting Time’ develops this story by detailing how when a relationship can’t be saved, it must be resolved, with the main resolution being a break up. O’Meara discusses the emotions and actions that people turn too through this period of time.

Pauric says, “Wasting time is the second stage of this relationship with hindsight. The heartbreak and pain is still very visible through the lyrics, but the up-tempo groove that the music provides highlights how through the toughest times, we can still find happiness and focus on enjoying life to the full.“

LIVE

Moabiter Bar Projekt, Berlin (GER) – March 20^th
Whelan’s, Dublin (IRE) – April 24^th 
Old Oak, Cork (IRE) – May 1^st
King Tuts, Glasgow (UK) – (MAY TBC)   
The Finsbury, London (UK) – July 23rd
Ocean Resort, Portland, Maine (USA) September 12th
The Woodshed, Cape Cod (USA) – Headline (TBC)
Bebop, Boston, Headline (USA) – September 18th 
Freddy’s, Brooklyn, NYC (USA) –  September 25th
 Rockwood Music Hall, NYC (USA) –  September 27th

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Pauric O’Meara Website

Singer, songwriter and producer Zapho is set to release her second single of the year after the successful release of her alt-pop collaboration with Ryan O’Shaugnessy. ‘Fight Me’ is written, produced and performed by Zapho and will be released on 20^th March, followed by an accompanying video on 3^rd April. ‘Fight Me’, a mid-tempo groove laden track, tells the story of a strong modern woman. The sultry lyrics portray a hustler with money in the bank, respected and adored by her friends and fans, calling out her haters and asking ‘which one of you will fight me?’

As a female producer, Zapho herself is already in a minority and she challenges notions of stereotypical femininity with every release. True to Zapho’s aesthetic, the woman in the song is also an underdog with a queer aesthetic and an LGBT influence, a character who sets herself apart from the binary ideal of mainstream beauty. ‘Fight Me’ is symbolic of female empowerment and drives the point home that anyone can have a fighter inside.

Zapho says, “‘Fight Me’ was one of the most enjoyable songs to write. I’ve been experimenting more as a producer and coming into my own style, having fun with themes and groove based instrumentation. I included a little brass section to tip my hat to the Rocky movies and the theme song, ‘Eye Of The Tiger’. I made my fighter more sleazy and flashy, a rags to riches storyline about being at the top of your game.“

Rising star Zapho (Ele Breslin) is a 26-year-old singer-songwriter-producer. In 2019 she released two singles, ‘Do Like I Do’ and ‘Water Me’ and recorded her debut album. ‘100 Ways’ was her first single of 2020, a collaboration with Ryan O’Shaughnessy. ‘100 Ways’ achieved considerable success, making HotPress’ Track of the Day and Nialler9’s Best Songs of the Week, as well as a premiere with GCN, and spots on two English Spotify playlists, R&B UK and Spotify Chill. ‘100 Ways’ has also been played on BBC Sounds and ATL BBC Ulster.

Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Zapho upcoming Whelan’s show on April 10^th is cancelled along with the tour planned for May. She hopes to re-schedule all live shows later this year.

https://www.zaphomusic.com/
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Afro-Irish singer Tolü Makay releases ‘Let Me In’ – the first single of her 2020 portfolio, which includes an EP and the recording of her debut album (due in 2021), having recently signed with the Berlin-based record label Welcome to the New World.

Led by her strong and seducing voice, Tolü develops her very own intimate style.

‘Let Me In’ is a bold sensual sultry bop, skilfully written by (guitarist) Barra Mac Mahon and Tolü.

Tolü started singing in church at the age of 8. The simple act of leading a hymn slowly grew into leading praise and worship and eventually assisting the guidance of her local Redeem Church choir at 16. After entering and winning a national gospel singing competition, she began to discover her own voice, becoming bolder and more confident in her power.

Oftentimes, women are viewed in a specific light; good versus bad. Having been brought up in a religious household and viewed quite often in one light, this new single is an expressive form of mirroring both sides. Being open and unapologetic, setting a reminder that humans are too complicated to be boxed into an idea or expectation of what their characters should be like. An act of awakening rebellion in oneself. 

Tolü says “Let me in is a song of openness and comfort in the most sensual way possible. I set out to weave a poetic conversation of pleasure.”

Buy/stream ‘Let Me In’ now: cdbaby.lnk.to/LetMeIn

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The Remedy Club, the Irish husband-and-wife Americana/Roots duo comprising Kj McEvoy and Aileen Mythen will be releasing their latest single ‘Sweet Symphony’ this coming Friday 20^th March from their upcoming album ‘True Hand True Heart’ – due for release 27^th March.

‘Sweet Symphony’ is the third single from The Remedy Club’s album ‘True Hand True Heart’. It’s a blistering, country rock song based around a raw edged guitar riff that lyrically depicts the longing for inner peace and self – realization.

‘Sweet Symphony’ was recorded in Room and Board studios, Nashville and produced by 5 time Grammy award winning producer Ray Kennedy (Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris). The song features Lex Price on bass (Neko Case, KD Lang) and Lynn Williams on drums (The Wallflowers). 

