Matt Benson
MATT BENSON
Announces new single “The Way It Should Be” releasing 22 May
Ahead of debut album release Sit Back Down Again on 11 July (pre-order now)
Singer-songwriter Matt Benson is set to release “The Way It Should Be” on 22 May, the third single from his highly anticipated debut album Sit Back Down Again, scheduled for release on July 11 (pre-order now)
Following the emotional debut single Sit Back Down Again—a moving tribute to his late sister Catherine, affectionately known as “Kathy”—and the nostalgic Strangers & Angels, which offered a cinematic reflection on the wistful memories of youth, Matt continues his storytelling journey with a bold new track.
“The Way It Should Be” is what Matt describes as a classic “pay-off” song—an old-school songwriting style with a punchline twist. “It features a touring trombone player who suspects his partner is cheating on him,” Matt explains. “But he’s got some jaw-dropping news of his own to share at the end. Have a listen to hear the punchline!”
With heartfelt lyrics, rich storytelling, and a dash of unexpected humour, The Way It Should Be promises to be another compelling chapter in Matt’s growing body of work.
Matt Benson has enjoyed a prolific career as a trombonist since his professional debut in 2010. Known for his work with George Ezra (since 2017), Bad Manners, The Pogues, Neil Hannon, Hot 8 Brass Band, and even Brian May, he’s performed on stages from Glastonbury to The Tonight Show, The Brit Awards, and Jools Holland’s Hootenanny. He’s earned praise from legends like Quincy Jones—who called him “a great trombone player”—and Paul Sanchez of HBO’s Treme, who said, “this guy can play his ass off!”
Now, after years supporting some of music’s biggest names, Matt Benson is stepping into his own light. Sit Back Down Again promises to be a soulful, story-rich debut, filled with heart, history, and a whole lot of brass.
Catch Matt live this summer at the following venues:
Sun. 1 June The American Bar, Belfast -Show 2-5pm / SOLD OUT
Fri. 20 June Club Beo, Leo’s Tavern Donegal
Thurs. 26 June Shamrock Bar, Falcarragh, Donegal
Sun. 6 July The American Bar, Belfast – Show 2-5pm / Tickets £12.50
Sat. 6 Sept. Black Box, Belfast with The New Leaves
Emma Rawicz
Music Network’s
season closes with jazz saxophonist Emma Rawicz & her exceptional quartet
This June, Music Network is delighted to present stellar jazz saxophonist Emma Rawicz performing with her exceptional quartet featuring Elliot Galvin (piano), Kevin Glasgow (bass) and Asaf Sirkis (drums). Rawicz is a multi-award winning young bandleader and composer who is making waves on the UK music scene and beyond. Jamie Cullum refers to her as ‘an astonishing talent’, and as her live performances and recordings continue to garner widespread acclaim, it’s easy to understand why ‘the name Emma Rawicz is on everyone’s lips right now’ (BBC 3).
At just nineteen, Emma independently released her critically acclaimed debut album Incantation, and singlehandedly managed an extensive UK release tour that featured headline performances at renowned venues such as Ronnie Scott’s and the Jazz Cafe. Her latest album, Chroma, released on the ACT label, was selected as The Guardian’s Album of the Month and has earned her further international recognition.
Since then, her international career has flourished and she has played in over sixteen countries, touring extensively in Germany and Scandinavia. She was recently selected as a BBC New Generation Artist, is the winner of a Parliamentary Jazz Award and a former finalist at the Jazz FM Awards and BBC Young Jazz Musician Competition. The Royal Academy of Music recently awarded her the Musicians’ Company Silver Medal for excellence and for her contribution to the institution, an award not previously given to a jazz student.
Described as ‘a force to be reckoned with’ by Jazzwise, Emma’s musical endeavours are broad, with artistic projects ranging from a duo with internationally renowned pianist Gwilym Simcock to her regular touring quartet made up of stars of the UK jazz scene. In 2023 she was the Cambridge Jazz Festival’s Artist in Residence, culminating in a triumphant concert where she led the Cambridge University Jazz Orchestra in an all-original programme of her own music, and showcasing a brand new commission for the ensemble. She also featured as a soloist with the BBC Concert Orchestra at Queen Elizabeth Hall in the 2022 London Jazz Festival and with the German SWR Radio Big Band at a sold-out Berlin Philharmonie in February 2024.
