Gig Review - RTE 2FM Charity Gig in Aid of ISPCC @ 3 Arena, Dublin

Gig Review - RTE 2FM Charity Gig in Aid of ISPCC @ 3 Arena, Dublin

Hands down one of the gigs of 2015 for me, made even better due to the fact it was all in aid of such a great cause. Bringing together the incredible talent of Irish music and putting on a superb performance in front of thousands of people, this gig certainly won't be forgotten anytime soon. The acts included:

1. The Riptide Movement

This rock band formed back in 2006 got the night's entertainment up and running with a superb, energetic performance. Their first time performing at the iconic venue and it was clear from their stage presence that they loved every second of it. Their song "All Works Out" which has received a great response and a huge amount of airplay recently was the pick of their songs, with the crowd up on their feet dancing and singing along. Great opening act. 

2. Gavin James

Need I say more about this guy? I recently reviewed his headline gig in Scala, London and I have him tipped as my number 1 artist for 2016. Gavin James performed second before rushing off to headline his own gig in Whelan's. His songs were met by rapturous applause with 'For You' and 'Bitter Pill' being sung along to by virtually everyone inside the venue. James is doing incredibly well and has just announced that his three shows in The Olympia Theatre next January have now all sold out. Well deserved. 

3. Little Green Cars

These guys have always been a band I've wanted to see live and I have to say they didn't disappoint! Singer, Faye O'Rourke was actually the only female performer on the night so her vocals really stood out. They had a couple of huge fans standing around where I was standing! Personally, Harper Lee was my favourite song of theirs and I have since played it on my radio show! 

4. Ryan Sheridan

I actually cannot stress how good Ryan Sheridan was at this gig. He absolutely blew me away. I have always been a fan of his music but never seen him perform in front of a live audience but his energy and engagement with the crowd was phenomenal. 'Jigsaw' went down a treat but the stand out moment was his cover of Coldplay's outstanding track 'Fix You' as the audience held up the lights on their phones. Goosebumps. 

5. The Coronas

I don't think guest appearances get much better than this. The Coronas weren't originally down to play at this gig but when their name was called on stage, the screams were deafening. They performed some of their best hits both old and new and the crowd knew every word. Lead singer Danny O'Reilly said he was honoured to be involved in a gig for such a great cause. These guys are back in the 3 Arena on New Year's Eve where they will be joined by Ryan Sheridan, Kila, Little Hours and Fatboy Slim. 

6. Hudson Taylor

Second last act of the night were the incredible duo of Hudson Taylor. Their excitement to be on stage was palpable and the audience clearly fed off that vibe. Performing tracks such as 'Chasing Rubies' and 'Battles', these guys also put in a stellar performance to cap off what has been an extremely impressive year for them. Onwards and upwards as they say! 

7. Hozier

The largest cheer of the night came for the headline act, Hozier. A guy who really has represented Ireland globally over the last 12 months in incredible fashion. He said himself that he was delighted to be home and he gave a performance that will long live in the memories of the audience. I don't think I would be exaggerating when I say I think everyone knew every word to every song! An honour to see him live for the first time. 

EOIN!

Interview with Sive

Interview with Sive

The word "captivating" is thrown around quite a lot in the music industry these days, often carelessly. But trust me when I say that Kildare native, Sive, is exactly that. 

I first came across her music when she performed in Alice's Restaurant in Naas as a guest at Keith Plunkett's EP Launch and then again in Judge Roy Beans at an event that I hosted and on both occasions she blew me away, so much so that I had to get an interview with her!

"When I was really young I used to love pop music and when I think back to it, I always noticed the harmonies in songs and sing along with the backing vocals which I guess was a strange thing for a kid to do! I played the keyboard and then when I was 14 I began learning how to play the guitar and I suppose that's probably when I started to get madly into music!"

Her love for music continued to grow and she joined a band as a backing vocalist and admitted that she was terrified when asked to sing and often pretended her microphone didn't work to get out of it! But isn't it strange how she is now a solo artist?

"When I was in college in Ballyfermot I was writing my own songs so I kind of started singing out of necessity more than anything and I remember my friend Janet encouraged me to go for it and I thought to myself 'Okay, I'll give it a shot, and I did"

Sive is currently self employed, meaning she is not signed to anybody and she believes that there are both pros and cons to that.

