Choice Award winning musician Adrian Crowley joins the Vespertine Quintet for a collaborative performance at this years Clonakilty International Guitar Festvival.
Some Blue Morning’ – 4 stars The Irish Times
Aidan Crowley captures life as insightfully as any contemporary Irish songwriter does. The Galway native has steered a trusty course throughout his career, each album a musical progression yet anchored by that commanding, sonorous voice and reflective, evocative lyric-poems that bind love, life and nature together. Strings play a more prominent role than ever before on his seventh album, elevating the opening title track to an uplifting finale, dancing lithely through The Hungry Grass, galloping through The Angel and punctuating the soft waltz of The Stranger. Spoken word track The Wild Boar is a highlight, but the whole record is a blissful, rich, cinematic soundtrack to autumn and winter that is bracing and snug in all the right places.
Named after a poem about a haunted canal lock, The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock combine elements of the Irish folk tradition with modern experimental rock sounds. They have released two albums to date, 2008’s eponymous debut and 2012’s “The Brutal Here and Now” on Transduction Records.
Spook Guitar Orchestra:
“Lockout” and “Bullet in the Brick” are two new large-scale works by The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock about the 1913 Lockout and the 1916 rising respectively. For these projects the band are joined by an electric guitar orchestra, bringing this unique sound into the world of contemporary Irish traditional music. “Lockout” is a grand departure for the band, bringing an epic volume and scale to their unique blend of contemporary and traditional sounds, and adding a sharper, more political voice which addresses the recent anniversary of the Lockout, and its relevance today.
This september the Clonakilty International Guitar Festival acknowledge the Centenary of 1916 with a performance of a piece written by the critically acclaimed genre defying Trad/prog metal band Spook of the Thirteenth Lock for 16 guitars.
The Spook Guitar Orchestra will perform ‘The Bullet in the Brick’, material based on the story of the 1916 rising comprising 3 parts
1/ A Destroyer on the Liffey – The story of the rising told with a focus on the Helga, the gun boat that bombed Dublin city centre.
2/ The Bullet in the Brick – describing Francis Sheehy Skeffington’s murder by British troops
3/ A Proclamation – elements of the proclamation set to music
In addition to this the Spook Orchestra will perform ‘Lockout’ a 50 minute piece on the 1913 lockout which gives context to the 1916 rising – The rise of socialism in Dublin led by Connolly and Larkin, arising from life in the worst slums of Europe at the time leading to the formation of the Irish Citizen Army, key fighters in the rising and the source of the radical aspirational nature of the proclamation, the parts that ring truest today.
Original White lightning members Jeff Ward & Noel Gilbert Jones return to West Cork with old pal Steve ‘ Smiley’ Barnard (Joe Strummer/Robbie Williams) on drums to hang another Festival scalp around their battle worn rock n roll necks.
Since 1979 Jeff Ward has either played with, recorded or produced: White Lightning, Iron Pig, Mourneblade, Noel Redding, Paul King, & Colin Earl (Mungo Jerry), Vijay Jagtap, Eric Bell (Thin Lizzy), John Coughlan (Status Quo), David Jackson (Van Der Graf Generator), Roy Harper, Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Corky Laing (Mountain), Eric Schenkeman (The Spin Doctors).
“Jeff Ward is better than good, He’s Tasty!” – Noel Redding (the Jimi Hendrix Experience).
George Lowden is one of the world’s most celebrated luthiers, and his guitars are played by the finest players on the planet. The list of Lowden devotees includes Eric Clapton, Pierre Bensusan, Paul Brady, Ed Sheeran, Damien Rice, Alex DeGrassi, Richard Thompson, Mike Oldfield, Nick Harper, Jon Gomm, Bill Shanley and Thomas Leeb. George is an old friend of the festival, having given numerous seminars and workshops over the previous 14 years. As we celebrate our fifteenth year, George is celebrating his forty fifth in the business!
Culture Night is an annual all-island public event that celebrates culture, creativity and the arts. This year, it will take place on Friday 16th September 2016. On Culture Night, arts and cultural organisations and venues of all shapes and sizes, including the National Cultural Institutions, extend their opening hours to allow for increased access to the public. Special and unique events and workshops are specifically programmed at participating locations and everything is available free of charge.
Culture Night has grown from a relatively small scale cultural event staged only in Dublin in 2006 to the significant national cultural event it now is, with some 350,000 people visiting museums, galleries, historic houses, artists’ studios and cultural centres across the country. The initiative has captured both the public imagination and the enthusiasm of artists and cultural organisations.
Culture Night
-Encourages more people to visit cultural venues and experience culture in their locality
-Reminds us all about the fantastic cultural facilities and resources that we have locally and nationally
-Raises the profile of cultural organisations, activities and facilities
-Encourages people to try new things and to get into the habit of going more often to cultural venues and activities in their locality
-Makes it easier for people to play a role in their local cultural scene
-Helps create a sense of community and belonging
Who makes Culture Night happen?