The future promises to be exciting for Emma as she heads into the studio to record new music with previously unrecorded ensembles this year?. Emma is a passionate educator and is already in demand as a masterclass leader, most recently giving workshops in Denmark, Lithuania and Norway, as well as having a strong educational presence in the UK for musicians of all ages. The Guardian got it right when it reported that ‘the warp speed of her evolution is showing no sign of slowing.’
Jazz fans will be captivated by this young player and her command of her instrument. Emma and her quartet are in Ireland from 4-13 June playing in venues in Donegal, Sligo, Roscommon, Wicklow, Dublin, Kerry, Cork and Kildare.
Wed. 4 June Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Donegal
Thurs. 5 June Sligo Jazz Project, Hawk’s Well Theatre, Sligo
Fri. 6 June Roscommon Arts Centre, Roscommon
Sat. 7 June Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely, Wicklow
Tues. 10 June Music Network at The Sugar Club, Dublin
Wed. 11 June St. John’s Theatre & Arts Centre, Listowel, Kerry
Thurs. 12 June Triskel Art Centre, Cork
Fri. 13 June Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Kildare
www.musicnetwork.ie
Padraig Jack
Padraig Jack releases Heartfelt New Single ‘Lovely Stare’ on March 21st
Acclaimed bilingual singer-songwriter Padraig Jack unveils his latest single, Lovely Stare, on March 21st. A deeply personal love song, it recounts the moment he met the love of his life. This track is the latest from his second album, These Shores, released last October and produced by John Reynolds (Sinead O’Connor, Damien Dempsey). The song also features Anthony Thistlethwaite (The Waterboys, The Saw Doctors) and Fergal Scahill (We Banjo 3).
An intimate and autobiographical track, Lovely Stare tells the story of Padraig’s trip to Berlin with friends for a few gigs and a short holiday—where fate introduced him to a woman who, despite her perfect German, turned out to be from Galway. While he remains unsure about love at first sight, he recalls seeing that she was “precious, in a world of common find” and hoping she would return to Ireland with him—and she did. With time, one lyric in the song has become out of date: “I hope she and I will have one day a family”—as Padraig and Ciara are now proud parents to a three-year-old daughter.
2025 has already been a whirlwind year for Padraig, with performances at prestigious national and international festivals. Notably, when Storm Eowyn caused mass cancellations at Celtic Connections on January 24th, his show with Steve Wickham (The Waterboys) and No Crows was among the few to go ahead—fitting, as Wickham also plays on Padraig’s latest album. The following morning, he delivered a standout showcase at Culture Ireland’s Celtic Cousins event, before jetting off to Dublin for a full-band performance at Dublin Tradfest in Áras Chrónáin.
February saw Padraig make his debut at Galway’s Tonnta Bilingual Festival, followed by a run of sold-out shows in Cymru. He also marked his first appearance at Folk Alliance in Montréal, Canada, with Culture Ireland, and joined The High Kings on the west coast of Ireland leg of their biggest tour to date, with performances at Castlebar’s TF Royal, Galway Leisureland, Limerick UCH, and the INEC Killarney.
Padraig Jack continues his momentum with upcoming performances, including:
Fri. 4 April Backstage Theatre, Longford Show 8pm / Tickets €15
Wed. 23 April Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin Show 8pm / Tickets €25
Sat. 10 May The Richmond Revival, Fermoy, Cork Show 7pm / Tickets
Thurs. 22 May Ballyglass, Co. Mayo
Fri. 23 May Crane Bar, Galway Show 8pm / Tickets
Fri. 30 May Mullingar Chambers, Co Westmeath
With an incredible start to the year and a compelling new single, Lovely Stare cements Padraig Jack’s place as one of Ireland’s most exciting singer-songwriters.
OASIS
‘STANDING ON THE SHOULDER OF GIANTS‘ CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY
LIMITED EDITION SILVER & COLOURED VINYL RE-RELEASE
OUT 28th FEBRUARY 2025 – PRE-ORDER HERE
Today – 7th February 2025 – Oasis announce the 25th anniversary reissue of their fourth studio album, Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants – available on limited edition vinyl including silver LP and official store exclusive blue and purple marble LP on the anniversary of the original release date, 28th February. Pre-order here. Today’s news is accompanied by a new lyric video for the album’s first single ‘Go Let It Out’, originally released 25 years ago today. Sign up to the YouTube premiere here.
A pivotal moment in Oasis’ storied history, Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants marked the start of a new era for the band. ‘Go Let It Out’ was the first release on Noel and Liam Gallagher’s own label Big Brother Recordings Ltd, established in January 2000 following the sudden closure of Oasis’ former UK label Creation Records. Big Brother’s debut release was rushed into production and released on 7th February 2000, only seven weeks after the label’s inception.
