BAG - Spring/Summer 2019

BAG Spring 2019 Schedule looks so far, for Monday nights in Mick Murphy's Bar in Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare:

Feb 4 - Jim Page (USA) 
jimpage.net/ Yes, that's the same Jim Page that wrote "Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Russian Roulette" recorded by Moving Hearts.

Feb 11 - John Blek 
johnblek.com/ - launching stunning new album, "Thistle And Thorn"

Feb 18 - Cormac O Caoimh/Sean Millar - 
Cork v Dublin Double bill! Two unique performers. 
cormacocaoimh.net/ thereception.biz/doctormillar

Feb 25 - Megan O'Neill (Solo show)
megan-oneill.com/ UK-based Ballymore native, returns for one-off hometown show. "Coming Home" - youtube.com/watch?v=GYGF4zYxSmY

Mar 4 - Frankie Lane & Paul Kelly
Multi-instrumentalist, inimitable, irrepressible, effervescent and ebullient duo! Strap yourselves in for take-off! youtube.com/watch?v=474aqHjs9FA

Mar 11 - Albert Niland 
albertniland.com/ -  "few have the dramatic impact of Niland"....  HOT PRESS

Mar 25 - Dana Cooper (USA) Gillian Tuite opens. 
danacoopermusic.com/ Veteran touring songwriter, of whom fellow singer songwriter Buzz Holland says “Cooper is a person who can sing like an angel and play like the devil.”
At the other end of her career is Gillian Tuite - breakingtunes.com/gilliantuite

Apr 1 - Mike Hanrahan & Leslie Alda Dowdall

Apr 8 - The Southern Fold

Apr 15 - Grainne Hunt & Brendan Walsh

May 13 - Pat Coldrick

May 20 - Kathy Barwick & Pete Siegfried

Niall Toner Band - Wrapping up BAG for Christmas! Monday, Dec 3rd

The Niall Toner Band - Dick Gladney; Richie Foley; Niall Toner; Paddy Kiernan; Johnny Gleeson

The Niall Toner Band play BAG at Mick Murphy's Bar, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare on Monday, Dec 3rd. This is the last BAG gig of 2018, and it'll be a special one! Doors open at 8:30pm. Admission is €15

The Niall Toner Band is perhaps the foremost band on the Irish Bluegrass scene, and Niall Toner has been performing American traditional music, old-time songs and bluegrass since the very early 1970s. With various bands and collaborations to his credit - Lee Valley String Band, Sackville String Band, Hank Halfhead and The Rambling Turkeys, he formed the Niall Toner Band in the early 2000s. A hard-working outfit, with several line-up changes over the years, the current five-piece outfit have recently signed to Pinecastle Records in the US, making Niall, in his own words: "An overnight sensation, after 40 plus years!"
Those of us familiar with his impact on the Roots/Country scene in Ireland, consider it his just reward for a lifetime dedicated to the truth and honesty of the music.


Full five piece band!
Niall Toner: Vocals/Guitar/Mandolin
Richie Foley: Mandolin
Dick Gladney: Upright Bass (Bull fiddle!)
Paddy Kiernan: Banjo
Johnny Gleeson: Dobro/Guitar/Vocals

Press quotes:

Toner writes Bluegrass and Country songs that ring true, and would not be out of place on any Bluegrass Master's Albums. This Irishman knows his stuff. 5 Star Review.
Maverick Magazine

I admire the way Niall's deep affinity for Bluegrass and American Country Music blends seamlessly with his Irish sensibilities. It makes him a uniquely appealing Artist, and Pinecastle Records are lucky to have him.
Pete Wernick - Doctor Banjo

Great original Bluegrass Songs and Instrumentals. We are delighted to play Niall Toner anytime.
Brian McNeal Prescription Bluegrass

Niall makes great open-hearted music and his tributes to Bill Monroe and Jimmie Rodgers are just superb. His 'Ocean of Teardrops', composed in-the-style-of The Blue Sky Boys and The Monroe Brothers, is a duet song that just kills me.
Paul Williams Songwriter & President of ASCAP

BAG Gig Listing - November/December 2018

Top Roots/Folk/Indie Acts from home and abroad, presented on Monday nights in Mick Murphy's Bar, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare.

All gigs start at 9pm sharp; Doors open at 8:30pm. Admission price: Generally €12, unless otherwise indicated. All gigs are pay at the door.

For artist info, click on their names.

Nov 5th - Luan Parle, with Clive Barnes. €12

Nov 12th - Carsie Blanton (USA) €12

Nov 19th - Patrick Barrett(Hedge Schools)/Niall Thomas - Double bill. €15

Nov 26th - Ger Wolfe. €12

Dec 3rd - Niall Toner Band. €15

Friday Dec 7th - 8th Annual 'Vibe for Larry' - Free admission, with a voluntary collection for Dublin Simon Community.

BAG Gig Listing - September/October 2018

Top Roots/Folk/Indie Acts from home and abroad, presented on Monday nights in Mick Murphy's Bar, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare.

All gigs start at 9pm sharp; Doors open at 8:30pm. Admission price: €12, unless otherwise indicated.

