Month: January 2021

Danny G & the Major 7ths celebrate the release of their second album ‘The Lookout’ with a brand-new single ‘When It All Runs Out’, due for release Friday, 8th January 2021.

Danny G comments on the upcoming release: “This song was inspired by visiting Venezuela. I wondered how a rich country could have a population living in poverty. How the actions of world leaders, fighting for or making deals for oil and other natural resources could make this earthly paradise look like it was in ruins. I’m asking what we’re going to do when it all runs out.”

Their second album ‘The Lookout’ was a labour of love, years in the making. Featuring a wide range was mixed to perfection by Ken McCabe (Wolfhound Sound) and was mastered for both vinyl & digital by Fergal Davis. The artwork used is from ‘Cityscrape 1’ by Irish artist Conor Gallagher.

This album is a natural progression from the retro soul feel of debut ‘Love Joints’ (2014) to a deeper, more mature, richer sound, evoking the classic neosoul artists of the 2000s.

Available on limited edition yellow vinyl through Bandcamp.

‘Two Weeks’, a cinematic opera by Ultan O’Brien and Alex Foster, filmed in Smock Alley Theatre, will stream online 7.30 pm, January 7th, 8th, 9th 2021, as part of First Fortnight festival. This is the second episode in Ultan O’Brien and The Bed Tea Company’s ‘Tales from a Hidden World’ art-series, which ponders and probes autogenic training in cystic fibrosis.

‘Two Weeks’ on a hospital bed, following the breath to an inner secret life of memories and dreams. Phasing in and out of wakefulness, the veil between the real and imagined begins to blur.

‘Two Weeks’ was created out of recorded interviews with a number of people, all completed since the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Stories of secret lives emerged, revealing a colourful spectrum of states of mind, emotions, and experiences of life as it is today. This is an exploration of rehabilitation. Breath is the most intimate relationship we have in life. It’s the cry of the new-born, the first sign of consciousness; an access point to a healing space. Deep in the healing space, time is not linear— dreams and memories swirl about, all at once.

‘Two Weeks’ is the music of what happens in the healing space. Stories are interwoven with fiddle and viola music, visuals, and electro-acoustic music written and performed by Ultan O’Brien, filmed and directed by Alex Foster.

TICKETS: Two Weeks – A Cinematic Opera – €10

https://firstfortnight.ticketsolve.com/shows/873616359

‘Two Weeks’ is the second film in the Tales from Hidden Worlds art-series, by Ultan O’Brien and The Bed Tea Company. The first work, Secret Life I: magico-duality was premiered by The Contemporary Music Centre. It is a 51-minute film featuring 7 interconnected stories about breath, ghosts duties, dreams, wild wine and autogenic drainage. 7 interwoven tales from hidden worlds. It is available to watch for free, in full, along with a brief interview here: https://youtu.be/NZFVqntO1Y4?t=857

Instagram: @mrultanobrien and @bedteaco
Twitter: @Ultan_Music
Facebook: Ultan O’Brien and @BedTeaCo

Ireland in Music is a new film which captures some of the country’s top musicians performing at Ireland’s most spectacular locations. The show sees the country become a stage, as Denise Chaila and Sharon Shannon perform along The Cliffs of Moher, Clannad perform in Poison Glen, Gweedore; Lisa Hannigan in the bandstand at Saint Stephen’s Green, The Stunning outside Trim Castle, and delush and Tolü Makay perform at Athlone Castle. The show broadcast recently on RTÉ One and is now available to view on the RTÉ player (https://www.rte.ie/player/movie/ireland-in-music/168779304013)

The show featured a mind-blowing performance of ‘The Greatest Gift’, written and produced by delush (Enda Gallery), and performed by Enda alongside the incredible Afro-Irish soul-singer Tolü Makay. 

Speaking about the performance, Enda said, “It was a lovely experience to get back singing live with Tolü and perform our song with a bodhrán and harp on it. I love mixing up genres and instrumentation like that. It was also so nice that Westmeath County Council gave us the run of Athlone Castle for the day so we could enjoy a King and Queen’s residence – brought out the revolutionary in me and the Queen in Tolü!

The whole TradFest team are so good to work with and I understand that minister Catherine Martin was instrumental in enabling such a top programme in locations all around Ireland. We are all missing live music and looking forward to being together again. But this is a wonderful concept to showcase both the artistic and scenic beauty of our country and we can all be proud that it was put together. I’m truly honoured to be a part of it.”

Speaking about the song, Tolü said, “The greatest gift is a song that just makes one feel elated. And to see throughout the year after its release, the joy, love and comfort people have expressed it brings them, means the world.

I’m very happy to know others connect with it as much as I do. We all need a reminder of what comforting love can feel like and sometimes that’s all we need. It’s the greatest gift.“

The Greatest Gift live performance at Athlone Castle for Ireland in Music (skip to 14.40mins) https://www.rte.ie/player/movie/ireland-in-music/168779304013)

Buy/Stream The Greatest Gift – https://cdbaby.lnk.to/thegreatestgift

Follow delush on

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2FfgcJq
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delushlife/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/delushlife/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/delushlife

Follow Tolu Makay

Spotify – Tolü Makay
Instagram – Tolü Makay
Facebook – Tolü Makay
YouTube – Tolü Makay

One of the first new releases of 2021, Tommy Keyes released his new single ‘Listen To The Rain’ on Friday 1 January.  It’s the fourth single to be taken from the very successful album ‘Ageing With Attitude’ and features a stunning backing vocal in Beach Boys style, arranged and performed by the legendary Thomas Walsh of Pugwash.

The single has already been released internationally and Tommy was stunned by one response in particular:

“With my first paycheque in 1972 I started a lifelong habit of buying albums. My first purchase was a CBS triple-album sampler The Music People. The obvious were all there – Dylan, The Byrds, Santana – but it also introduced me to dozens of brilliant artistes, one of whom was Genya Ravan.  This week my new single went out to radio stations across the world and I promptly got this e-mail back from the very same Genya Ravan who now presents a show on Little Steven’s Underground Garage, the world famous radio channel run by Steven Van Zandt of the E Street Band.

It’s a bit surreal to come full circle from having my ears opened by a wonderful artiste to having her promoting my own music nearly 50 years later.”

‘Listen To The Rain’ is available on all download and streaming services. 

With sad hearts, the family of Liam Reilly, musician, songwriter and frontman of Bagatelle, wish to confirm that he passed away suddenly but peacefully at his home on January 1^st, 2021.  We know that his many friends and countless fans around the world will share in our grief as we mourn his loss, but celebrate the extraordinary talent of the man whose songs meant so much to so many.  Liam’s family have asked for privacy at this difficult time.    

RIP Liam.

Dermot Kennedy claims a new chart record on this week’s Official Irish Albums Chart with Without Fear, and takes out more pages in the history books on the Official Irish Singles Chart as Paradise returns to Number 1.

Dermot was one of the biggest homegrown stars in 2019 and 2020, and it looks like his hot streak will continue in 2021, with the singer-songwriter claiming the Official Chart Double for the fourth week in a row.

On the Official Irish Albums Chart, Dermot’s Without Fear holds at the summit, picking up its 15^th non-consecutive week on top. The album has now surpassed Lewis Capaldi’s Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent for most weeks at Number 1 this millennium for a debut album.

Dermot has become the first Irish act to have replaced themselves at Number 1 twice as Paradise, Dermot’s collaboration with Italian producers Meduza, bumps Giants, this week’s Number 7, from the top spot.