"It can be hard to promote yourself especially when you're not in a band, like how do you make yourself sound cool and appealing? It's also hard to keep the momentum up. I mean, it's one thing to keep writing and recording music but then there's also the other side to it like the promotions and the releasing and stuff, it can be pretty tiring. That said I do really enjoy the freedom and I love the recording and performing and having people listen to my stuff!"

Well people will have an opportunity to listen to her new music in the New Year because she hopes to release a new album in 2016, if all goes according to plan.

"I have some of the songs fully recorded and others half recorded. All of them are written, just some need a little more time but hopefully I'm going to be finished by next February and then release it some time during the year. The hardest thing at the moment is actually choosing which songs to put on the album. I've written quite a few and had narrowed it down to 12 and then it crept back up to 13 but I would like to keep it at 12 because I find if there are too many songs, people won't listen to the last few!"

As I mentioned in my intro, the second time I seen Sive perform was at a gig I hosted - A Song For Jack and Jill Charity Album Launch in Judge Roy Beans. This was an album jam packed of Irish artists in order to raise funds for the Jack and Jill Charity. Sive explains how she got involved in the album:

"Mike Gleeson asked me about a year ago if I was interested and at this stage it was really only an idea, we were trying to find other artists to come on board too so obviously that took a bit of time but I was delighted to be a part of it and raise money for a very worthy cause!"

2015 was a pretty busy year for the Kildare artist and 2016 promises to be just as, if not busier. She has so much planned for the year ahead, with the album of course taking the number one priority.

"After Christmas the focus will definitely be on the album and getting that released as soon as possible. At the moment I don't have any gigs planned for the start of the year but I'm sure that will changed after the release of the album!"

So.. Exciting times ahead for Sive! You can follow her journey in the following ways:

Website: www.sivemusic.com

Twitter: @sivemusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/siveband/?fref=ts

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/sivemusic

And of course, keep an eye out for the album next Spring!

EOIN!

Interview with Kim Hayden

Interview with Kim Hayden

Kim Hayden has certainly done quite a lot in her music career to date - performing as a solo artist, competing on The Voice of Ireland, working on an EP with new band Liir and competing to represent her country in the Eurovision Song Contest with the same band. 

I recently caught up with Kim to talk about, well, all of the above really!

"I was a strange enough child, instead of playing in my room I use to run around the garden singing to myself like a little leprechaun, my first public performance was my school confirmation , I was 12 that was my first taste of the stage, then I just wanted more &more it's all I ever wanted to do, it didn't matter whether where I was singing just once I was singing I was happy, I start writing at a young age also and it's my other passion. I get such a buzz when I finish writing a song and then when you see people actually like what you've written that's the prize. My influences growing up was and still is Christina Aguilera, Elvis, Justin Timberlake, Alanis Morissette, now I am in love with Lana Del Rey, Ed Sheeran, & Hozier the list goes on I love all genres of music."

Hayden made it to the last 8 of the Voice of Ireland back in 2012 with some incredible performances but she admits that a lot has changed since then.

"The Voice was an interesting experience, it was great to be able to perform in front of a large audience live each week. My performances on the show wouldn't of shown how I see myself as an artist now, it was 4 years ago and a lot has changed since then."

One of the things that has certainly changed since then is the fact that she has joined a new three piece girl group called Liir, originally just to compete for a place to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest Live Finals last year. However, the girls seemed to have clicked as artists and have a lot more planned for the future.

"We were disappointed we didn't get to represent Ireland in 2015 who wouldn't love to represent their country, We had a great song I'd like to think we could of done really well in it. However when we got together we clicked instantly and we were really happy and comfortable singing together we all have a very similar vision of what we wanted for the group we then decided we needed to get in studio write rehearse and record which haven't stopped doing since,  We worked with an exceptional producer called Eberhart on Liirs EP he got the sound straight away and we cannot wait to start sharing some original music with you. It's exciting."  

So it all seems to be happening quite fast for the band! What exactly have they been getting up to in the last while?

"It has been nonstop in and out of studio, rehearsing, writing and performing, we recently recorded our first video for our version of Nirvana's Smells like Teen Spirit and Britney Spears' Toxic which were both uploaded on our social media recently so can people can get a flavor of how we sound before we release any of our original material."

I have always said that there is a huge niche in Ireland for girl groups so I feel as though these girls could be on to something if they release good quality music. And that appears to be what their main focus is for the time being.

