• The Whileaways

    THE WHILEAWAYS

    Release ‘Toss The Bobbin’ taken from their new album ‘In All Honesty’ due out 3rd June

    The Whileaways release their latest single ‘Toss the Bobbin’ on April 29th, taken from their forthcoming album which will be released in June. This evocative song tells the story of the eighteenth century lacemaking women of Headford in County Galway, where The Whileaways are based and where Nicola grew up.

    ‘Toss the Bobbin’ imagines the story of four of these women, who survived poverty and famine through bobbin lacemaking, and pieces together the little detail that exists of their lives. It tells of their resilience and the sisterhood that existed between them in the toughest of times as they turned their hands to this intricate work: lace made by the poor and worn only by the rich.

    The Whileaways performed ‘Toss the Bobbin’ with the RTE Concert Orchestra for the Strings Attached series, but have since recorded this beautifully poignant version for their new album.

    The Whileaways are Noelie McDonnell, Noriana Kennedy and Nicola Joyce, three accomplished singers who came to know each other while on the session circuit in Galway in 2012. Since then they have released three critically acclaimed albums, toured all over the world, and been nominated for Best Group and Best Album in the RTÉ Folk Awards. Praise from international press has been heaped upon the band with The Irish Echo calling their sound ‘perfected simplicity’, and Hot Press saying that the trio ‘stake their claim to being among the finest singers in the country’.

    The band are renowned for their live performances, whether that’s touring their own material, or their much-lauded show Bird On The Wire, a collaboration with Pauline Scanlon which featured a ten-piece band including strings, and explored the songs of songwriting icon Leonard Cohen. It was performed to sold-out audiences in Ireland in 2019 and 2021.

    The Whileaways can’t wait to get out on the road in support of their forthcoming album In All Honesty. The band trialled many of the songs at their ‘Live from Home’ online gigs during lockdown. Now they get to do it in person!

    See The Whileaways live;

    Saturday 4 June                      Ballyglunin Railway Station, Tuam Galway

    Friday 17 June                         Campbell’s Tavern, Headford, Galway

    Wednesday 22 June                The Green Room, Dingle, Kerry

    Saturday 25 June                    Town Hall Theatre, Westport, Co. Mayo

    Friday 1 July                           The Workman’s Club, Dublin

    Saturday 2 July                        Duncairn Arts Centre, Belfast

    Thursday 21 July                     Murray’s Hotel, Inishbofin, Co. Galway

    Thursday 8 September           Raheen Woods Hotel, Clonmel World Music Series

    Saturday 17 September          Clifden Arts Festival, Co. Galway

    https://www.thewhileawaysmusic.com/


  • WILDERADO

    Wilderado release ‘HEAD RIGHT’ single & video

    SPECIAL GUESTS ON ALT-J’S MAY 2022 UK & IRELAND TOUR

    “A force to be fully reckoned with” American Songwriter

    “Life-affirming vibrancy” San Francisco Chronicle

    “Wilderado make poetry out of shared sentiments” New Noise Magazine

    Fresh from the release of their eponymous debut album, sold out US headline tour and national TV performance, Tulsa band Wilderado are finally heading over the pond, bringing their infectious brand of alternative rock to UK and Irish audiences during their tour supporting alt-J in May.

    The fast-rising American trio have just completed an entirely sold-out two-month nationwide tour of the US, with current single ‘Head Right’ already breaking into the top 10 US Alternative Radio Chart and earning the band an invitation to perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live! A confident slice of rock ‘n’ roll, ‘Head Right’ builds on what the band does best – combining soaring melodies with lush three-part harmonies.

