Thursday 26 October 2017

BAG Gigs - November 2017


Four more great acts this month - top independent singer/songwriters from home and abroad. For all gigs, doors open at 8:30pm; Admission is €12.

Monday, November 6th - Brendan O'Shea & Jenna Nicholls (IRL & USA)



Originally from Killarney, singer-songwriter Brendan O’Shea moved to the United States in the late 90’s. Since then, he has become a veteran of New York City’s songwriter scene and released three albums which have garnered praise from critics and press around the world.

Brendan’s singing can also be heard in such films as Ron Howard’s Academy Award nominated film Backdraft and in the wildly successful Karen Gehres documentary Begging Naked. His songs are also featured on ABC’s docudrama Boston Med.

Brendan has shared stages with The Frames, The Swell Season, Glen Hansard, Cowboy Junkies, Elliott Smith, Loudan Wainright, and Interpol as well as other innovative contemporaries. In addition to headlining his own shows in both the United States and Europe, he has embarked on four tours of Japan with the Trinity Dance Troupe and is currently collaborating with Colin Dunne and Mike Kirkpatrick on new works for the company.

Brendan released his fourth studio album, entitled 'Mid-atlantic Ghost' in December 2016

http://www.brendanoshea.com
Videos and sounds: https://brendanoshea.com/listen/

PRESS QUOTES

A fine unpretentious album… The song Southryn Sky is a jazz infected ballad of the kind Randy Newman might record.
Hot Press mag IRL 2017

Midatlantic Ghost has a slow burning intensity, never skimps on intimacy and has immediate appeal… This is one for people who love well crafted songs and are serious about truly great songwriting.
Dan Neely  – Irish Echo, NY – 2017

Jenna Nicholls is a native of a Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, but calls NYC her home. She has toured all over the world and performed with a variety of well known and talented artists such as Oscar winner Glen Hansard, Amanda Palmer, Lucius, Angela McClusky (Telepop) Rob Moose, Thomas Bartlett (BonIver /Doveman), Nouvelle Vague and many others. Her music has been featured in film and television. She's toured and released 2 full albums: "Curled Up Toes in Red Mary Janes" and "The Blooming Hour".

https://jennanicholls.wordpress.com/
Videos: https://jennanicholls.wordpress.com/video/

Monday, November 11th - Eugene Brosnan (IRL)

http://www.eugenebrosnan.com/


Too quiet for too long on the live scene, Corkman, Eugene Brosnan is back on the road, and its a pleasure to welcome him back to Mick Murphy's for his first headlining BAG show in many's the year.
Like fellow Corkman, Freddie White, Eugene Brosnan is a rare animal - a performer who is both a gifted lyrical songwriter, and a master of interpreting songs by other songwriters.
With a hat-full of new songs, he's back touring again, and I'm really looking forward to hearing the new material; past experience assures me it'll be of the highest quality.
Albums, 'Frames of Mind' (2000) and, later, 'Solid Ground' - where songs from Dylan, Warren Zevon and Springsteen sit alongside some of his own compositions and do not feel out of place among, "the headless Thompson gunners" and "the ghosts of poets and hoboes" that inhabit the soundscape of this very real and atmospheric recording - remain firm favourites of mine.

"SOLID GROUND shows off Brosnan's exquisite vocals, a timeless piece of Irish acoustic folk"
(Colm O'Hare, Hotpress, EIGHT/TEN)

"Brosnan's strength lies in his songwriting, a succinct and canny storyteller"
(Siobhan Long, The Irish Times)

Videos:
'Share of The Blame' - https://youtu.be/Xn410f9n17E
'Spring Wind' - Greg Brown cover - https://youtu.be/oPm68cnopvY

Monday, November 20th - Melissa Greener (USA)

www.melissagreener.com

Photo: Mark Tucker
"Greener paints superb portraits of the human condition" - Maverick Music Magazine

Whether fronting her folk-rock all-girl-power-trio, duo with drums, or solo-electric, she is at once magnetic, delicate, fierce and tender. Her voice lulls and soothes all the while soaring over the cinematic effects of a sometimes raucous electric hollow-body guitar.  At the root of Greener's expansive sound are her songs which summon their truth from mountain ranges, holy places, deserts, oceans and forests, or the lonely stretch of blacktop from Old Route 66, to the Golden Gate, to the Tappan Zee.   Musically, Greener's influences are as vast as the high desert plains before there were borders, before the west was won.


Born an alien of the Motor City's however alluring cacophony, Greener was first enamored with the jazz vocalists that crooned on the late night WDET radio station in Detroit.  Beside those standard torch balladeers, other early inspirations were the Laurel Canyon and Greenwich Village songwriter scenes of the 1960's and 70's; then later, Texas poet-writers like David Rodriguez, Townes Van Zandt and Lucinda Williams.  Years living in Austin left a permanent mark on Greener - in psyche and in song - so much so that Guy Clark took her under his wing as a co-writer in the last years of his life.  A combined love of modernist poetry, bohemia, and the modal D tuning on her sometimes raucous electric tremolo guitar gives Greener her unique approach.

Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt-ql8zMJWA&list=PLcB_XLaFwE9Lkb2DgPyQgTopPyu-QKEFH

Monday, November 27th - Malojian, with Mark McCausland (N. IRL)

https://malojian.com/

Photo: Colm Laverty
Malojian, or Stevie Scullion, to his friends, is a young singer/songwriter from Lurgan, near Belfast.
He's been making real waves in the past few years, and I'm delighted to present him for his debut BAG appearance on November 27th.
Joining him on the night will be Mark McCausland - better known as one half of The Lost Brothers - to open the show, and back Stevie on guitars and harmony vocals. This will be a real treat of a gig, and is likely to live long in the BAG memory.

Over the last few years, Malojian has released 4 stunning solo albums, along the way collaborating with some musical legends, including Steve Albini, who earned his chops producing Nirvana, The Pixies etc. His latest album - 'Let Your Weirdness Carry You Home' features Joey Waronker (Beck, R.E.M., Atoms For Peace, Roger Waters), Gerry Love (Teenage Fanclub), Jon Thorne (Yorkston/Thorne/Khan, Lamb) and more…But it’s Malojian’s own voice and songs that sets him apart from the crowd. 

“Absolutely love that! If the new album is as good as that track it’s gonna be a masterpiece…a strong element of Beatles ’67…that kind of slightly woozy psychedelia…beautiful…” Ralph McLean, BBC, June ’17

“achingly beautiful” Q Magazine

“the North’s best songwriter over the last half decade” Hot Press Magazine 


“I really and truly believe we’ve unearthed a star here and I can’t urge you strongly enough to seek out this wonderful album.” Maverick Magazine 

Videos:
The Great Decline - https://youtu.be/K9dDJ8tDL80
Some New Bones - https://youtu.be/O7Rm7ne5SAU
Ambulance Song - https://youtu.be/oG_xKWZSQPo

Friday 20 October 2017

Catfish Keith - LIVE at BAG, Monday, October 23rd

Catfish Keith (USA) - Monday, October 23rd

www.catfishkeith.com

Late update:Just ahead of Catfish Keith's first Irish show on this tour, at BAG on Monday night, he has just received news that the new album he's touring - 'MISSISSIPPI RIVER BLUES' - and two songs on it, are under consideration and on the ballot for the 60th GRAMMY AWARDS in three categories!
Come along to Mick's on Monday night to see and hear why!

World-touring USA acoustic blues pioneer CATFISH KEITH returns to the Ireland for his 25th Anniversary Tour. He brings his highly acclaimed 16th album, MISSISSIPPI RIVER BLUES, and more surprises. 

Catfish Keith plays Ballymore Acoustic Gigs at Mick Murphy's, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare on Monday, Oct 23rd. Doors open at 8:30pm. Admission is €12 at the door. Spread the word, and come along!


Cutting-edge blues singer, songwriter and bottleneck slide guitarist Catfish Keith has established himself as one of the most exciting country blues performers of our time. Catfish's innovative style of foot-stomping, deep delta blues and American roots music has spellbound audiences the world over. He has reinvented the guitar with great power and artistry, and brings a rare beauty and vitality to his music. Handing down the tradition, Catfish continues his lifelong journey as one of the brightest lights in acoustic blues and roots music.  
"Pulling Blues Out of The Sky, Catfish lays down a foot-stomping groove. One of the most exciting guitarists of any genre."    - Acoustic Guitar 

Video: 'Uncle Ned, Don't You Lose Your Head' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3kerv1ok1c

Sunday 15 October 2017

John Spillane - Monday Oct 16th - CANCELLED


Owing to the impending arrival of Tropical Storm Ophelia on Monday and into Monday night, I have spoken with John Spillane, and his Manager, and we have decided that the responsible thing to do is to cancel John's show on Monday night. If the predicted RED/ORANGE Weather Warning transpires, driving conditions are likely to be hazardous, and we do not wish to be the cause of anyone making unnecessary journeys, and putting themselves at risk.
Apologies for any inconvenience caused, but I'm sure all will understand that this is the right thing to do.
It is hoped to reschedule the show for Spring 2018
Thanks.
R.T.

Met Eireann National Forecast
Tomorrow

RED & ORANGE STATUS WARNINGS IN EFFECT. Stormy tomorrow Monday as Ex-Hurricane Ophelia moves up over the country. Gale to storm force southerly winds will occur with severe and damaging gusts - winds strongest along southern counties with the risk of storm surge here, along with very high seas. Structural damage is possible anywhere. Rain will be widespread also, with the heaviest falls likely to occur in Atlantic coastal counties. Localised flooding is possible with thundery falls. The winds will veer southwesterly as the low pressure system tracks northwards over western parts of the country. Highest temperatures will range 15 to 19 degrees Celsius. 

Additional Note: At present, the strongest and most damaging winds are now forecasted to affect Munster and Leinster, particularly the southwest, south and Irish Sea coasts with the heaviest rainfall accumulations in Connacht, west Ulster and west Munster. There are likely to be changes to the warnings which will be updated later this morning, pending the latest up to date guidance. This is an evolving situation and your patience is appreciated.

Outlook

Monday night: Ex-Hurricane Ophelia will continue to track northwards on Monday night, exiting Irish coastal waters before midnight. Rain will gradually become confined to the west Connacht and west Ulster coasts and it will become dry in many parts with clear spells. Strong to gale force and gusty southwesterly winds will gradually abate.