Jeff Finlin/Peter Bruntnell/Clive Barnes - Monday, November 21, 2016

On Monday, November 21st, an incredible lineup representing three corners of the globe will perform in Mick Murphy's, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare. That lineup is: Jeff Finlin (USA), Peter Bruntnell(UK), and Clive Barnes(IRL). Doors open at 8:30pm. Admission is €12

Jeff Finlin and Peter Bruntnell are two songwriters at the very top of their game, and two of the best out there; Clive Barnes, as well as being a fine songwriter in his own right, has established himself as one of the most sought after guitar sidemen, and has toured the world in that capacity over recent years with many international acts, including both Finlin and Bruntnell.

Of Jeff Finlin, Peter Cooper of the Nashville Tennessean - “Some folks come to Nashville, amble over to Music Row and look for a cookie-cutter solution. Hand Jeff Finlin a cookie cutter, and he’s liable to melt it down and then forge it into something sharper and more dangerous.”

"Finlin writes with the minimalist grit of Sam Shepard and Raymond Carver. Tune in and you will hear an illusive magic!" - Dave Hoekstra-Chicogo Sun Times

Website: http://www.jefffinlin.com/

Video: 'I Killed Myself Last Night' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdP1hWDTAJ0

Of Peter Bruntnell, MOJO said: "Bruntnell has a remarkable knack for turning out big, dreamy, melodic, memorable songs".

"His songs should be taught in schools" - NME

Website: http://peterbruntnell.net/

Video: 'Mr. Sunshine' - https://youtu.be/BMo7ckUQInk

Of Clive Barnes, Harry Guiren, RTE, said: "Clive is a guitarist who can make one acoustic sound like six. Barnes transported the entire, hushed venue across the Atlantic to where the paths taken by the Delta Blues, Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen all led to his own special territory."

Exuding a throat catching melancholy, and romantic and bleak in turns, it sounds like an album
made for all eternity. Hotpress **** 4/5 (Review of 'The Ghost Country')

Website: http://www.clivebarnesmusic.com/

Video: 'Crossroad Blues' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O95Qd66QcaE

The Remedy Club (Formerly B & The Honeyboy) - Monday, November 7th, 2016

http://www.theremedyclub.ie/home

Back in April of this year B & The Honeyboy played their BAG debut, and went down a storm! Now they're back, re-named as The Remedy Club, and with a hat-ful of new material, from their forthcoming third album. This high energy duo is not to be missed, and they return to play BAG at Mick Murphy's Bar, Ballymore Eustace, on Monday, November 7th. Doors open at 8:30pm. Admission is €12

The Remedy Club are a harmony-heavy alternative country folk duo from Wexford and Dublin, composed of Aileen Mythen and Kj McEvoy.  Formed in 2006 under the previous name of “B & The Honeyboy’ they released & toured their first two albums throughout Ireland & Europe playing festivals such as Electric Picnic, Westport, Longitude & Sligo Live.  Following a relaunch under the new name - The Remedy Club - they are soon to release their new album ‘Lovers, Legends and Lost Causes’.  This album sees them working with musician/producer Ian Doyle and a collection of other exceptional musicians including Lorcan and Cillian Byrne from Basciville.  Their new album combines threads of country, folk, soul and blues. The marriage of delicious harmonies, raw guitar sounds & honest, mature songwriting create a vintage Americana sound that is fresh and authentic.

The new material, as its' title suggests deals with themes of love, in the tracks, ‘Last Song’, ‘I miss you’ & ‘This is love’, legends in the songs ‘Django’ (inspired by Blues/Jazz musician – Django Rynhart), ‘Listening to Hank Williams’ – a homage to the country legend and ‘When Tom Waits up’ – a song inspired by Tom Waits, conjuring up an atmospheric, smokehouse feeling.  Other songs like ‘Get away with it’ and ‘Bottom of the hill’ relate to the final part of the title ‘Lost Causes’, where the material further amplifies the honest and raw nature of the album.

''The Remedy Club delivered a set that displayed their delicious harmonies, McEvoy's nimble guitar playing and a marriage of folk and country with a hint of the blues. As a devout sceptic I never realised that going to church would be so rewarding''.   ( Jackie Hayden)

Videos - and I recommend you watch 'em all!