    Wilderado’s Max Rainer recalls: “Towards the end of 2018 and all throughout 2019 we were constantly on the road. In between tours I was flying to different places, meeting producers, working on songs and trying to figure out what it was we were going to do next. Somewhere in the spring of ’19 we were all in Nashville hanging out with a guy named Angelo talking about how sometimes the best way to ruin a song, life, or anything really, is to take it too seriously. That afternoon we wrote “Head Right.” It was the first time in forever we had written a song, lyrics and everything, all together. We’re happy to share it with you now as it represents a turning point for us as a band, a return to the basics and the feeling of writing music while not caring about much at all“.

    The song is the lead single from the band’s self-titled debut LP which was produced by James McAlister (The National, Sufjan Stevens, Taylor Swift), Chad Copelin (Broncho, LANY) and Angelo Petraglia (Kings of Leon) and has received critical acclaim since release.

    Wilderado have been chosen by alt-J as special guests for their highly anticipated tour of UK and Ireland next month. The tour, Wilderado’s first ever in the UK, kicks off in Glasgow with several sold-out shows throughout Scotland, England, and Ireland. It includes a sold-out show at Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow with a second night added, two at Olympia Theatre in Dublin, and four nights at 02 Academy Brixton in London. A full list of confirmed dates can be found below, with tickets available here.

    Sun 22nd May – Olympia Theatre, Dublin – SOLD-OUT

    Mon 23rd May – Olympia Theatre, Dublin – SOLD-OUT

    Wed 25th May – The Telegraph Building, Belfast

    www.wilderado.co


  • Seba Safe

    Irish Musician Seba Safe Signs To Nettwerk

    Shares Tender Single “Oscars” & Video

    ‘Oscars’ Single Artwork HERE

    The single is available to buy & stream here.

    “Very worth your time and ears.” – The Irish Times

    “I absolutely love everything he’s been doing.” Gemma Bradley, BBC Radio 1

    “…soulfully crafted music that blends elements of pop, jazz and folk together for the perfect mix.” – Hot Press

    1st April 2022 (London, UK) – Nettwerk is excited to announce the signing of up-and-coming Irish singer-songwriter Seba Safe (real name Michael D’Alton)to the label roster, and today he’s shared a poignant new track “Oscars”. It showcases his heartfelt vocals and songwriting, with simple yet melancholy lyrics that give the song a fresh twist. Seba Safe calls “Oscars” a “classic break-up blues buzz” song. “It’s about acting happy when you’re not, so friends and family don’t worry about you. Using happiness as a front. Also, the song questions the authenticity of other people’s happiness.”

    One of the most interesting songwriting talents to emerge from Ireland’s shores in the last year, “Oscars” is his first new material since the success of his debut EP Map Runner and marks a strong label debut for the Galway musician, giving a glimpse on what’s to come.

    About Seba Safe:

    Writing candidly and honestly on personal relationships, love, loss and change, Seba Safe’s

    pertinent lyrics are wrapped in a sound that combines elements of Pop, Folk, Indie and R’n’B seamlessly, establishing himself as one of Ireland’s most promising and emerging songwriting talents out there.

    With an artistic range that saw him collaborate with Æ MAK on “I Dance In The Kitchen”, the track saw heavy radio and DSP support including being named ‘Track Of The Day’ on KEXP.

    Last year saw Seba Safe securing solid DSP editorial support, selling out a second headline show in Dublin’s The Grand Social, and garnering significant airplay support from BBC’s 6 Music, RTE 2FM (including Record of the Week from Tracy Clifford), RTE Radio 1 playlisting amongst many others. With more new music to come, 2022 is set to be another breakthrough year for Seba Safe.

    See Seba Safe when he plays with alt-rock & Irish soul band Rossa Murray & the blowin’ winds.

    12th May                     Ballinadee Bus, Cork

    13th May                     Bello Bar, Dublin

    14th & 15th May          Sunflower Bar, Belfast


  • Ryan McMullan

    Ryan McMullan

    Releases Static’ and announces debut album ‘Redesign’ due September 2022.