Set up by Noel and Liam, together with their management team and entirely self-financed, Big Brother was the only real option for one of the most independently minded bands in the UK. Including the rights for the band’s existing catalogue as well as new releases, in the 25 years since its birth, Big Brother has gone on to be responsible for 10 number 1 albums and over 15 Billion streams globally.
Following the meteoric global success of Definitely Maybe (1994), What’s The Story (Morning Glory?) (1995) and Be Here Now (1997), with Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants Oasis embraced a bold development in their sound. Noel Gallagher took a broader and more experimental approach to recording, resulting in a departure from their earlier sounds towards a modern psychedelic rock influenced record. This experimentation and richer sonic palette was in part due to Noel taking more time to craft this record than he had previously enjoyed. New instruments and techniques were utilised, including drum loops, samples, electric sitar, Mellotron, synthesisers and backward guitars, all contributing to a progression in Oasis’ output. Several tracks on the album also saw Oasis use samples for the first time. ‘Fuckin’ In The Bushes’ contains samples from Murray Lerner’s film ‘Message To Love Isle Of Wight 1970’ whilst ‘Go Let It Out’ contains elements from Johnny Jenkins ‘I Walk on Gilded Splinters’. Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants also marked the first time that Liam Gallagher contributed songwriting to an Oasis album (‘Little James’), with this continuing on subsequent albums.
Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants holds further significance as the first Oasis album to be released following the change to the original band line up. Gem Archer and Andy Bell took over guitar and bass duties respectively for the album’s live activity, following the departure of Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs and Paul “Guigsy” McGuigan. Also significant to the recording process Mark “Spike” Stent took up production duties alongside Noel.
The bold new sounds were quickly embraced by Oasis’ fans, and Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants reached No.1 in the UK Album Charts, selling over 310,000 copies in its first week alone. It is now certified double platinum and has also sold in excess of 200,000 copies in the US. Moreover, the legacy of its songs continues to burn bright in Oasis back catalogue. ‘Fuckin’ In The Bushes’ cemented itself in fans consciousness as the incendiary rallying cry Oasis walked on stage to for subsequent live shows. ‘Go Let It Out’, a classic slice of Noel’s very best songwriting, backed with hypnotic drum loop and Mellotron, topped the single charts in UK, Ireland, Italy, and Spain. And with the spiralling chaos of ‘Gas Panic!’, the band showed their ability to masterfully explore new territory with dark, sobering textures and an expertly crafted sense of unease.
The 25th anniversary of Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants lands at the start of a year that is sure to belong to Oasis as fans eagerly anticipate the Oasis Live ‘25 tour, the reunion that ended years of feverish speculation. Unprecedented demand and a resounding global appetite made the announcement the music story of 2024. Last year also saw the 30th anniversary edition of Definitely Maybe reach No.1 in the UK album charts for a second time in its history.
In the midst of a pivotal moment in the remarkable story of Oasis, reflecting on another during its 25th anniversary, feels particularly apt. With Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, Oasis embarked on a bold new chapter, one that would lay the foundation for everything that was to follow as the band took control of their own destiny.
For Further Press Information Please Contact Emma Harney Emma@orchestrate.ie
RYAN MCMULLAN
Ryan McMullan releases “JENNY AND JOHNNY”
See Ryan live across UK & Ireland this April
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Ryan McMullan is set to release his highly anticipated new single, “Jenny and Johnny” on 7/2/2025. The track captures McMullan’s signature ability to weave heartfelt storytelling with powerful, relatable emotions, chronicling the tale of two people destined for love but caught in their own cycle of self-sabotage.
Speaking about the single, Ryan says: ”‘Jenny and Johnny’ is about the push and pull of love, especially when it’s obvious two people belong together but just can’t seem to get out of their own way. It’s raw, real, and close to the bone—and I think a lot of people will feel that too.”
The single marks another step forward for McMullan, whose soulful voice and honest lyrics have earned him a devoted following and critical acclaim. Known for songs like Bowie on the Radio and Belfast city, “Jenny and Johnny” promises to be an anthem for anyone who has felt the bittersweet tension of love on the edge.
In support of the new release, Ryan McMullan will embark on a UK and Ireland tour this April, which will be followed by dates in Australia and Europe in May, bringing his electrifying live performances to fans across the region.