"For the moment we are continuing to work hard on our music and hopefully you will be hearing a lot more from Liir in 2016. We will be doing a number of live performances in the coming months check out our Facebook page for details , Liir Music on Facebook, Twitter @liirmusic / Instagram @liirmusic."

EOIN!

Gig Review - Gavin James @ Scala, London.

Gig Review - Gavin James @ Scala, London

This guy is undoubtedly my tip for 2016. Although he has begun to enjoy notable success this year, I feel things will get a lot bigger and better for Gavin James over the next twelve months.

I first came across his music in 2012 and have since seen him play live 6 times, with the crowds gradually getting larger and the gig in Scala, London on December 8th was no different - his first headline performance in the English capital and he sold it out and it was clear from the reaction of the crowd, that he was an instant hit. 

Performing songs from his debut album 'Bitter Pill' which is available in Ireland but also to pre-order elsewhere and covers of songs such as Billy Jean, I Cant Feel My Face, You Dont Know Me and What A Wonderful World, the Dubliner certainly made it a night to remember at the packed venue - especially because of the fact that he covered You Dont Know Me by Ray Charles, unplugged, amongst the crowd, which added to the intimacy of the gig. 

Although some of the crowd may not have understood him when he was talking because he felt as though he sounded like a "leprechaun on speed", his vocals and lyrics when he sang made up for it and swoons could be heard from the pit when he hit those high notes!

I have to say, Gav's performance that night was the best I have seen of him so far - suggesting that he is going to continue to improve. His album is doing extremely well here in Ireland, and recently peaked at number 4 in the charts just last week - with songs like For You and Bitter Pill receiving a huge amount of airplay nationwide, including in my radio station, KFM. 

Speaking to some people after the gig on Tuesday, they said that they are excited for the release of the album in the UK and feel as though he could become quite big in the country.

Also performing on the night was fellow Irish artist and good friend of James', Orla Gartland, who also gave a fine showing of her own, playing songs from her EP 'Roots' which went down very well.

 

Gartland is another artist who I believe will have a very successful 2016, if her EP is anything to go by, it is absolutely incredible! I will hopefully be interviewing Orla soon and it will be posted ASAP!

In the meantime, you can check her out on Twitter @orlagartland and YouTube - musicmaaad.

Also, if you haven't already, I would strongly advise you to listen to Gavin James. Here is his single of the album, Bitter Pill https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPl2MU-6rpM. Listen to it and tweet me what you think. Also, keep an eye out for his album in your country both online and in hard copy - I promise you won't regret it. 

For Irish fans, well, he has quite a hectic month or two planned in his home country, he is playing numerous shows in Whelans over the festive period, performing at the RTE 2FM charity gig in the 3 Arena on the 23rd of December plus headlining gigs at the Olympia towards the end of January. Check out Ticketmaster.ie for all the ticket details! 

His gig in London was absolutely incredible and well worth the flights over, plus tickets were only £11 so it was a bargain! Watch out for him in 2016, you'll thank me.

EOIN!

Interview with Litehouse

Interview with Litehouse

I want to introduce you to four guys from County Monaghan in Ireland who I truly believe will become one of the best up and coming Indie Pop/Rock bands in the country. Comprised of Keelan O'Reilly, Peter Toal, Colin Peppard and Ben Goddard and with a single about to be released, Litehouse have a huge future ahead of them.

I chatted to the fellas during the week about how they got together, their new single 'Black Cats' which is due to be released this coming Friday (Nov 13th), what the support has been like back in their home county and what they plan to do in the future!

"Well we actually started out as a two piece cover band. Peter and I started jamming-about together when we were 14. We used to hang around each others houses every weekend and just throw together a couple of songs we might have been listening to in the week. It was really the first experience we both had playing with somebody other than playing alone. We didn't really play many gigs, i had terrible stage fright, but we went busking a few times and it definitely shook it out of me, I completely shit the brick! We had kinda talked about starting a full band but we could never find the right guys for the role, until I heard Ben opening a 'Horslips' gig as part of his mates band. Colin came out of nowhere really.. I knew him but i never knew he played bass and was completely shocked at how good he was. Things started to build from there". - Keelan