'Now and Then' - https://youtu.be/3g2RV4Mqv2g
'Image on My Retina' - https://youtu.be/OUPQSpkiNeA
'Far Away From Love' - https://youtu.be/pmKONaIYZOg
'I Got You' - https://youtu.be/6sj654qp7IY

GREENSHINE - Monday, October 24th, 2016

"All things come to those who wait", they say. True enough, as it's taken a few years of trying for a gap in the BAG schedule to coincide with Greenshine's availability. So I'm delighted to present the band - for the first time in my tenure - in Mick Murphy's, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare, on Monday, October 24th. Doors open at 8:30pm; showtime 9pm. Admission is €12.

Website: http://greenshinemusic.com/

GREENSHINE is currently touring in support of the brand new album - 'The Girl in The Lavender Dress', and you can listen to the title track here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k8heQg-wVA

GREENSHINE is a family trio comprising Noel Shine, Mary Greene and their daughter Ellie. Their material straddles the boundaries of contemporary, folk and roots and includes many self-penned songs. Their fast picking and close harmonies are a treat to the ear. Noel is a multi-instrumentalist, turning his hand to guitar, bass, mandolin, bouzouki and traditional whistle and this musical dexterity had seen him much in demand as a session and band player by artists as diverse as The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and funk and soul legends The Republic of Loose amongst many others. Mary brings rhythm guitar to the mix and her voice is a wonderfully versatile instrument. She is much in demand for her recording session work and has added her talents to the albums of Christy Moore, John Spillane, Mick Hanly and Frances Black as well as cult psychedelic outfit Dr. Strangely Strange. As a duo, Noel and Mary have released 3 critically acclaimed albums to date ~ The Land You Love the Best (placed no. 3 in The Irish Times Folk albums of the year of its release), Unspoken Lines (described as ‘The heart and soul of folk music, coming from a deeper well…,’ by John Spillane) while Mary’s solo, Sea of Hearts, earned an impressive 8 out of 10 in Hot Press.

Ellie Shine has grown up surrounded by music and has been performing in concerts and festivals since the age of 13 including an appearance with GREENSHINE for President Michael D. Higgins and his wife Sabina at The Abbey Theatre. Despite her tender years, Ellie has featured on 4 recordings to date. She has a huge interest in the songs of the Muskerry Gaeltacht and reached the All-Ireland final of Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann’s under 15 Sean-Nós Singing competition in her debut try-out. She enjoys singing songs of all genres and has a special place in her heart reserved for classic Beatles and country as well as good contemporary songwriting. She accompanies herself on the ukulele.

The music of Greenshine has been covered by several Irish music artists and has been used commercially by Follain Preserves in their ad campaigns, Carrie Crowley in her film Waterway and as signature tunes by several national radio station programmes.

Kelley McRae & Matt Castelein - Monday, October 17, 2016

Having become a true BAG favourite over the past few years, the (by now, annual) return of Kelley McRae and Matt Castelein is always hotly anticipated. That return happens on Monday, October 17th, and will see the pair present songs from their new release, 'The Wayside' (Spoiler alert: its a belter!!).

As usual, doors open at 8:30pm, and Admission is €12

www.kelleymcrae.com

Videos: http://kelleymcrae.com/videos/

Kelley McRae called New York City home for many years, cutting her teeth in the vaunted singer/songwriter scene and honing her craft at legendary clubs like The Living Room, The Rockwood Music Hall and the Bowery Ballroom. In 2011 McRae teamed up with guitarist Matt Castelein, and the duo traded in their Brooklyn apartment for a VW camper van and hit the road full time. Kelley and Matt traveled extensively across America those first few years, performing hundreds of shows and finding inspiration for new songs along the way.

The duo has since gone on to tour in eleven countries, including shows in London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. They’ve taken the stage at renowned venues such as The Bluebird Café in Nashville and The Green Note in London, and they’ve performed at festivals like Riverbend in Chattanooga,TN, Rhythm and Blooms in Knoxville, TN and the Kerrville Folk Festival where they were named New Folk Finalists.