Ryan’s live shows are renowned for their intimacy and raw emotional power, with each performance offering a glimpse into the depth and sincerity that define his music. Fans can expect a mix of new material, including “Jenny and Johnny,” alongside beloved favourites.
See Ryan McMullan live in UK, Ireland, Australia & Europe; www.ryanmcmullanmusic.com for more details.
The 10th Anniversary of ‘Rock Against Homelessness’ in aid of Focus Ireland in 3Olympia Theatre has sold out!
Sunday Independent’s ‘Rock Against Homelessness’ supporting Focus Ireland, has achieved a sold-out success for its tenth anniversary show, raising an incredible €50,000 to assist the most vulnerable in our communities.
Taking place tonight, February 7th, at the iconic 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin, the event will feature an extraordinary lineup of talent. Damien Dempsey headlines the show, joined by special guests Pillow Queens, Zeztra, Jyellowl, and Pastiche. Adding a touch of theatre and charm, actor Aidan Gillen will serve as the MC for the evening.
This milestone year for Rock Against Homelessness underscores a decade of commitment to combating homelessness in Ireland through music, community, and generosity. Every ticket purchased contributes directly to the life-changing work of Focus Ireland, helping to provide housing solutions and essential support services. “We are thrilled to see such overwhelming support for this cause,” said a representative from Focus Ireland. “The funds raised tonight will make a tangible difference for families and individuals facing homelessness.”
Organiser of the concerts throughout that decade, Barry Egan of the Sunday Independent said: “We are, of course, very proud that all 1600 tickets are gone – not surprising with such powerful acts like Damo and Pillow Queens, Zeztra, Jyellow and Pastiche performing and one of Ireland’s greatest actors Aidan Gillen presenting.
Rock Against Homelessness in aid of Focus Ireland at the 3 Olympia’s success is tempered by the fact that during those ten years of the show almost 60,000 people have been homeless in Ireland. And worse, for such a so-called modern country there are currently over 14,000 people homeless, and over 4,700 children without a home. That’s fairly damning of this nation of ours.”
“It doesn’t, however, stop me for one second thanking most sincerely the artists who have played Rock Against Homelessness since we started – from Fontaines DC to Kneecap, Dermot Kennedy to Imelda May, Paul Brady, Mary Wallopers, The Boomtown Rats, Glen Hansard and Camille O’Sullivan. Nor those depressing homeless figures don’t stop me from saying how very, very grateful I am to everyone at 3Olympia Theatre for their continued support. It was Denis Desmond and Caroline Downey, proprietors of the venue, who first supported this idea ten years ago and who has been supporting it ever since, giving us the 3 Olympia for free. And of course, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our generous sponsors, without whom this event would not have been possible. Special thanks to Eoin Kellett of Cadbury, Joey Wynne of Arachas Insurance, and Celine Gilmer of Hard Rock Café and Starbucks for their unwavering support and years of sponsorship.”
Damien Dempsey added: “We’re standing in the middle of a crisis that should shame this country to its core. Nearly 15,000 people without a home, over 4,500 children growing up in limbo, robbed of the safety and dignity every child deserves.
The people out on the streets and in emergency accommodation tonight aren’t just numbers—they’re our neighbours, our brothers and sisters, victims of a system that’s failed them. We need action, not excuses. We need homes, we need change.
This gig is about solidarity and hope. If we don’t fight for each other, who will? We won’t stop singing, shouting, or demanding change until homelessness is not just reduced, but ended—for good. No one left behind. That’s the Ireland we should be building.”
Aidan Gillen says “The homelessness situation in Ireland is at a level it’s never been at before, anyone walking through the streets of our cities can see that- it would be really hard not to- people in sleeping bags and tents on streets, parks, by canals. Queueing up for food in the middle of the night in the middle of winter. And then there’s all of it which you can’t see, whole families including thousands of kids living in emergency accommodation, in hostels, even cars. While we work out exactly what can be best done about this, and actually doing it, it’s important not to stop talking about it and not to dehumanise or stigmatize the ever growing number of people who find themselves in this situation. The Rock against Homelessness event raises awareness of, and money for groups like Focus Ireland who have for many years now been working tirelessly addressing this issue, offering support, real long term solutions and hope while keeping the conversation current, and pushing the statistics out there in the public realm, making them harder to ignore or deny.
Pillow Queens echoed this sentiment: “The homelessness crisis in Ireland is a disgrace. No one should be left without a safe place to live, yet the government has continuously failed to address it properly. It’s infuriating to see so many people struggling while those in power drag their feet. We’re grateful this show has sold out because it shows how much people care—but it shouldn’t be down to charity and community efforts to fix something that should never have been allowed to reach this point.”
