Month: February 2016

The Ground Will Shake release new single “THE STATE” (with b-side “Engine Heart”) March 11th

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The Ground Will Shake

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“THE STATE” (with b-side “Engine Heart”)

Released Friday 11th March 2016

Hailing from Dublin and formed in 2013 The Ground Will Shake are Gavin Healy, Paul O’Connor, Joe Rodgers and Adam Smith. Following a successful appearance at Electric Picnic in 2014 THE GROUND WILL SHAKE entered the studio last year to begin recording their début album. The eponymous titled album was recorded and mixed with the joint production crew of Irish Punk pioneer Pete Holidai and Gavin Glass. The album blends the bands much loved music of the late 1950s and late 1970s with a modern twist to form a queue of infectious earworms armed with killer hooks, riffs, melodies and boundless energy.

The band’s latest single “The State” (with b-side “Engine Heart”) will be release on Friday 11th March, online and in all good record stores.

“The songs are strong, the performances confident. ‘Engine Heart’ combines the propulsive rhythms of The Jam’s ‘Going Underground’ with an infectiously irresistible tune that doesn’t waste any time hanging around” – HOT PRESS 

“The Ground Will Shake is a constructed record. The album’s pop sensibilities shine through and compliment the rockier elements, resulting in an old-school new wave sound that feels natural to both the here and now, and isn’t that what music is really about? Rating: 8/10″- THE LAST MIXED TAPE

 “All the band members are showmen, with lead singer, Paul O’Connor, bringing a refreshingly cocky air to the proceedings. This is what you want from a lead, he is here to entertain you, but he also wants to have the craic. The bass player held his instrument at knee length, I couldn’t take my eyes off it… The crowd really got behind the band, and they were shouting ‘One More Tune’ at the end.”–LIVE REVIEW THE WORKMANS CLUB SEPT 2015 – VANGUARD MAGAZINE 

Links:

www.thegroundwillshake.com

www.facebook.com/TheGroundWillShake

https://soundcloud.com/tgws

www.breakingtunes.com/thegroundwillshake

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AWOLNATION PREMIERES NEW VIDEO ‘WOMAN WOMAN’

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AWOLNATION PREMIERES NEW VIDEO ‘WOMAN WOMAN’

 

February 24, 2016 – AWOLNATION has released the video for their new single ‘WOMAN WOMAN’. The Marc Klasfeld (Foo Fighters, Jay-Z, Red Hot Chili Peppers)-directed clip premiered via The Late Late Show with James Corden this week in advance of the band’s performance on the show last night of which you can see HERE.

Aaron Bruno, the musical architect behind AWOLNATION, worked closely with Klasfeld on a video that exemplified the track’s themes. “I was excited to be able to work with Marc on this” says Bruno. “Right away he understood the song and that I wanted to create something lighthearted, energetic and authentic featuring women in their natural state, and I think that really comes through in the video.” “It’s a celebration” Klasfeld adds about the music video, which was cast with all actual musicians.  “A hymn to all women. We didn’t add any makeup, we didn’t use any big styling elements, obviously we didn’t use any clothes…”

Taken from the album ‘RUN’, ‘WOMAN WOMAN’ follows on from their massive worldwide hit single ‘SAIL’ which is now certified: 10 x Platinum in Norway, 6 x Platinum in USA and Canada, 5 x Platinum in Sweden, 2 x Platinum in Australia and New Zealand, Platinum in Switzerland and Gold in UK, Germany and Austria. The track was also longest-charting song by an independent artist in Billboard Hot 100 history, amassing hundreds of millions of video views and streaming plays online globally.

Since the release of ‘RUN’, the band has played festivals such as the UK’s Reading & Leeds and the US’ Bonaroo, performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan and Late Night with Seth Meyers and they are nominated for the US National Radio Network, iHeartRadio’s Music Award for ‘Alternative Rock Artist of the Year’ alongside Foo Fighters and Muse.

On February 26th, AWOLNATION will join Fall Out Boy on a North American arena tour. The month long string of dates kicks off in Hollywood, FL and runs through March 27th in San Francisco, CA. Many of the dates are already sold-out, including New York City’s Madison Square Garden show on March 4th.

 

www.awolnationmusic.com

www.facebook.com/awolnation

https://twitter.com/awolnation

https://instagram.com/awolnation/

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Damien O’Kane album ‘Areas of High Traffic’, nominated for prestigious award, ‘Best Album’ at 2016 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards

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Best Album NomineesBBC RADIO 2 FOLK AWARDS 2016 – BEST ALBUM NOMINATION

Coleraine man, Damien O’Kane’s album ‘Areas of High Traffic’, nominated for prestigious award, ‘Best Album’ at 2016 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Goes to public vote this week!! Voting is now open and closes February 19th via BBC Radio 2 website.

An immense banjo player, an superbly versatile guitarist, a resonant, hypnotic singer, a naturally inventive arranger, an innovative musical explorer, a producer, a bandleader, a provocatively original interpreter of folk song… and when all the pieces are fitted together with unconditional love, care and attention to detail, the results are spectacular. Evident no more so than on his new album Areas Of High Traffic. It was described by The Telegraph as ‘Folk-Pop that is Irish music for the 21st Century’ and was added the their list of ‘Best Folk Albums of 2015.’