    Live at Custom House Square, Belfast on 27 August 2022

    Portaferry singer-songwriter Ryan McMullan releases new single ‘Static’ on 1st April. (LISTEN HERE) A captivating mid-tempo pop tune with a hauntingly rhythmic chorus, ‘Static’ just gets even better with every listen. Ryan explains further, ‘…written in the Scottish Highlands with the incredible Foy Vance, “Static” came from a conversation about finding yourself in something before you’d even come to terms with it. And in turn, coming to terms with it mid-conversation. Ready or not; the heart wants.’

    ‘Static’ is taken from Ryan’s forthcoming debut album Redesign which will be released in September 2022. ‘Static’ was the first song recorded for the album so it’s fitting that it’s the first to be released. The process of recording the album was shown in the documentary Debut which was directed by award-winning filmmaker Brendan J. Byrne and shown last year at Galway Film Fleadh and on the BBC. The film centres around a four-day recording and listening session in Cruit Island, County Donegal at the end of 2019, where Ryan and his team assessed all the songs competing for a place on the album. Threaded through this is the story of Ryan’s nascent career and journey to stardom.

    Ryan will be promoting ‘Static’ and the album with a series of gigs around Ireland, the UK and Europe throughout 2022 and 2023. Having toured with household names including Ed Sheeran and Snow Patrol, Ryan has also sold out the 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin and a string of back-to-back dates in Róisín Dubh in Galway. Ryan’s headlining gig at Custom House Square in Belfast on 27th August 2022 has just gone on sale, and this will be his biggest show to date. Just a taste of the wonderful things to come for this talented songsmith.


  • Artists Against Homelessness

    Artists Against Homelessness, Sun 17 April at 3Olympia, Dublin

    Curated and headlined by Kojaque Feat. Damien Dempsey, Shiv, EFÉ, Curtisy, Ahmed, With Love & Negro Impacto

    in aid of Focus Ireland Sponsored by Cadbury and Arachas Insurance 

    Tickets on sale now…

    The Sunday Independent’s Artists Against Homelessness in aid of Focus Ireland will take place on April 17th at the 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin. Headlined and curated by Kojaque, the gifted Dublin rapper who sang about the issue of homelessness and housing on his 2021 album Town’s Dead, it’s guaranteed to be an inspiring night of wonderful music in aid of a very worthy cause. 

    ‘The issue of homelessness in Ireland is one that simply shouldn’t exist and can be prevented with the right intervention from government,’ Kojaque says. ‘However, it’s not something that I have felt is in the interest of our government, which is why charities like Focus Ireland and events such as this one are so important. They offer hope to those most in need of it.’ 

    Celebrated singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey will also play on the night, as will the incomparable Zimbabwe-born artist Shiv, who has been described by indie bible The Face as having ‘exploded onto the Irish music scene with a warm, soulful sound.’ 

    ‘It is incredibly disheartening to know that with over 8000 homeless people in Ireland, a quarter of whom are children, over 200,000 houses remain vacant in Ireland,’ Shiv says. 

    Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan echoes this: ‘There are still nearly 9,000 people homeless and the sheer number of children and families who are on the verge of homelessness due to the unstable housing sector is appalling. There are 2,500 children who are homeless with their families, and most lost their homes in the rental sector due to rocketing rents, insecurity of tenure and the rising cost of living. Rents have now passed the peak of the Celtic Tiger and when linked to the spiraling cost of living this has left many thousands of families and individuals at a tipping point between home and homelessness. Focus Ireland work hard every day to help prevent people from losing their homes and these services are needed now more than ever.’ 

    Artists Against Homelessness (previously known as Rock Against Homelessness) has been organised for the last eight years by the Sunday Independent’s Barry Egan. This year’s show, which has been booked by Bekah Molony, reflects the diversity of modern Ireland.   

    As well as Shiv, it features the brilliant EFÉ, who Soul Doubt magazine described as ‘an astonishing artist’, plus the wonderful Negro Impacto, the Dundalk RnB duo of vocalist Chi-Chi and producer StrangeLove, who Hot Press magazine said ‘served up some of our musical highlights of 2021 with the release of their debut EP’.

