GRAINNE HUNT - LIVE in Mick Murphy's, Monday, November 9, 2015

Gráinne Hunt is well known to BAG Regulars for lending her beautiful vocals to Mark Geary's previous shows with us, but she is also a fine songwriter in her own right. Its a great pleasure to welcome Gráinne to BAG for her debut solo performance on Monday, November, 9th. Doors open at 8:30pm. Admission is €12; Gig starts at 9pm sharp, with support on the night from Ciaran Dwyer.

Just back from opening for Glen Hansard with Mark Geary in Europe, Gráinne Hunt released her new mini album 'Firing Pin' on October 23rd. The title track is the second single released off the album. The first single 'Lilacs ' was released in August, reaching no.4 on the iTunes chart and gaining significant airplay on national radio.

She also provides backing vocals for Nicole Maguire and Glen Hansard and is regularly compared to Natalie Merchant, Dolores O'Riordan and Alison Moyet amongst others.

With songs co-written with James Cramer of Tupelo and produced by Joe Chester, in the Living Room @ The Cauldron, this album is a long awaited release from the singer. Gráinne is joined on the album by James and Joe, along with Graham Hopkins, Lorcán O’Dwyer and Vyvienne Long. The beautiful artwork for the single and album was provided by Gary Reddin Ink.

The album 'Firing Pin' is a 9 track release featuring six studio tracks and three live performance tracks.

Praise for Firing Pin
'Love mini album 'Firing Pin'... Mark it down as one to nab' ‘her debut release is hewn out of a subtle special talent’ Tony Clayton Lea, Irish Times
'The Words of it all'....breathtakingly beautiful' Dan Hegarty, 2FM
‘Grainne’s voice is enchanting and pure, with an honest charm’ Ceol Caint


Upcoming gigs
Wed 11th November – The Velvet Sessions, Dundrum
Fri 20th November – with The 4of Us, Club Beo, Letterkenny
Sun 22nd November – Private House Concert
Fri 27th November – Opening for Frances Black, St David’s Church, Naas
Fri 11th December – Songs from Ireland tour – Stafa, Switzerland
Sat 12th December - Songs from Ireland tour – Bern, Switzerland
Sun 13th December - Songs from Ireland tour – Bern, Switzerland

Purchase - https://grainnehunt.bandcamp.com/releases
Available instore – Tower Records, Freebird Records, Classified Records (Dundalk), Keegan’s (Carrickmacross), Birdy’s (Carrickmacross)


Video – Lilacs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rcv_wRs5uCA

For more information, contact Grainne below
grainnehunt@gmail.com
www.grainnehunt.com www.twitter.com/grainnehunt www.facebook.com/GrainneHuntMusic

DENNIS ELLSWORTH - LIVE in Mick Murphy's, Monday, November 2, 2015

Website: http://dennisellsworth.com/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/DennisMEllsworth

Dennis Ellsworth played his first ever (and only) Irish gig at Mick Murphy's last February. The crowd may have been small, but was treated to a night of smooth-sounding Canadian roots/folk. I'm delighted to welcome Dennis back to BAG, and particularly pleased to be associated with his introduction to Irish music fans.
Dennis Ellsworth plays BAG at Mick Murphy's, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare, Monday, November 2, 2015. Doors open: 8:30pm. Gig starts: 9pm. Admission: €12

From his early school days, writing songs in the back of class, to playing in a college rock/punk outfit, and onwards to a solo career of folk/roots songwriting and touring, Dennis Ellsworth is a storyteller at heart - and a very fine one at that. In 2014 Ellsworth was named one of Canada’s top ten new artists by the judges of the CBC Searchlight Contest. He also performed at the Lincoln Centre in New York City as one of twelve finalists in the International New Song Contest.
His new record, (his fourth) 'Romantic As It Gets' is a lush, timeless gem, with hints of Americana, folk, and roots-rock. It showcases an experienced songwriter hitting his stride. Romantic As It Gets has just been released on Busted Flat Records, and is the focus of Dennis' current tour.
The coming year will be full of great new plans and opportunities. Following the release of Romantic As It Gets, Ellsworth will tour in Canada twice, will re-visit the United Kingdom, and will make his career debut in continental Europe.
Highly recommended.

JOHN SPILLANE - LIVE in Mick Murphy's, Monday December 7, 2015

John Spillane returns to BAG at Mick Murphy's, Ballymore Eustace, Monday, December, 7th, 2015. Doors open 8:30pm; Gig 9pm sharp. Ticket details below.

At this stage, John Spillane hardly needs any introduction to Irish music fans. But, in case you're recently returned from Mars, I can tell you that this October this acclaimed Singer and Songwriter, celebrates 33 years of an ever-consistent, vastly illuminating and exciting career within the world of music. Having sold over 100,000 albums in Ireland, John Spillane has also been awarded with two Meteor Irish Music Awards for ‘Best Act Folk’ and ‘Traditional’ act. His songs have been covered by many Irish folk lumineers such as Christy Moore, Sean Keane, Karan Casey, Pauline Scanlon, Solas, Mary Black, Méav, Sinéad Lohan and Sharon Shannon.