Kelley McRae’s latest release, The Wayside, is a testament to the inspiration inherent in the American landscape, the grief intrinsic to change, and the hope that comes with stepping onto unknown soil. The Wayside, McRae says, “is the place along the side of the road where things get left behind, or where you go to rest awhile, or where you go find something you lost along the way.” McRae’s songs sip life from the tension between holding on and letting go, blooming in their rich search for truths.

Released in April, 2016, The Wayside debuted at #7 on the Euro-Americana charts and hit #4 on the Roots Music Reports Top 50 Contemporary Folk chart. It has continued to impress critics: Penguin Eggs Magazine calls Kelley’s voice ‘hauntingly beautiful, echoing the best of Gillian Welch’ and New York Music Daily calls the duo ‘the real deal.’ Folk Radio UK describes McRae as ‘evocative of the finest moments of Emmylou.’ Mike Penard of Radio France says, “With hundreds of new releases each year, there are maybe ten or twenty magical moments. The Wayside is one of those moments.”

Kevin Montgomery, with Clive Barnes - Monday, October 10th 2016

Kevin Montgomery plays BAG at Mick Murphy's, Ballymore Eustace, on Monday, October 10th, 2016. Doors open at 8:30pm. Admission is €12. Clive Barnes backs him on all things stringed.

Nashville, New York, and Los Angeles all figure prominently into the musical landscapes that singer/songwriter Kevin Montgomery paints with his high lonesome voice and heartfelt lyrics. As the child musical parents - his Dad, Bob, was Buddy Holly's musical partner, and wrote songs like 'Heartbeat', 'Wishing', and 'Misty Blue'; his mother was Elvis Presley's backup singer, and sang on 'Suspicious Minds', 'In The Ghetto', 'Kentucky Rain', 'Everlasting Love' and many others - Montgomery had little choice in the matter of his musicality. With that bloodline, the nature angle is covered pretty well. As for the nurture side, growing up in Nashville set the rootsy Americana sound as the basis of Montgomery's work, while busking in subways adds New York's sly, street-smart sensibilities to the mix. The wide-open, sun-filled skies of Los Angeles top it all off with an optimism and melodicism reminiscent of Jackson Browne.

Montgomery made a strong debut in 1993 with 'Fear Nothing' on A&M Records. It showcased a young talent with obvious potential, earned him slots fronting for labelmate Sheryl Crow and David Crosby, and garnered limited airplay on Triple-A radio. With that foundation, Montgomery bounced around for several years before departing A&M. He got himself onto a number of compilation discs, including the Buddy Holly tribute Not Fade Away where he duets with Mary Chapin Carpenter. Montgomery also took some time to collaborate with folks like Lee Ann Womack, Cindy Alexander, Rodney Crowell, and Anna Wilson. Both Martina McBride and Juice Newton sought out Montgomery's tunes to cover. In 2000, Another Long Story came to light in the U.K. and Europe. A great collection of Montgomery's strongest work yet, it caught Paul McCartney's ear and got Montgomery invited to perform at the former Beatles' annual Buddy Holly birthday event in London. His popularity overseas has been further proven by the numerous television performances and sold-out concerts enjoyed on every visit. To capture the feel of his acoustic European shows, Montgomery recorded Kevin Montgomery Live at Nashville's legendary Bluebird Café in 2001. Also released in 2001 was the EP Paint which features a duet with Trisha Yearwood on the aptly titled "Tennessee Girl." That track was chosen by the BBC as their lead-in to the CMA Awards.

In 2012, Montgomery released 'Some Comfort', and continues to tour the U.S. and Europe regularly.

Video: 'Some Comfort': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ges_fGFaYTw

Clives Barnes needs little introduction to the Ballymore Acoustic Gigs audience; he is, without doubt, one of the finest guitarists to come out of Ireland. A remarkable player of regular guitars, as well as lap, slide, and steel guitars, Barnes has forged himself an international reputation, both as a player, and a singer/songwriter in his own right. He is highly sought after as a 'sideman' adding, as he does, tremendous texture to many artiste's stage sound. From his early days he has performed with some of the finest musicians, the world over. Here he is backing Eric Bibb and Taj Mahal when he was just a youngfella: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gJix03hO2k

Suzanne Jarvie, with Chris Brown and Kate Fenner - Monday, October 3rd.