    From Dublin, the hotly tipped rapper Ahmed, With Love. will also take to the famous 3Olympia stage, as will fellow rising star Curtisy. ‘Homelessness is a major issue in our country,’ Curtisy says, ‘we see it every day and I’ve even had family become homeless. It’s great to be a part of something so positive to mark how much Focus Ireland do.’ 

    Tickets are now on sale priced at €30.00 (phone and online bookings are subject to service charge) from www.ticketmaster.ie. 

    www.focusireland.ie 


  • The Coronas

    Release the first single ‘Write Our Own Soundtrack’

    from their 7th studio album due 2022.

    Beloved Dublin band The Coronas are back with a brand-new single, “Write Our Own Soundtrack”. “It was written in the first lockdown,” explains lead singer Danny O’Reilly. “It’s about how a new relationship can give hope and positivity, even if the world is falling apart around you. When everything is suddenly upside down, love and relationships are given a new perspective and traditional ways of getting to know someone are thrown out the window.”

    Like everyone in the events industry, The Coronas have had to overcome several hurdles over the past 18 months. After the disappointment of being forced to cancel a six-month world tour and delaying an album release, the band also had to come to terms with the fact that they may have the most unfortunate band name in the world right now.

    However, when the album was released last summer, thankfully their moniker didn’t seem to bother anyone! True Love Waits topped the charts, outselling Fontaines DC and Taylor Swift on its way to number one, becoming the fastest selling Irish album of 2020.

    Now the band are back with “Write Our Own Soundtrack” and an extensive Irish tour, which takes in seventeen dates around the country. Aptly called the True Love Waited Tour, the band are set to finally play songs from the album live to their ever-growing fanbase. “True Love Waits was written to be played live,” explains O’Reilly. “We’re ridiculously excited to be on the road again and play these songs to full capacity rooms around the country. It’s gonna be emotional.”

    Tickets to The Coronas’ famous Christmas Olympia shows on the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th December sold out in minutes. Disappointed fans who didn’t get tickets won’t have to wait too long, as the band have just announced a huge Dublin show at the Summer Series at Trinity College, on the 1st of July next year.

    This will hopefully coincide with the release of a new album, the band’s seventh. “Write Our Own Soundtrack” is the first taste from this and it’s bound to whet eager appetites.

    thecoronas.net

    Thurs 02 DEC               Big Top, Limerick, SOLDOUT
    Fri 03 DEC                    Big Top, Limerick, SOLDOUT
    Mon 06 DEC                Opera House, Cork, SOLDOUT
    Tue 07 Dec                  Opera House, Cork, TICKETS 

    Thurs 09 DEC               Ulster Hall, Belfast SOLDOUT
    Thurs 16 DEC               3Olympia, Dublin, SOLDOUT

    Fri 17 DEC                    3 Olympia, Dublin, SOLDOUT
    Sat 18 DEC                   3 Olympia, Dublin SOLDOUT
    Sun 19 DEC                  3 Olympia, Dublin SOLDOUT
    Mon 27 DEC                Royal Theatre, Castlebar, TICKETS 
    Tue 28 DEC                  INEC Arena, Killarney, TICKETS       

    Fri 1 July, 2022      Trinity Summer Series, Dublin


  • The Whileaways

    THE WHILEAWAYS

    Release new single ‘The Milking Parlour Bar’

    Taken from their forthcoming album ‘In All Honesty’ due for release in 2022

    The Whileaways are also delighted to announce a very special hometown Christmas show in Town Hall Theatre, Galway on Sat. 11 Dec. Buy Tickets: www.tht.ie

    The Whileaways release their new single ‘The Milking Parlour Bar’ on 8th October, a song about the importance of true friends and the magic nights of music shared. The song showcases a new, fresh sound from The Whileaways while still featuring the band’s trademark rich vocal harmonies – a taste of what’s to come from their forthcoming album ‘In All Honesty’ due for release in Spring 2022.