At the end of the evening’s performances, Damien Dempsey will raffle off a signed acoustic guitar that he will be playing during the show, in the hope to raise even more funds.
Rock Against Homelessness in aid of Focus Ireland at the 3 Olympia is sponsored by Cadbury, Arachas Insurance, Hard Rock Café and Starbucks.
The Sunday Independent presents Rock Against Homelessness in aid of Focus Ireland
Damien Dempsey plays 3Olympia Fri. 7 Feb. 2025
Tickets on sale @10am on Wed 18th Dec via Ticketmaster
The Sunday Independent’s Rock Against Homelessness in aid of Focus Ireland celebrates ten years of amazing gigs and over €450,000 raised. One of the Irish artists of the year Damien Dempsey will headline the 10th anniversary of Rock Against Homelessness in aid of Focus Ireland on Fri. 7th February in the 3Olympia, Dublin. Focus Ireland reports that sadly the homelessness crisis has deepened again in the last year: a record total of just under 15,000 people are now homeless and shockingly this includes over 4,645 children. These figures demonstrate that we need events like Rock Against Homelessness now more than ever.
Hot on the release of his brilliant new album Hold The Joy, and subsequent sold out shows all over Ireland, Dempsey will put on a show that the nation needs right now: a powerful call to compassion, empathy and speaking up about something successive governments have done very little about.
Damien Dempsey said: ‘It makes me angry to my bones that in 2024 there are almost 5000 children without a home in Ireland and 15,000 people homeless. It is beyond words of anger or sadness that this issue has not been fixed. What are the so-called people in power doing about it? Not a lot, as far as I can see. I often wonder about the fact that they can do nothing about homelessness now but in the 1930s and 1940s – when Ireland was on its knees as a nation financially – they could still manage to build massive housing estates around Ireland for people to live in. Why can’t they do that now? They are too busy selling out the people by selling the soul of Ireland to international vulture funds who couldn’t care less about anything or anyone other than money. Something needs to be done urgently about helping the homeless in Ireland.’
‘What do we need to do? I think we should really, really push the Government now to put it into law that people abroad can vote, that the Irish who were born abroad can vote in Ireland in a General election. There is 141 countries around the world that this happens in and we need to push for that in this country. That is important.’
CEO of Focus Ireland Pat Dennigan said: ‘The support and awareness we get from an event like this is amazing. Focus Ireland needs to raise over 40% of our annual budget through donations and events like Rock Against Homelessness so we really need people to support this magnificent event again this year. Damien Dempsey is well known for his strong voice on social justice, and it is a great fit to have him as the headline act for the 10th Rock Against Homelessness. The crisis has got worse as the number of people homeless has shot up 14% in the last year. These are not just percentages and statistics, but everyone is a real person whose life has been in crisis because they have lost their home. It is unforgivable that 4,645 children will be homeless this Christmas in Ireland. However, the situation would be a lot worse again without the hard work of Focus Ireland and other organisations. We are all working to help prevent and tackle homelessness and Focus Ireland helped 18,000 people last year who were homeless or at risk. We now provide over 1,600 permanent homes for families and individuals across the country through Focus Housing. It’s important to never forget that homelessness is a problem we can tackle when we work collectively. Having the support of partners like Cadbury’s, Arachas, Starbucks, the Hard Rock Cafe and the Independent is tremendous in showing what can be achieved.’
Barry Egan, who has put on Rock against Homelessness in aid of Focus Ireland for the last ten years for TheSunday Independent, said: ‘We have had some great performances from some great acts since we started. The Boomtown Rats in 2017 with Glen Hansard and The Strypes doing “Rat Trap” with 1700 people singing its grim chorus: “It’s a rat trap and you’ve been caught.” In 2020, it was impossible to forget Fontaines DC with Kneecap almost tearing the roof off the venue in one of the most powerful and incendiary shows I’ve ever seen. We also had Dermot Kennedy and Imelda May in 2018, Pillow Queens in 2021, Lyra in 2023. They have all been, in their own way, completely unique. There is something about Damien Dempsey headlining the tenth anniversary that is truly special. He’s about to sell out six shows at Vicar Street. His new album Hold The Joy is probably the record of the year with so many songs that powerfully reflect the uncomfortable reality of Ireland in the present day. Damien is a man who has been singing deep, deep from the heart for many years about the issues that many young people find themselves caught in, the hellish economic rat trap that Bob Geldof famously sang of in 1987. He is a true hero and the perfect person to headline and curate the show (with some very special guests soon to be announced) that already promises to be one of the gigs of the year.’