Suzanne Jarvie & Hugh Christopher Brown - Featuring Kate Fenner - Play BAG at Mick Murphy's, Ballymore Eustace on Monday, October 3rd 2016.

The Canadian multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Hugh Christopher Brown's vast musical relationships run across genres and stem back to his teenage years playing Hammond organ on the road in North America, with his own band and many others.

Brown recently produced David Corley's and Suzanne Jarvie's debut albums, garnering international critical acclaim for both. Two Irish tours with Corley have cut a path he now walks with Suzanne Jarvie and longtime musical partners Kate Fenner.

Canadian Americana singer-songwriter Suzanne Jarvie has been singing and playing music since childhood. A legal career and four children to take care of would be life's focus until the near fatal accident of her eldest son brought forth the writing which became her highly praised debut album, Spiral Road. Produced by Brown, the record is a deeply personal journey of Americana and roots influenced songwriting. Music critics compared Suzanne's "seraphim-pure" (No Depression) vocals and songwriting to Lucinda Williams and Emmy Lou Harris and the record was honored with a 2015 Independent Music Awards nomination in the Best Concept category. Paul Kerr, Americana UK raved “Spiral Road is, simply put, a superior example of singer song writing in the Americana tradition...There are some heart stopping moments…powerful…”

Kate Fenner's voice has been called ' A National Treasure' by the CBC. Her recent works with legendary artist Joan Jonas have given that voice a permanent home in the Whitney Museum of Contemporary Art. Growing up with Brown, the two have a dozen albums between them, and deep musical roots in NYC and Canada. Beyond their own works, they have toured alongside BB King among many others. Fenner and Jarvie first collaborated for a New York show two years ago. Their combined voices proved immediate sisterhood.

The trio will be performing songs from their collective repertoire and debuting music from forthcoming albums.

Doors open at 8:30pm. Admission is €12.

Suzanne Jarvie - 'Spiral Road' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu5al8OBm_Y

For more info:
http://suzannejarvie.com/ 
http://www.chrisbrownmusic.com

THE GREAT TRADE - Monday, Sept. 26th, 2016

Peter Doran has played BAG solo, on at least three occasions. A man of many talents, and musical manifestations, he returns to Mick  Murphy's on Monday, Sept. 26 - this time in the company of Brian Murphy, to bring us his latest project, The Great Trade. Who better to tell us all about it than Peter himself ( (c) www.peterdoran.com/blog ):

"Introducing “The Great Trade”

 For the past couple of years, in fits and starts, with great bursts of creativity quickly followed by long periods of distraction or working on other things, songs have been coming together for a new project called The Great Trade. These songs have been co-written with my friend Brian Murphy, a fellow Mullingar native who has contributed electric guitar and lap steel on my last two records.

The first beginnings of this project came when we were on tour in the UK and Holland in 2013. We were both looking for a way to play some shows outside of Ireland and somehow this tour came together. The entire tour lasted about three weeks I think and in that time we spent a lot of time together in vans, trains, hotel rooms, back stage areas and coffee shops. So much of being on tour involves waiting. You’re always waiting for the show to start it seems. Hurry up and wait. We filled these spaces with chatter and dreamings and wandering conversations. Out of some of these conversations came songs, or the beginnings of songs, the outlines of ideas.

It was interesting to be kicking around song and melody ideas with another human being for a change. It was exciting and had a speed and energy that I don’t often encounter when working on my own. This was the first signs of something coming together. There was a feeling, still is, that we could write some good songs together and more importantly enjoy challenging each other to write well.

After this 2013 tour I went on to write and record my “Outlines” album and then tour that. Brian has been busy with his other original project “Arrow in the Sky” and playing guitar with the band Cronin. In this way the time gets filled. We grabbed some time here and there in 2014 / 15 but have really turned our attention back to the project this year. In April we recorded our first video with the help of Mark Bennett and Darragh Glennon. The song is called “Blackberry Wine” and was inspired by a book I read about the life of Billie Holiday. I hope you enjoy: https://youtu.be/IUTeLljx8R4 ".

This promises to be a great show; Peter Doran is one of Ireland's finest young songwriters.
Doors open at 8:30pm; Admission is €12