    Noelie explains the inspiration for the song: ‘It’s been a time when we’ve all missed things that we previously took for granted – singing together, playing together, dancing together, even just being together. This song is a celebration of friendship and the simple joy of being in each other’s company all under one little roof, one blanket of truth, full of music and laughter and joy. And whatever they happened to be serving at The Milking Parlour Bar.’

    The Whileaways are Noelie McDonnell, Noriana Kennedy and Nicola Joyce, three accomplished singers who came to know each other while on the session circuit in Galway in 2012. Since then they have released three critically acclaimed albums, toured all over the world, and been nominated for Best Group and Best Album in the RTÉ Folk Awards. Praise from international press has been heaped upon the band with The Irish Echo calling their sound ‘perfected simplicity’, and Hot Press saying that the trio ‘stake their claim to being among the finest singers in the country’.

    2019 saw the band broaden their repertoire with Bird On The Wire, a collaboration between The Whileaways and Pauline Scanlon. Featuring a ten-piece band including strings, the show is a unique combination of outstanding singers exploring their own interpretations of the wonderfully rich music and words of the icon that is Leonard Cohen. The show has been performed to sold-out audiences at The Pepper Canister Church in Dublin and Belfast’s Empire Music Hall and London’s Union Chapel. The show comes to Dublin’s 3Olympia Theatre on October 30th, and tickets are almost sold out!

    ‘The Milking Parlour Bar’ is taken from the band’s upcoming album In All Honesty, produced by Alex Borwick and Sean Og Graham. Borwick and Og Graham brought a subtle electronica influence to the project which was very much a new direction for the band. The combination of band and producers has resulted in a wonderful marriage of minds and an album that, while still very acoustic sounding, is elevated by more creative studio production.

    The Whileaways will tour for their album launch in spring 2022. The band trialled many of the songs at their ‘Live from Home’ online gigs during lockdown. People tuned in every single week from all over the world: mothers in Galway watching with their daughter in London and their son in New York, Zookeepers in England, people from Alaska to New Zealand. But mostly it was neighbours and friends who couldn’t meet each other in person saying instead ‘See you at the gig’. It became a very special and unique time for the band to connect with their fans. As a result, The Whileaways can’t wait to get out and see these people in person and play their new material from In All Honesty, so they’ve just announced a very special hometown show in Town Hall Theatre in Galway on 11 December.

    www.thewhileaways.com


  • OASIS Knebworth 1996 Unveiled

    Feature Length Knebworth Documentary in Cinemas Worldwide from Thursday, 23rd September

    Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Oasis Live at Knebworth Park

    Tickets on Sale From Tuesday, 10th August

    Sign-up for information at www.oasisknebworth1996.com

    Oasis have today unveiled the title, release date and ticketing details for their eagerly anticipated Knebworth cinematic documentary, Oasis Knebworth 1996. After almost two years without significant live events anywhere in the world, the cinematic release of Oasis Knebworth 1996 on 23rd September will serve as a timely reminder to fans new and old of the euphoria and togetherness that only a great concert can bring. Oasis Knebworth 1996 is the story of the special relationship between Oasis and their fans that made the largest concert of the ‘90’s possible. It is told entirely in the moment through the eyes of the fans who were there, built around extensive, and never before seen archive concert and backstage footage from the event, with additional interviews with the band and concert organisers. Directed by Grammy Award-winner Jake Scott, this is a joyful and at times poignant cinematic celebration of one of the most iconic live concert events of the last 25 years, driven entirely by the music, and the fans’ own experiences of that monumental weekend. Tickets for Oasis Knebworth 1996 will go on sale on Tuesday 10th August, marking the 25 years to the day since the first night of the concerts.

