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).
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).
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.
The Vespertine Quintet is a collection of musicians from West Cork, comprising the traditional string quartet and piano with added electronic sounds.
Made up of 5 West Cork musicians (including 2 composing members), the quintet was born last winter as an idea by violinist Justin Grounds to gather some friends and play some sparse and wintery minimalist music by Icelandic composer Olafur Arnalds and Estonian Arvo Pärt. They put on a series of house concerts, gathering friends in houses in West Cork, sharing warm food and wine and playing their program. Word soon got out and the quintet were invited to play to a sold out audiences at Glebe Gardens, Lissard House for the Skibereen Arts Festival, and most recently at the Ballydehob Arts Festival.
In July they hosted a unique concert in De Barra’s, collaborating with acclaimed composer Clodagh Simonds of Fovea Hex, melding their soulful live strings and piano in new arrangements of her pieces.
From this show followed a DeBarra’s Winter Residency that saw the Quintet perform SOLD OUT shows with the following artists: Farewell J.R., Liam O Maonlaoi (the Hothouse Flowers), Adrian Crowley & Camille Grieshal.
“They’re a five-piece from Cork, and they make damn good tunes”
– Dan Hegarty, 2FM
Transmission Club are a five piece indie band from Cork, Ireland. Transmission Club’s diverse sonic palette combines elements of indie, folk and grunge, textured with harmonium, violin, keyboards, guitars, drum machines and loops.
Recording takes place in bedrooms and living rooms around Ireland, allowing for songs to be captured on the spur of the moment – sometimes freshly-written – and giving the music a raw, untrammelled feel.
In late 2015, Transmission Club released Salt, an E.P collection of demos. Salt gained airplay from the likes of Dan Hegarty, 2fm and Paul McLoone, Today fm. Salt was also voted no.1 in The Last Mixed Tape’s Reader’s E.P of the Year 2015 Poll.
“Salt works as a solid introduction into Transmission Club’s music,” said TLMT, “but the most exciting aspect is how this sound expands in the future.”
Salt was again recently nominated for E.P of the Year 2016 by Pure M. The band are currently beginning to record their follow up to Salt and hope to release it at the end of the year.
Having previously drummed for Robbie Williams on the Life Thru a Lens album and tours, Barnard joined Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros after Ged Lynch left. Barnard drummed on the “Forbidden City” track of the Rock Art and the X-Ray Style album.
Following the Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros debut gig at the Sheffield Leadmill on 5 June 1999 The Mescaleros toured extensively throughout the UK, Europe, Canada, US and Japan for the next six months. Further tours followed in early 2000 that included Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. The final night of a ten-date British tour supporting The Who, at Wembley Arena in November 2000, proved to be his last for The Mescaleros.
In 2001, along with Johnny Wilks, formed one*iota, who later became King Louis. Barnard drummed for The Mock Turtles on their return to the charts in 2003 and is currently drumming for Archive, who though relatively unknown in Britain are reaching massive proportions on mainland Europe.
In 2009 Smiley joined fellow Mescaleros Pablo Cook, who together with Mike Peters (The Alarm), Derek Forbes (Simple Minds) and Steve Harris (Archive/Gary Numan) formed Los Mondo Bongo, and have toured the UK, Canada and elsewhere celebrating the music of Joe Strummer.
In 2010 Smiley replaced Steve Grantley (Stiff Little Fingers) as the drummer in the The Alarm. He drummed on the latest Alarm album, The Sound and The Fury.
In 2013 Smiley played alongside original The Jam member Bruce Foxton when he took over drums from Mark Brzezicki in From The Jam.