Their first album, ‘Lovers, Legends and Lost Causes’ garnered huge support with McEvoy singled out as a guitar player of great expressiveness and technical aplomb and Mythen for her stunning vocal performances.

The album ‘True Hand True Heart’ will be released on the 27^th March and although the duo have had to postpone their launch and a string of other tour dates they will be announcing alternative Irish and UK dates asap as well as a live stream to launch the album 27^th March at 8pm GMT.

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The new single and video from Irish songwriter and musician John Lennon – ‘Searcher’ by Blake’s Fortune is out 20/03/20.

‘Searcher’ is an ethereal tale of love, loss, and hope. It is the first single to be released from Blake’s Fortune’s second album ‘Searcher Dreamer’. ‘Searcher’ is accompanied by a stunning music video directed by A. Parkes and is shot in the beautiful setting of Glendalough. Fusing alternative folk roots with Ailbhe Reddy’s haunting backing vocals ‘Searcher’ invites the listener into a story that ebbs and flows both melodically and lyrically. The viewer is taken on a journey with uncertainty as to what will come next.

The album ‘Searcher Dreamer’ was recorded over a week by producer Darragh Nolan in Asta Kalapa Studio’s in Wexford. 

Ailbhe Reddy’s stunning backing vocals feature on all 10 tracks. Blake’s Fortune is also supported on bass, guitar and drums by brothers Lorcan and Cillian Byrne of Basciville fame.

Blake’s Fortune is the work of Irish songwriter and musician John Lennon who hails from Dublin. He previously recorded and toured with Pina Kollars, an Austrian-born folk rock singer, when they were signed to Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records. 

His debut album ‘Hello World’ was self released in 2017 and garnered positive reviews. His style could be described at alternative folk, and he draws influence from the like of The Divine Comedy, The Magnetic Fields, Fred Neil and BECK

“Searcher is an ethereal tale of love and loss, and trying so desperately to find hope from within a seemingly hopeless situation. The writing, recording and filming of Searcher was very much a cathartic experience for me. I hope it gives the listener (and the viewer) something interesting to think about” – Blake’s Fortune

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Blake’s Fortune Website

“With events such as the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 being cancelled, I thought we might remember some happier times, and I’ve therefore brought forward the release of my NEW VERSION of ‘The Voice’ with the RTE Concert Orchestra. Still Ireland’s most recent winning song, in it’s biggest most Epic form to date.

Why would I kick off my new album, of new music, with a song that I’ve been singing for more than two decades? ⁣ Because this song has been my gift. ⁣⁣

It has taken me to places that I could hardly dreamed, and singing it with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra is a thrilling and uplifting experience. A feeling that I have been enjoying for more than two decades, and continue to enjoy to this day! ⁣⁣

So I want to share that feeling with you. It’s is the first ever fully orchestral recording of this iconic song, and I love it! ⁣⁣ Yes, I have lots of new, lush and epic orchestral music on the way….. but let me remind you about this one first.⁣⁣

Think of it as a ‘Hello, remember me…. I’ve been wanting to do this for a while’ ⁣.

The thing is, after a long and winding road to parenthood, I decided to divide the precious hours in the day between my much longed-for children and LIVE performance.  Recording got kicked to the curb for a while. The past decade has not only been full of personal landmark performances (for HRH Queen Elizabeth 2, Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland, President Michael D Higgins inaugural state visit to Britain, HRH Prince Charles) but also a steady building up of loyal audiences, and annual return-bookings in national venues. 

A loyal audience must be deeply respected. The two things that they mostly want from me are new music and not to leave the building without performing ‘The Voice’!

Hopefully I’ve answered an initial question; why this song? It’s a killer song. AND I love it. AND so does my loyal audience.  Here it is –  in it’s newest and most powerful form. I hope you’ll love it too.“

The Voice 2020 is taken from the forthcoming album ÉRIU.

⁣Eimear on www: https://www.eimearquinn.com
Eimear on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eimearvox/
Eimear on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EimearQuinnVox/
Eimear on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EimearVox

2020 represents a new era for The Blizzards. Fresh and determined to reach new heights, this year’s plans include several new music releases and their biggest live production to date. ‘Pound The Pavement’, a song about taking control back when you think you’ve lost it, is the band’s first release of 2020. Propelled by one of the hardest hitting rhythm sections on the scene, infused with melodic and dynamic guitar licks housed in a heart of pop, with a soul of distinctive lyrical storytelling.

‘Pound The Pavement’ projects a message of hope, grit and determination from its opening riff to the anthemic chorus. The single will be released on the 27th March with a music video following up in early April.

With a reputation as one of the most powerful and impressive live acts to come out of Ireland, playing alongside some of the biggest global acts; (Oasis, ACDC & The Prodigy). The Multi-award winning, platinum selling band, are now taking their live production to the next level. The show features songs from the band’s 3 albums performed against the backdrop of a brand-new pulsating lighting show. 2020 promises to be an exciting year for the band, stay tuned for some special announcements.

www.theblizzards.ie