Live, John Spillane is at his best; in one show the listener is treated to all the joy, sorrow, magic, love, poetry, madness and humour needed to sustain one, and to tide one over, until the next time you meet John - in some other place, to do it all again, and re-charge your batteries, once more. A John Spillane show is a tonic for all that may ail you; it is a slice of true living. You'll think you're just listening to music, but you're not, you know!!

This will be the last BAG gig before the Christmas break. It will be a ticketed affair, and is expected to sell out. So, book early. Tickets, priced €15, will be available direct from me at the door on Monday nights from October 5th onwards. Tickets can be reserved by emailing ballymoregigs@gmail.com  but must be paid for by Monday November 30th, or they will be released for general sale on the night of the gig.

Website: http://www.johnspillane.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5fkNR1O6tY&list=PLYpvnwaEAlxRs1eWf238MCoiB_5dCQCy2

PETER DORAN - LIVE in Mick Murphy's, Monday, October 19, 2015

Photo credit: Luke Daniels

Peter Doran returns to play BAG - what he often says is one of his favourite gigs - in Mick Murphy's Bar, Ballymore Eustace, on Monday, October 19. Doors open at 8:30pm; Gig 9pm sharp.

Peter Doran is a Singer-Songwriter from Mullingar. His musical life started twenty years ago in a roar of electric guitars, distortion pedals and Marshall amps. But, perhaps thankfully for us, his musical direction took an unplanned shift into acoustic-land after watching people like Damien Rice, Glen Hansard and Emmett Tinley, perform at “The Stables”, an intimate music venue just ten minutes walk from Peter’s Home. It was a new century and he had a new fascination: the singer and the song.

Peter has just released his fourth album, the self-produced “Outlines” to critical acclaim in Ireland. It is the songwriter’s most sparse and direct work to date. Peter’s combination of vocals and melody create a natural intimacy, one that makes the listener feel as though he is sharing his best kept secrets with them. For my money, it's one of the best records I've heard in the past year - the quality of the songwriting is that good, the delivery is assured, and the production is sensitive and measured; it compliments the arrangements, rather than competing with them, as is so often the case.
In the last years Peter has played headline shows in Ireland, Holland and New York, and has opened up for artists like Mick Flannery, Declan O’Rourke, Duke Special and Mark Geary. Very highly recommended.

Website: www.peterdoran.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/peterdoran

KRISTA DETOR BAND - LIVE in Mick Murphy's, Monday, October 12, 2015

In continuing to seek to present new artistes to the 'Ballymore faithful', I'm delighted to announce the first BAG appearance of Krista Detor, from Indiana, USA. Krista plays Mick Murphy's Bar, Ballymore Eustace, on Monday, October 12th. Doors: 8:30pm; Gig 9pm sharp. Admission: €12 at the door. This is a real treat, folks, and highly recommended.
Joining Krista for the evening on guitar and backing vocals is David Weber, and on bass - a man who needs no introduction to BAG regulars, as we pretty much count him one of our own, at this stage, he having appeared so many times here with Buddy Mondlock - Mr. Mike Lindauer, on the fretless bass, folks!

http://www.kristadetor.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWu4JwCsFT-ystrRAa9buQA
https://www.facebook.com/Krista.Detor.Music?fref=ts

"She is not just a songwriter, nor accomplished musician, nor poignant entertainer - I have been awed by the soul-punching talent of Krista Detor.." - WNC Magazine (Feb. 2015)

MusicDish magazine calls her work: "..like Richard Wright’s 'Manchild in the Promised Land' or the musical equivalent of Akira Kurosawa’s 'Dreams';" The Allmusic Guide calls her “An artist of rare ability with a deep poetic gift,” and Rolling Stone, "A small miracle."  Krista Detor’s solo albums have reached national and international prominence, including #1 on the Euro-Americana Chart, and placement within the top 10 of the U.S. Folk and Independent Music charts, but she is no ordinary songwriter: Detor has been involved in several award-winning collaborations, including the highly-acclaimed 'Wilderness Plots,' (PBS national), for which she and fellow writers, including American College of Arts & Letters inductee author Scott Russell Sanders, were recognized by the Indiana Legislature for contributions to the arts (2010), and which resulted in (2) Emmy nominations and a Golden Eagle award.

She was the only American woman invited to The BBC's Darwin Songhouse Project, Shrewsbury England (2009); Says Neil Pearson, Producer of the project: “Krista is one of the very finest modern songwriters at writing within character; and her ability to convey the emotions of the people that inhabit her songs is utterly convincing and believable.. The compelling way the narratives are delivered make one of the most flexible and empathetic writers. Her understanding of the human condition and her ability to express the motivation for her characters give her songs real impact and resonance with the listener.”