Peter Vandermeersch, CEO of Mediahuis who own The Sunday Independent, said: ‘It is clear and simple: in Ireland no man, no woman and no child should be without a home. This goes for people who were born here or for people who, with good reason, left their own land to find a safer place in this great and affluent country. The fact that so many people are still homeless in Ireland is big stain on the reputation of Éire. This is the country of the big tech companies, one of the richest in Europe, which has a surplus on its public finance balance. Giving all the people a roof above their head should be one of the main priorities of the next government. For me it will be a measure of the success or failure of a next Irish coalition.
‘Obviously I realise this is not easy. But a country with that many great entrepreneurs, creative spirits, wonderful people should be able to realise this simple goal: a home for all people living on the island of Ireland.
‘Mediahuis came to Ireland in 2019 when we acquired the biggest newspaper company in this land with great publications like The Irish Independent, The Sunday Independent, The Sunday World, The Herald, The Kerryman, The Sligo Champion and, in Northern Ireland, The Belfast Telegraph. We’re very proud that these titles, in print and online, are on a daily basis writing about the issues this country faces. But we want to do more than write about this country. We are part of the social fabric of Ireland and we want to help solve in a constructive way the issues we write about.
‘That’s why we’ve put our shoulders under the Rock Against Homelessness in aid of Focus in collaboration with an impressive line-up of great Irish artists. I can make a promise: we will not stop to support this cause until every man, woman and child in Ireland has a roof above their head. Then we’ll organise a major concert to celebrate how great this country is.’
Eoin Kellett, Managing Director, Mondelez Ireland: ‘Cadbury have had a long standing relationship with Focus Ireland and are once again very proud main sponsors of Rock Against Homelessness 2025. This special night makes a huge difference in both raising much needed funds for the charity, and also raising awareness of the work done by Focus Ireland. As a brand with a strong heritage in Irish communities, it is a privilege to be a position to try and give something back. We’d encourage everyone to support this very important cause.’
Celine Gilmer, Director Marketing, Starbucks and Hard Rock Cafe: ‘‘We are proud and honoured to continue our long affiliation with Rock Against Homelessness into 2025. While homeless numbers remain a major issue in Ireland, the thankless work Focus Ireland undertakes has been, and continues to be, absolutely crucial in combating the crisis. Their endeavour and resolve are truly inspirational, and we are privileged to support this most worthy of causes.’
CEO of Arachas Insurance Joey Wynne: ‘Last year, Focus Ireland helped almost 500 families out of homelessness, which highlights the importance of what Focus Ireland does every day, all around the country. As Ireland’s largest nationwide broker, with 16 offices across Ireland, Arachas is proud to increase our support of Rock Against Homelessness in 2025, kicking off with what promises to be a fantastic gig in Dublin in February and subsequently bringing Rock Against Homelessness to other cities in Ireland later in the year, building on the recent success of the Galway event.’
Sponsored by Cadbury and Arachas Insurance – with Starbucks and Hard Rock Café – Rock Against Homelessness in aid of Focus Ireland goes on sale next Wednesday 18th December. Tickets priced €40 are available from www.ticketmaster.ie. Phone and internet bookings are subject to 12.5% charge.
Jerry Fish
Jerry Fish feat. May Kay
Releases ‘Dreaming Of Daniel’
Jerry Fish announces Irish tour from 28 Nov – March 2025
Irish indie legend and musical ringmaster Jerry Fish is releasing his latest single ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Your Grievances’ (download wav), a joyous cover of a Daniel Johnston song in collaboration with singer MayKay (Fight Like Apes) on November 1st. It’s followed by an album of Johnston covers, Dreaming of Daniel, on 15th November.
A long-time fan of Daniel, Jerry has been performing ‘The Story Of An Artist’ for years. When Daniel died in 2019, Fish released ‘True Love Will Find You In The End’. His version caught the attention of Daniel’s manager Tom Gimbel, who asked if Jerry could run ‘Hi, How Are You Day’ in Dublin on January 22nd 2020 (Daniel’s birthday). Jan 22nd is ‘Hi, How Are You Day’ all over the world, a day to celebrate Daniel’s life and legacy and to have open conversations about mental health and wellbeing. Since 2020, Jerry has co-hosted ‘Hi, How Are You Day’ in Dublin with MayKay and pianist/arranger Cian Boylan.