Culture Night happens because many people share a vision and enthusiasm for enjoying, celebrating and promoting creativity and culture. The following list gives a taste of the wide range of people and institutions that make it happen across Ireland:
the public, artists, performing groups, galleries, museums, sports clubs, libraries, arts centres, craft workers, studios and workshops, theatres, public spaces, broadcasters, schools, community groups, local authorities, Government Departments, state agencies and public bodies, transport companies, universities, shops and many more!
Paula Gómez is a Spanish singing sensation.
From Chiclana de la Frontera, Spain, Paula has in the last few years sang and performed throughout the world as well as juggling work as a presenter for Spanish Television Station ONDA TV Chiclana.
Since moving to Clonakilty, Paula has collaborated with many of Irelands finest musicians.
Always one of the gigs of the festival Paula will perform a special show at this years festival with Steven Housden (the Little River Band) -guitar, Ronan Archibald – bass & Martin Leahy (John Spillane, Christy Moore) -drums
“The heart turning voice of Paula Gomez soars like a young Joan Baez” ( IRISH TIMES, July Kathy Sheridan, Sat 26th July 2014).
” The Scene try to find at-least one “diamond in the rough” at each festival that makes its all worth while. Paula Gomez was artist one, on
day one and was surprisingly that”. ( CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK 2014, Scene magazine Toronto, Darryl Shelley).
KINGS OF KUDOS (AU/IRL/UK) Australian Guitar legend Steve Housden (The Little River Band) fronts this pscyhadelic rock juggernaut with Les Samson (Noel Redding Band) on drums and Mike Geaney (Eric Bell Band) on Bass.
West Cork trio Kings Of Kudos bring a powerful blend of progressive rock, jazz-fusion and psychedelic blues to their own genre-defying sound.
Stephen Housden’s guitar style is an eclectic mix of influences that range from instrumental surf music through to complex Jazz riffs with deep bluesy overtones.
Les Sampson’s powerhouse drumming and Mike Geaney’s solid bass lines provide a driving groove underneath the guitar’s sonic flights of fantasy.
Stephen Housden, guitar, vocals and principal writer, toured the world for many years as a member of Little River Band. He has also has played along side many music greats including; Dr. John, Warren Zevon, John Entwistle (The Who), Glen Frey and Albert Lee.
After moving to West Cork from Australia, Stephen regularly played with with Noel Redding (Jimi Hendrix Experience) and his band which included Sampson on drums. Les and Stephen played so well together they eventually decided to form a band to play original music. In 2012 with the addition of Geaney on bass the Kings Of Kudos had arrived.
Kings Of Kudos’ new EP, Third Mode From The Sun, (featuring a guest appearance by Margaret Kennedy on flute) will be released and showcased on September 20th. at this year’s Clonakilty International Guitar Festival.
Stephen Housden is regarded as one of the finest guitarists in the world. Well known as guitarist with Little River Band for more that two decades, he has also played and recorded with such music legends as Warren Zevon, Glenn Frey (The Eagles), Dr. John, Christopher Cross, John Entwistle (The Who), Renee Geyer, P.F Sloan, Albert Lee, Steve Cropper, The Seekers, Noel Redding (The Jimi Hendrix Experience) and many, many others.
Born in Bedfordshire, U.K, Stephen was inspired to play the guitar by watching singing-cowboys on television as a child. After moving to Australia at the age of eight he quickly discovered Rock’n’roll and fell under the magic of such lead guitarists as Hank B. Marvin (The Shadows) and Chuck Berry.
He formed his first band at High School and played coffee houses, school fetes, and parties, all the time honing his craft. Hendrix and jazz great Wes Montgomery became influences as Stephen worked hard on learning as much technique as he could, while also striving to develop his own distinctive style.
That style brought him to the attention of some of Australia’s most successful recording acts and over the coming years Stephen was highly sought after as a band member and recording session player. Some of the stars Stephen worked with during this time were Marcia Hines, John Farnham, James Reyne, Joe Camilleri, Mark Hunter, The Bushwhackers, Doug Ashdown, Brian Cadd, Mark Williams, Doug Parkinson and Richard Clapton.
Stephen also played on various advertising jingles and film soundtracks including the international blockbuster Crocodile Dundee.
In August 1981 Stephen was asked to join one of the world’s most successful acts, Little River Band, as their lead guitarist. Since then he has toured the world many times with them and co-written many of their songs including their Top 5 hit Love Is A Bridge.
Over the years Stephen has conducted music theory and improvisation seminars for guitarists, and written columns for magazines such as Sonics and Australian Musician. He has also toured schools with his highly successful one-man showThe Evolution of Rock Guitar.
A few years ago he recorded his first solo instrumental album New World Groove. The opening track Celtic Warrior has been featured on the TV series Baywatch.
In 1999 Stephen and his family moved to Cork, Ireland. Long inspired by Irish music, Stephen now enjoys the opportunity to play with some of Ireland’s top musicians including a feature on Paddy Keenan’s Long Grazing Acre CD.
Jim Murray is one of the best and most respected accompanists in traditional Irish music.
Hailing from County Cork, Jim has toured and recorded both nationally and internationally with the A to Z of Ireland’s top musicians.
Having a wealth of teaching experience and performing master classes around the world, Jim has now produced his own highly anticipated on-line guitar tutorial focusing on all aspects of accompanying traditional Irish music with a guitar.