    Oasis’ two record breaking nights at Knebworth took place on 10th & 11th August 1996, with over a quarter of a million young music fans from all over the world converging on Knebworth Park, Hertfordshire to see the legendary sets. Tickets went on sale on 11th May 1996. Queues formed outside local record shops and ticket offices overnight, and fans around the world spent the day on their landline phones trying to get through to constantly engaged booking lines. All tickets sold out in less than 24 hours, breaking every UK box office record in the process. Organisers estimated the band could have sold two or three times as many tickets. Over 2% of the population of the UK had attempted to buy tickets.

    The monumental shows were set against a backdrop of the UK slowly recovering from a decade of recession. Emerging from the ‘80s, the mood of the nation was changing. A cultural resurgence in arts and culture was giving rise to Cool Britannia and, in their meteoric rise, Oasis embodied that new found optimism and swagger. Two short years had taken the band from their council estate in Manchester to becoming one of the biggest bands in the world and for the congregated masses, seeing themselves in the five men on stage in front of them, anything felt possible. Featuring a setlist absolutely packed from beginning to end with stone cold classics, from the opening salvo of ‘Columbia’ and ‘Acquiesce’, all the way to ‘Champagne Supernova’, ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’‘Live Forever’, a triumphant, orchestra backed ‘I Am The Walrus’, and the first song from the 1990s to cross one billion streams on Spotify, ‘Wonderwall,’ the Knebworth concerts were both the pinnacle of the band’s success and the landmark gathering for a generation. 

    The film will be produced by Black Dog Films. Noel Gallagher and Liam Gallagher will serve as executive producers. It will be financed and distributed by Sony Music Entertainment and released theatrically by Trafalgar Releasing.

    Liam Gallagher says “Knebworth for me was the Woodstock of the 90’s. It was all about the music and the people. I can’t remember much about it, but I’ll never forget it. It was Biblical.”

    Noel Gallagher says “I can’t believe we never played Rock ‘n’ Roll Star!”

    Tom Mackay, President, Premium Content, Sony Music Entertainment says, “We are thrilled to be working with RSA Films and Trafalgar Releasing to bring global audiences an incredible cinematic experience around one of Oasis’s most historic concerts.  The premiere of Oasis Knebworth 1996 invites generations of fans who weren’t able to attend this iconic show to experience the lasting energy and impact around Oasis’ performance that truly rocked Knebworth 25 years ago.”

    Trafalgar Releasing’s Marc Allenby says: “The success and continuing legacy of Oasis defined a generation in a way few bands have throughout music history. We are proud to be bringing this celebratory film to cinemas in this special event release, bringing together audiences from all around the world to commemorate the 25th anniversary of these landmark gigs.”


  • Rock Against Homelessness

    Rock Against Homelessness

    in aid of Focus Ireland

    Sponsored by Cadbury and Arachas Insurance

    Independent.ie’s Rock Against Homelessness in aid of Focus Ireland will be a very special streaming event from the Olympia Theatre and Windmill Lane Recording Studios taking place on June 20th at 8pm. Directed by Dave Merriman of Savoy One Films and executive produced by the Sunday Independent’s Barry Egan, it will be a great night of music, but also a night of hope, love and support for Focus Ireland, from Dublin to London, Belfast to New York.

    The incomparable Panti Bliss will serve as main MC, with Laura Whitmore on board to help out. As well as the coolest MCs, Independent.ie’s Rock Against Homelessness will feature the hottest Irish act on the planet right now, Pillow Queens, who have just made their US TV debut with James Corden on CBS’ Late Late Show. They will play their four-song set from Windmill Lane.

    From the Olympia, beloved Dublin legends Christy Dignam and Aslan take the stage, and their extensive set will include a duet with the legendary Gilbert O’Sullivan, and another duet with Paul Walsh/Royseven. They will be followed by performances from Tolü Makay and Wyvern Lingo. Also in the Olympia, Panti Bliss will interview Oscar-winning director Jim Sheridan onstage about homelessness in Ireland.