Jerry says, ‘This is my first vinyl record in thirty-four years and my first LP in fifteen years. A labour of love, five years in the making. I am very proud of it. It’s a record full of amazingly talented musicians, a fourteen-piece orchestra, a three-piece brass section, backing vocals from some of the best vocal talent in Ireland, praising one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Not alone is his lyrical wit and honesty an inspiration to me and a multitude of artists the world over, we also have so much fun performing his songs live. The album Dreaming of Daniel captures the joy we experience on stage performing Daniel’s songs.’
‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Your Grievances’ certainly conveys that sense of joy. With poignant lyrics instructing the listener to ‘do yourself a favour, become your own saviour’, Jerry and Maykay share the vocals backed by a full band and a bright brass accompaniment. The song was originally contained on the fifth self-released music cassette album by Daniel Johnston, recorded over the summer 1983.
Fans of Jerry Fish and Daniel Johnston alike will be delighted to beat the January blues by going to the ‘Hi, How Are You Day’ celebrations on 26th January 2025 in The Grand Social in Dublin where Jerry will be showcasing more of the music from Dreaming of Daniel.
Tracklisting;
- The Story Of An Artist
- Peek A Boo
- Living Life
- The Sun Goes Down On Me
- Some Things Last A Long Time
- Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Your Grievances
- Devil Town
- Ain’t No Woman Gonna Make A George Jones Outta Me
- It’s Impossible
- Man Obsessed
- Sorry Entertainer
- True Love Will Find You In The End
Record Shop PAs:
Fri. 15 Nov Golden Discs Central Plaza 4pm
Sat. 16 Nov Billy Byrnes Kilkenny with Rollercoaster Records 6pm
Sun. 17 Nov Music Zone Cork 4pm
Sun. 17 Nov Coughlans Cork 7pm
Thurs. 21 Nov SpinDizzy Dublin 6pm
See Jerry Fish live;
Thurs. 28 Nov Button Factory, Dublin Show 8pm / Tickets €28
Sat. 14 Dec Purty Kitchen, Dun Laoghaire Show 8pm / Tickets €25
Sat. 21 Dec Whale Theatre, Greystones Show 8pm / Tickets €32
Fri. 10 Jan Dunmaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise Show 8pm / Tickets €30/28
Sat. 11 Jan Balina Arts Centre, Ballina Show 8pm / Tickets €30
Sat. 25 Jan Crescent Concert Hall, Drogheda Show 8pm / Tickets €25
Sun 26 Jan Grand Social, Dublin ‘Hi, How Are you Day’ Daniel Johnson
Fri. 31 Jan Dolans, Limerick Show 8pm /Tickets €25
Fri. 7 Feb Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge
Fri 14 Feb The Dock Arts Centre, Carrick On Shannon Show 8pm / Tickets €25
Sat. 22 Feb St. Lukes, Cork
Fri. 7 March Roisin Dubh, Galway Show 8.30pm / Tickets €23
Ciaran Lavery
Releases ‘We’re Looking For A Hit’ feat. Joshua Burnside
from his new album Light Entertainment out this Fri. 15 Nov
Plays The Lyric Theatre, Belfast on Thursday 14th Nov.
Acclaimed Northern Irish singer-songwriter Ciaran Lavery shares his searing and sardonic new single, ‘We’re Looking For A Hit’ (download WAV) featuring vocals from fellow Belfast-based singer-songwriter Joshua Burnside. Taken from his stunning new album Light Entertainment, out this Friday 15 Nov.
“The track deals with my personal history and feelings about working within the music industry,” Lavery says. “Through all of the trials, tribulations, successes and setbacks, it ultimately comes down to one thing “we’re looking for a hit”. It also looks at issues of self-worth and trying to find ones place in an often brutal and callous world.”
Light Entertainment is Lavery’s fifth studio album, and first since 2020’s lauded Plz Stay, bb, it is his most multi-layered, intriguing record yet. Featuring his trademark wit, he invites listeners into a world that is strange and fraught, and one not for the faint of heart. As Lavery explains, it is an “apocalypse record”, into which he has poured all of the paranoia, deceit, conflict and desperation that crashes like a tidal wave across our lives. The album has already received praise from BBC Radio, The Irish Sunday Times, Hot Press, The Thin Air and more.