September 3 - The 4 Of Us - €15 - www.the4ofus.com

September 10 - Melissa Greener (USA) - www.melissagreener.com

September 17 - Donal Clancy - www.donalclancy.com

September 24 - Ed Romanoff (USA) with Clive Barnes - www.edromanoff.com 

October 1 - The Remedy Club - www.theremedyclub.ie

October 8 - Shane Joyce/Tim V Smyth (Double bill) €15 - 
www.shanejoyce.ie/

October 15 - John Statz/Megan Burtt (USA) (Double bill) €15 - www.johnstatz.com www.meganburtt.com

October 22 - Kris Drever - €15 - www.krisdrever.com 
plus Special guest: John Blek https://johnblek.com

A New BAG Season - A call to arms!

Welcome back to the start of another season of BAG - the eighth year of top Acoustic Roots acts from home, and abroad, presented on Monday nights in the intimate surroundings of Mick Murphy's Bar, in Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare.

Between early September and the end of May 2019, we will be treated to some of the best acts on the Roots/Folk/Indie scene, some at the top of their game; others emerging - many dates are already booked and confirmed, with more in the pipeline.

In order for this concert series to continue to work, I need you - Dear reader/listener - to keep coming out, and supporting Live music. I could also do with some help spreading the word, and there is no substitute for a personal recommendation. Social media has it's place, but let's face it: many of us began coming to the gig because a trusted friend told us about it, and opened us up to amazing nights of music. All those wonderful memories, just because someone said: "We have to go to this!"

So this is your chance to make memories for a new batch of BAG followers. Please spread the word, share this post via your social media, email it to selected contacts, but above all - talk to your friends about the gigs, and encourage them to come along. Now, more than ever, Live music needs support. Musicians need places to play - this is their life's work - without venues, there are no gigs, and nowhere for artists to perform; without fans of live music coming out to support gigs, there is no reason for venues to bother putting on gigs. It's all connected.

So you are vital to the future of Live music. Your support over the years has been terrific, and is the reason why I can continue doing this. Please keep it up, and bring a friend as often as you can. This year promises to be the best yet, and I'm looking forward to sharing many more wonderful nights of music with you all.

See ye in Mick's!

R.T.
https://www.facebook.com/BAGBallymoreAcousticGigs

BUDDY MONDLOCK, with MIKE LINDAUER - LIVE at BAG - Monday, May 21st

www.buddymondlock.com

Buddy Mondlock and Mike Lindauer are almost as much 'favoured sons' of Ballymore Eustace as the locals themselves, as they have been coming and playing music in the village for 20 years. So it is always a personal pleasure to welcome them back for their (pretty much) annual visit ever since.

They return to play BAG at Mick Murphy's Bar, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare on Monday May 21st. Doors open at 8:30pm. Admission is €12.

Buddy Mondlock is one of the finest songwriters of our generation, and if you've never seen or heard him before, I can tell you that he has written songs that you almost certainly do know, for his songs have been recorded by the likes of Janis Ian, Art Garfunkel, Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, Garth Brooks, and others...
I can also tell you that once you've seen a Buddy and Mike show once, you'll want to keep coming back! Mike Lindauer is, without doubt, one of the finest Fretless Bass guitarists, and harmony vocalist you'll get to see live. He regularly tours with Al Stewart.

So come along; I can promise you a wonderful night of songs and music - but most of you already know that!

Video: 'Coming Down In The Rain' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6JAoOT0Z8w

WINTER WILSON - Live @ BAG - Monday, May 14th

Winter Wilson (a pretty cool name for a folk outfit, if you ask me) is/are wife and husband duo, Kip Winter and Dave Wilson. www.winterwilson.com/

They return to play BAG at Mick Murphy's Bar, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare on Monday, May 14th. Doors open at 8:30pm; show 9pm. Admission is €12.

Kip (vocals, accordion, guitar, flute) is one of the finest singers on the circuit, expressing power and emotion in equal measure “from melting to belting”, while Dave (vocals, guitar and banjo) is amongst the top tier of British song writers, with his songs covered by some of folk’s “greats”.

In October 2016, while still busy touring their latest album at the time - “Ashes and Dust”, the follow up to “Cutting Free” which made the Daily Telegraph’s ten recommended folk albums for Summer 2014 - the duo were offered the supporting slot on Fairport Covention's Winter 2018 tour.
That call quickly led to the duo writing and recording a new album, 'Far Off On The Horizon', to take on the tour. The new album has been critically acclaimed as perhaps their best yet.
The tour was a massive success for the duo, and you can read about it here:
https://winterwilson.wordpress.com/2018/02/28/who-knows-where-the-time-went-the-fairport-convention-wintour-2018/

It's no great surprise that the tour was a success for the duo, for it's in live performance that Winter Wilson really excel, bringing a sense of intimacy to every stage, welcoming audiences into their world, mixing songs with stories of life on the road. “This isn’t a performance – it’s a domestic!”

Tight harmonies, killer songs and a lot of fun – that’s Winter Wilson.

Video: Live at Union Chapel - 'Ghost', and 'Life In The Old Dog Yet' with Fairport Convention.
https://youtu.be/loTo9zzTQGg