Steve Ryan is a songwriter, guitar player and educator. A founding member of Giveamanakick and currently of Windings, Steve has also collaborated with the Rusangano Family, Denise Chaila and Naive Ted among many others. Steve is currently Course Director of the MA Songwriting in the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick.
the next new low
everything is nearly always falling apart when the next new low play, but somehow the well-crafted songs save us and we all leave with a comfortable glow.
the next new low refers to the journey from a terminal diagnosis to its inevitable end. alot of the songs directly reference this journey and its aftermath but don’t be misled, the music is a celebration of life, with humor, pathos and wit abound.
the next new low have been busy recording in 2024 and played National Concert Hall as part of the Metronome series and appear on RTE’s Music from Ireland series.
“They’ve got the precision of Vulfpeck, the coolness of Parliament and the energy of James Brown” HotPress Magazine
Grooveline: one of Ireland’s most dynamic and exciting upcoming bands. The 6 piece style bending band rooted in funk blend (High energy Funk, Groove, hip-hop, Rock ,Jazz and trad) to make a completely refreshing sound that is “unlike anything in the Irish music scene “ (Rua media)
This captivating sound comes together with their raw and explosive energy to create an “exhilarating live show” (HotPress) and with the ability to “encapsulate the crowd into an immersive bubble of ultimate fun” (TradFest).
Grooveline are becoming one Dublins most electric and saught after acts. Since December 2022 they have sold out headline shows in Whelans, the workman’s club and the Róisín dubh, the Grand Social, Supported Kíla in the National Stadium. Won Dublin battle of the bands, played at Whelans Ones to watch and played at the St Patrick’s day Festival Dublin, went on a festival tour around Ireland and headlined Dublin culture night in temple bar.
Search Results are a three-piece alternative rock band based in Dublin. Fionn, Jack and Adam formed Search Results after moving to Dublin in 2019. They bonded over their love for punk, garage rock and folk, emulating the energy of bands such as Parquet Courts and The Velvet Underground. ‘Information Blip’, the band’s debut album, was released to streaming and vinyl in September ‘23 in partnership with ‘Blowtorch Records’.
Infatuating live energy on stage has delivered sold out local headline shows and support slots with Sweeping Promises (US), Haru Nemuri (JPN), Jeffrey Lewis (US) and Pissed Jeans (US). In January of this year, they played their first UK dates supporting Lawn Chair (DE) in the Windmill Brixton, and returned in March for their first London headline show in the Shacklewell Arms (@badvibesuk)
Recently included in ‘Protomartyr’s Joe Casey tells us about his Top 11 Albums of 2023’ on Brooklyn Vegan – Joe says ‘Search Results demand your attention. What I hear is a great band untethered to specific genre chains, which in this time of mood playlists and the like, is a wonderful thing.’
‘Each member tilts on their own axis, yet share in a singular language that embodies the indie rock ideal at its very best’ – Stevie Lennox, The Thin Air.
Sam Clague (guitar), Ultan Lavery (organ) and Jim Christy (drums) explore some classic organ trio repertoire and a selection of jazz, blues and boogaloo tunes from a funkier time.
Chris, a Clonakilty native who has emigrated to the UK, has been floating around the music scene for 18 years, gracing many pubs in Clonakilty from DeBarras to Faheys and everywhere in between.
Inspired by folk styles, Chris plays a mix of acoustic style covers and originals.
On his return to the Clonakilty stage after a long hiatus, he is extremely excited to play an acoustic set at the Clonakilty Community Resource Centre.
27-year old blues guitarist and singer-songwriter Aaron O’Sullivan has sailed down numerous musical rivers since playing in Debarras Folk Club every friday night from just fifteen years old. Since returning from shows in the U.S back in 2018, Aaron has been extremely busy, from sharing the stage with Eric Bell (Thin Lizzy), supporting James Arthur (X Factor Winner) Cory Wong & Ariel Posen (Vulfpeck/Bros Landreth) to producing bands and artists in The Lab Studios, Cork city, studying an MA in Jazz in MTU with saxophonist Karl Rooney (The Commitments, The Four Tops), touring with Kellie Lewis (Runner Up, The Voice 2014) & playing guitar with artists such as Blaskets/Happy Alone, Stephanie Rainey & Jennifer Lyons. Aaron’s stage presence, swift guitar playing, sharp vocals & sophisticated writing style are all presented in his live performances. Formerly under the pseudonym Jordan Run, Aaron has decided to take his music solo, accompanied by an incredible rhythm section. This show is not one to be missed.
Monastic refugees on rocking rampage.
Look Out!
Multi-instrumentalist Rawney (Ciarán Calnan) is an independent artist hailing
from Clonakilty in West Cork. His blend of rock, indie, folk and pop has drawn
comparisons to The Frames, Mic Christopher, Incubus, Foo Fighters and
Stereophonics, among others.
Renowned for his powerful vocals and energetic live performances, he has
honed his craft over the past decade by performing hundreds of gigs in Ireland,
UK, Australia, Canada, USA, Vietnam and Spain.
Music is in the blood. Son of the late Billy, drummer of popular showband The
Calnan Brothers, it’s no surprise that Rawney has continued that legacy.
Having played in various bands from the age of 12, most notably Setmaker, he
has been focusing on solo endeavours of late and his debut EP, Say It Loud, was
released in July ‘22.
The past two years has seen Rawney release his debut EP ‘Say It Loud’ and tour
the country, performing in top venues including DeBarra’s Clonakilty, Little
Whelan’s Dublin, Coughlan’s and Winthrop Avenue in Cork, Connolly’s of Leap,
Levis’ Ballydehob, Monroe’s Galway, Spirit Store Dundalk and The Green Room
in Dingle. There have also been support slots with the likes of Mick Flannery,
Susan O’Neill and Pauline Scanlon amongst others.
His songs have been been played on radio stations nationwide, including 2FM,
Ireland’s Classic Hits, Cork’s RedFM, Cork’s 96 FM, KCLR FM, WLR FM, LCR FM,
along with other local community and online stations.
His debut single Say It Loud won The Cork Playlist Song of the Month for June
‘22.
In February ‘23, as part of Hotpress Irish Music Month, Rawney was announced
as a finalist with Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio in the ‘A New Local Hero’
competition, which gained national coverage.
Rawney is currently in the process of recording, with new releases and gigs
planned for the coming months, including a slot at Clonakilty International
Guitar Festival which runs from 19-23 September.
Check out @rawneymusic on the usual social media platforms to stay up to
date.
Gamelan is the rich and ancient musical traditional of Indonesia using bronze gongs, xylophones, metallophones and other tuned percussion to create a shimmering texture and powerful resonance. It is a mesmerising sonic experience and west Cork is lucky to house the only Irish gamelan outside of a university city. These unique (no two sets are alike) hand-forged instruments are equally impressive visually, as they are intricately carved and brightly coloured. The listener will hear repertoire from the court tradition of the city of Surakarta, central Java, mixed with arrangements of Irish music, and new compositions.
For this concert at CIGF, musical director Kevin McNally will feature on a specially-designed fretless guitar in order to better match the unique tuning of the gamelan
Gamelan Spréacha Geala (Bright Sparks Gamelan) are a non-professional, community music group based in Skibbereen, new members are always welcome. It is part of the Wellbeing Network and supported by Cork ETB, Music Alive, Skibbereen Family Resource Centre and Cork Mental Health Services.