    Rock Against Homelessness will also feature performances from other venues and other countries. Irish icon Lesley Dowdall performs in Windmill Lane Recording Studios in Ringsend, duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela perform from Mexico, the sensational Ryan McMullan will perform from Belfast, while Ken Griffin (formerly of Rollerskate Skinny) will showcase his new band, The High Leaves, from New York. Blindboy Boatclub will also have a few words to say, filmed from his living room.

    Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan says, ‘Focus Ireland needs to raise nearly 40% of our annual budget through donations so we really need people to support this great event again this year. Rock Against Homelessness raised over €70K last year. These funds were vital to help Focus Ireland support the most vulnerable families and individuals and keep them safe during Covid19. We cannot thank Mediahuis Ireland enough for this incredible support. This is the sixth year of Rock Against Homelessness and it will be a different year as the concert will be streamed online due to Covid restrictions. The show looks great and it will also feature some of the people we have supported, so it is a chance for people buying tickets to the event to really hear how their kind support is helping our work challenging homelessness and changing lives. I’d also really like to say thank you to all the artists for giving their time to support our work.’

    Tickets for the streamed event cost €23 and are available this Sat 29 May from 10am via Ticketmaster. The concert will be available in its entirety to view for 7 days after the event (4pm, 27 June), so attendees can watch it at a time that suits them.

    www.focusireland.ie/Rock21 /


  • The Celtic Social Club

    Release ‘For Real’ on 16th June

    The first single to be taken from their album Dancing or Dying? releasing Autumn 2021.

    Franco-Irish supergroup The Celtic Social Club release their latest single ‘For Real’ on 16th June. ‘For Real’ is a slice of raw optimism with a pop sound, featuring Beatles-esque backing vocals and a blistering violin solo that brings to mind Dexy’s Midnight Runners. ‘For Real’ is taken from the forthcoming release Dancing or Dying, which will be the band’s fourth album, and it’s the perfect accompaniment to warmer days and more positive times.

    ‘For Real’ is a song about vowing to do everything with gusto and doing it properly. It’s about re-assessing and re-affirming life when given another chance to make a go of it. It’s about vowing to yourself that you realise that life is for the living and you need to make each day count.

    The Celtic Social Club made their live debut on 18th July 2014 at the famous Vieilles Charrues Festival in Brittany, France. After some personnel changes their line-up now consists of seven musicians from diverse backgrounds: Manu Masko, Goulven Hamel, Ronan Le Bars, Richard Puaud, Pierre Stephan, Mathieu Pequerau and Dan Donnelly.

    Irish audiences will be familiar with charismatic lead singer Dan Donnelly, who hails from Belfast and was previously well-known for his work with 90s indie band, Watercress.

    Post Watercress, Dan found success as a solo artist, supporting the likes of Damien Dempsey, Duke Special and The Levellers, and releasing two solo albums and one EP. Dan then joined The Wonder Stuff in 2014, co-writing their top 40 album, 30 Goes Around the Sun. Dan has been with The Celtic Social Club since 2018, co-writing their album From Babylon to Avalon in 2019.

    Dan says, ‘Having learned my craft travelling Ireland in a van in the 1990s, I am extremely excited at the idea of finally releasing some music in Ireland again. I keep an eye on the scene on my travels and I love a lot of the new Irish music, like Lankum who we played with in France. I really feel that as an Irish man, my bonding with these Breton musicians has rekindled my love of Celtic music and we have something fresh and unique to offer the Irish music lover.’

    The Celtic Social Club’s music is a modern interpretation of Celtic music from different regions; Brittany, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Galicia, and Asturia. They have brought this unique sound to festivals and venues all over the world, including France, Switzerland, Germany and China. With this new single and album, The Celtic Social Club are exclaiming loud and clear that, when the world gets back to action, they will be ready… ‘For Real’!

    https://www.celticsocialclub.com/