Light Entertainment has also been made into an astonishing short film – directed by Shaun Doogan and Ciarán McCann at Re-Act Productions, which follows Lavery through a sequence of increasingly surreal scenarios inspired by classic film noir and Noughties indie movies, it even features Irish national treasure Daniel O’Donnell, playing a phantasmagorical version of himself. The film represents what Lavery encapsulates on the album: how a constant deluge of information (and misinformation), news, social media, images, video and entertainment leaves us in a perpetually overwhelmed state.
Across the 11 tracks on Light Entertainment, recorded with friends Danny Ball and Dan B-M, Lavery captures a distinct and authentic sly wit that subverts the self-declared “apocalypse album” tag, keeping it from becoming bogged down in its own gloom. Lavery addresses questions of faith, history and divisions in album singles such as ‘Oh My God (No, Your God) (featuring Morgana)’, while ‘Everything Considered’ reflects on the repeat behaviours we turn to as a coping mechanism to numb our feelings of helplessness.
The album closes with the anthemic ‘The World Will Put Its Arms Around You’, propelling the listener back to the surface, leaving with a message of defiance and hope. No matter how the world you see around you differs from the one you dreamt of. “Hope”, he says, “is just about the only thing we have that persists.”
Ciaran Lavery is an award-winning, singer-songwriter and musician who has released multiple acclaimed albums and amassed more than 150 million streams to date. Lavery’s music has been nominated four times at the NI Music Prize, winning album of the year in 2016. He’s been the subject of praise from the BBC, The Telegraph, The Independent, CLASH, Hot Press, and more over the years.
Live Dates:
14th Nov – Belfast, UK @ The Lyric Theatre [tickets]
20th Nov – London, UK @ The Green Room [tickets]
22nd Nov – Amsterdam, NL @ Torpedo Theatre [tickets]
THE CORONAS
THE CORONAS
Offer up condolences to Sabrina Carpenter for taking her No 1 slot!‘The superior quality of the songwriting is what matters most here.’ – Album of The Week, Irish Mail on Sunday
‘It’s jam-packed with rugged songs, straight-from-the-heart conviction and true-life emotion, all woven together superbly by producer George Murphy.’ – 8/10 Hot Press
Today The Coronas celebrate the rare feat of four number ones in a row, with their eighth studio album Thoughts & Observations soaring to the top of the Irish album charts one week after its release. An achievement not accomplished by many bands, the hard-working trio are ecstatic at the news and want to send a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to all their loyal fans.
“We’d like to send our condolences to Sabrina Carpenter. For the last 5 weeks her album has been number one in 250 countries but today Ms Carpenter is waking up to the news that this week it’s only 249. The people of Ireland have spoken Sabrina, and, for one week only, they’ve chosen 3 hairy, 30-something year-old indie-rockers from Terenure to take the mantle!
In all seriousness, this is really cool, thanks to everyone who got the album and a special thank you to our manager Jim and all the Coronas family for all their hard work” Danny, Knoxy & Conor.
Written in Dingle, County Kerry and recorded in Eastcote Studios in London, Thoughts & Observations is a powerful, melodic record which takes an incisive look at life, relationships and art. Although technically a three-piece, with Danny O’Reilly on vocals, piano and guitar, Graham Knox on bass and Conor Egan on drums, the band embraced the talents of their touring supergroup on this album with Lar Kaye (All Tvvins) on guitar, Cian MacSweeney (True Tides) on saxophone and Roisin O on backing vocals. Produced by Grammy award-winning, long-time collaborator, George Murphy (Mumford and Sons, The Specials, Ellie Goulding) Thoughts & Observations is at times anthemic, at times delicate, but always authentic and full of emotion.
Since the album’s release, it has garnered a huge response from fans at the mini-tour of launch shows they have undertaken in partnership with Golden Discs. From Dublin to Wexford, via Kilkenny, Limerick, Galway and Cork, the reaction to the new material has been amazing.
The Coronas are heading back to US and Australia before they return to play five sold-out shows in December in the 3Olympia, a firm tradition on Coronas fans’ Christmas calendars. If you’re lucky enough you might catch them in the INEC in Killarney on 28 December; the perfect way to finish off the year.
See The Coronas live:
Wed. 13 Nov Gramercy Theatre, New York
Thurs. 14 Nov Brighton Music Hall, Boston
Thurs. 21 Nov Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne
Fri. 22 Nov Selina’s Sydney
Sat. 23 Nov Magnet House, Perth
12, 13, 14, 15 & 17 Dec 3Olympia, Dublin – *SOLD OUT*
Sat. 28 Dec INEC, Killarney Kerry
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