Damien O KaneFive years on from his first solo album Summer Hill, which itself, proved beyond doubt that he’s more than a skillful banjo player and a ‘powerful Irish voice’, and four years since

his award winning banjo and guitar instrumental album The Mystery Inch with guitar maestro David Kosky, his 2015 outing Areas Of High Traffic has significantly eclipsed these with
a generous, rich sonic palette. It is an innovative and a thrilling take on Irish traditional song and music.

As with 2010’s Summer Hill, the songs are largely rooted in his homeland in the north of Ireland but the arrangements are different to anything that has gone before.

They are a melting pot of contemporary influences – folk, jazz, rock and electronica combined with not a trace of gimmickry. Along with his band of superbly talented musicians Cormac Byrne (kit and percussion), Anthony Davis (keys/pads/synths and organs), Steven Iveson (electric guitar) and Steven Byrnes (guitars and percussion), he has created a stunning soundscape which bravely puts a modern coat on the old songs.

Areas Of High Traffic sees O’Kane combine the beloved old with the bracingly new – a fearlessness to augment convention and in doing so, turn out something fresh and new. A confident and bold second solo album, Areas Of High Traffic showcases his originality and abilities as a singer, musician and a producer beautifully. Live, the music is utterly scintillating. R2 magazine said of the band live; ‘…brimming with innovation, energy and skilled musicianship.’

Exciting times lie ahead for O’Kane and his band of merry men. His continued work with the wonderful Barnsley songstress, Kate Rusby along with his own new, thoroughly exciting musical direction, the future promises to see O’Kane’s music and career kicking and screaming into the 21st Century.

Web links:

www.damienokane.co.uk

www.facebook.com/damienokaneofficial

www.twitter.com/DeeOKaneBanjO

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THE SAVAGE FIVE Album: ‘Sleepwalker’ Out March 4th + Dublin show announced

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THE SAVAGE FIVE

Album: Sleepwalker” Out March 4th  

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Gigs Announced:

Wed 2nd Mar Christchurch Cathedral Crypt, Dublin

Sat 5th Mar 12th Annual Nashville Belfast Songwriters Festival, Belfast Empire Music Hall

Prepare to hear the sublime. Introducing the Savage Five: beautiful new music for voice and strings. Charismatic Irish soprano, jazz vocalist and songwriter Suzanne Savage (described as “Ireland’s hidden music hero” (BBC N.I.)) joins forces with a unique contemporary string ensemble from the Netherlands to create songscapes: vocal music where anything is possible.

The brainchild of co-writers Suzanne Savage and NZ cellist Hugo Smit, the Savage Five feature some of the most dynamic string players in Europe; including violinist Lianne Van Den Berg (NL), viola player Rachael Yates (UK) and double bassist Sven Otte (GER) – the double bass extending the register beyond that of the conventional string quartet. These players have performed with stellar ensembles such as the NNO (Noord Nederlands Orkest), Badische Staatskapelle Karlsruhe, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Symphony and Musica Antiqua Köln.

Suzanne cut her teeth touring Europe and U.S. as Priniciple Soprano Soloist with Riverdance. Coming home to Ireland after a scholarship at the Italian FABRICA MUSICA institute, she has made music internationally with the likes of Irish music legends Paul Brady, Elenor McEvoy, Van Morrison; jazz greats such as Jimmy Cobb, the Ernie Watts Quartet and emerging talent such as David Lyttle (UK) and the Matteo Addabbo Organ Trio (IT). Suzanne has performed at SXSW, UK/NY, Electric Picnic, Guinness Cork International Jazz Festival, the Belfast Festival at Queens; been featured artist on TED.com, BBC N.Ireland, with Paul Brady on RTE´s Imelda May Show; with RTE Concert Orchestra and Ulster Orchestra, and was recently Artist of the Month on Balcony TV. In June 2015 Suzanne appeared on the front cover of The Sunday Times as she performed at Dublin city´s new Canalophonic music festival, and a recent video interview for BourbonFM received over 25,000 hits. In 2012 she was awarded the N.Ireland Arts Council SIAP for work on her critically acclaimed independant solo album ´Jellymould.´

Hugo and Suzanne´s co-writing cite musical influences as broad as Cole Porter, Björk and Bartók; the Savage Five have their own sonic world. With humour and pathos they perform their own clear sighted and subversive vision of The Art Song; moving deftly between delicately arranged stillness and full-blooded whirling dervish. Add to this unmistakable influence of Irish music; Suzanne´s lyrics speak of the landscape, of standing stones, love, war, falling… and quite fancying strangers.

The Savage Five are an exciting new voice in contemporary music – Don´t miss the opportunity of catching this truly memorable ensemble on their first Irish tour this Spring. The Savage Five, featured artists of the North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra’s chamber music series last year, are to embark on their first Irish Tour in March 2016. Having recently recorded their evocative debut album “Sleepwalking,” they bring their unique sound to our shores with concerts in Dublin´s St. Stephen Green Unitarian Church Wed 2nd March and Sat 5th March at Belfast´s Empire Music Hall at the Belnash Songwriters Festival, and later in the evening at the Oh Yeah Music Centre for the Women´s Work Festival Showcase.

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