She has been commissioned to write musical theatre for The U.S. Dept. of State in New Delhi, India (2012); For the Indiana Arts Commission ('The Breeze Bends the Grass,' Musical Theatre collaborative project, 2013); and has written commissioned choral pieces for several national and int'l choirs. In addition, she's been a returning presenter at Stanford University, wherein, her album, 'Chocolate Paper Suites' was a multi-year ‘required reading’ assignment for the literature course, "The 'isms of Modernism," in which students sought to explore modernism's impact on, and negotiation with, contemporary culture and art. Says Dr. Rod Taylor of the album, “This album provides an excellent example of how the most salient elements of modernist art and philosophy persist in postmodern culture. Its poetic and intertextual lyrics, captivating melodies, meaningful organization, and complex narrative thread will undoubtedly lead to rich discussions among my students.” She has conducted songwriting seminars, performances and presentations at universities and arts centers throughout the world, including Ireland's prestigious IMRO performing rights organization.

Most recently (Feb. 2015), she was Artist-in-Residence at the prestigious Hedgebrook foundation.

Krista will tour Europe and the UK with her new album, 'Barely,' beginning Sept. 30th, 2015, and continues to tour the U.S. all the while. She's shared stages with Victor Wooten, Chuck Rainey, Loudon Wainwright, The Neville Bros. and Suzanne Vega, among many others.

TOKYO ROSENTHAL - LIVE in Mick Murphy's, Monday, October 5, 2015

Website: http://www.tokyorosenthal.com/tokyo_rosenthal/home.html

Returning for his 2nd BAG appearance,Tokyo Rosenthal plays Mick Murphy's, Ballymore Eustace, on Monday, October 5th. Doors 8:30pm; Gig 9pm sharp. Admission: €12

"Rosenthal can draw you into his lyrics much the same way that James Taylor and Don Henley can".
"Take Jackson Browne’s personal confessions and wrap them in Kris Kristofferson’s world weary tales of broken relationships and you have an idea of what to expect from Tokyo Rosenthal."
"This is Americana with real teeth in the lyrics"

This and more is what the critics are saying about Tokyo Rosenthal. But it wasn’t an overnight trip. Hardly, as "Toke" has spanned the music scene for three decades. But it was in 2007 when recognition finally reached him through the recording of his CD, "One Score And Ten".

In a career that started with the country rock boom, Rosenthal has honed his craft and "Rootsy/ Americana with a little blues thrown in" sound to perfection.  His move to Chapel Hill, North Carolina allowed him to team up with the famed producer and recording star Chris Stamey in the studio. But prior to that Rosenthal made his reputation while living in Rhode Island, New York, and Los Angeles.

In 2014 Toke began hosting his own weekly syndicated radio show, "The Tokyo Rosenthal Program, as a prelude to the newly released, "Afterlife", Toke's 6th studio album.

Always writing and always gigging, his musical journey continues.

JEFF FINLIN with Clive Barnes - LIVE in Mick Murphy's, Monday, Sept. 28, 2015

www.jefffinlin.com

In the early noughties, Jeff Finlin was a regular visitor to Ballymore Eustace to play the Ballymore Inn when my predecessor, and great friend, Larry Roddy, used to promote his tours in Ireland. It's been way too long since his last visit, and I'm delighted to welcome Jeff back to Ballymore, to play Mick Murphy's Bar, on Monday, Sept 28th. Doors opean at 8:30pm; Gig 9pm sharp. Regulars from those days will tell you that Jeff Finlin is one of the best songwriters to have crossed the Atlantic. I can attest that this is a show that will be in everyone's Top 5 at the end of the year. Most highly recommended, and not to be missed.
Joining Jeff on guitars on the night, will be BAG favourite, Clive Barnes.

Jeff's website Bio: http://www.jefffinlin.com/bio-photos
New record, 'My Moby Dick' on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7uYTIBspRg&list=PLLVZydaB3gi-_uN4Q4v2BFdGk3U5RCTrU
YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQntBW2OAQmAjR-f7Z6YjQ

" 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

"Jeff Finlin might be one of the finest American troubadours since Bob Dylan." - JR Moehringer
5280 magazine

"If Jeff Finlin were not a songwriter, it’s likely he’d be a novelist and he’d fall somewhere between Kerouac, Twain and Vonnegut." - Neil Fagan, Performing Songwriter.

http://www.clivebarnesmusic.com/

Clive Barnes is one of Ireland's top guitarists, both in his own right as a solo performer, and as a highly sought after session guitarist/touring 'sideman'.

A top slide guitarist, on both upright, and lap guitars, Clive has also developed a well-deserved reputation as one of the best electric guitarist accompanists in the business, across many genres - from blues and rock, to country and folk/roots.

Crossroads Blues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O95Qd66QcaE