"I first met Keelan and Peter at a Strypes gig in Cavan, I didn't know them at the time and I don't really remember them at all on the night, just that my mate knew them and they were in his year. Just other guys who tricked about with music, cause that's what all of us really did! I knew Colin already, I made films with him (I have a production company called straps productions for films). So a few weeks passed and I was playing a charity gig supporting the Horslips with another band as a favour and at the end of the night, Keelan came up to me and offered me the role of lead guitarist. Some texts followed and a while later we had a jam and I made the cut. The really interesting bit was whenever I told Colin about it; that I was in this new band, he informed me that he was jamming with Keelan and Peter that week too. I found it Hilarious!" - Ben

County Monaghan, which holds a special place in my heart personally because my Grandad hails from Clones, has actually seen a number of great artists emerge from there in the past few years and the guys from Litehouse say that the support from home has been incredible.

"So far the majority of our output and work has been broadcasted over social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. It is a slow but steady way of getting our stuff out there. I wouldn't say its difficult but just at times tedious, so we have to keep our patience. In Monaghan we have a great crowd! It consisted of friends and fellow musicians of the Monaghan area. The relationship is like a family, we all support each other. A great number of people arrive at all our shows and leave feedback and give advice on our works so its really great and helps us to keep doing what we love!" - Peter

And that support has lead them to their new single 'Black Cats' which is due to be released this coming Friday, November 13th and the guys are understandably excited for the public to hear it!

"I wrote the basic Rhythm guitar and opening lines to the song. Once a riff was added by Keelan, we all spent a day writing the rest of this song. The lyrics were inspired by a bad relationship within the band and how sometimes its best to leave something before it destroys you but you can take your own meaning out it as each member of the band does respectively. After a long day with two guitars, multiple cans of fizzy orange and cringey lyric suggestions our song was completed. We are very excited to release it! We really hope people will like it". - Colin 

"The story for the single's an interesting one anyway! If you listen to the song, you can see its about having to deal with a horrible relationship and then trying not to get sucked backed into it. We all want to go back; its the easier decision but after much stress and heartache, you'll usually learn its not the wisest of decisions. When Keelan and Colin started writing song and needed some lyrics, I came in and vented all my frustrations and teenage angst, and the product of that was black cats. We're so excited for the release! It's always been one I've wanted to record and with the hook at the end of the song people have always screamed it back at us, so I'm just so excited that more people can hear it. It's the first song we've recorded and its definitely not the last!" - Ben

As Peter has already mentioned, the majority of the guys publicity is done through social media such as Facebook and Twitter etc, where the response so far has been immense.

"It's been unbelievable! The last few weeks have just been mad for us. Since word came out of the single everyone just got behind us and drove us forward, We're extremely grateful for everyone showing their support. It's definitely spurring us on. We're mad to show off our new stuff too but I suppose you can't reveal everything at once.. so come to our shows and well play them for you, haha! No, but we are mad to get people out to the gigs for a jump around, i mean that's where the craic's at!" - Keelan

For anyone reading this that isn't from Ireland, "craic" basically means banter! And for those of you have seen Litehouse live, you will know that their performances are the epitome of energetic! Aaaaand, they're only getting started!

"We're just taking it one step at a time from here. This is definitely just the start! We've had serious craic since the start and we don't want that to stop any time soon. In terms of gigs and shows, keep an eye out for us this summer. It's going to be really busy with a few plans coming together already! We're constantly writing new material and we have no set dates for our next recording but keep up and we'll try not to disappoint" - Keelan

I can't remind you and encourage you enough to go out and get the new single 'Black Cats' when it's released this coming Friday! I have heard a teaser of it, and it's sounds incredible! Here is how you can avail of it; and judging by the lads' responses, it would mean a hell of a lot to them too!

"It will be available on Itunes, Spotify and Youtube. We'd really appreciate people helping us out. We're hoping radio play will help us out but its the people we're here to try and please, so to see a good reaction would definitely calm the nerves" - Colin

"We need everyone! Get out and play this song everywhere! Listen in the car, in school, at home, in the morning when your finding it hard to stay awake, Everywhere! Friday is going to be mad but in a great way!" - Keelan

 

EOIN!

Interview with Kimbra

Interview with Kimbra

Undoubtedly one of the biggest names I have ever had the pleasure of interviewing here on View From the Stands. With over half a million likes on Facebook, 145,000 followers on Twitter and a video on Youtube which has just surpassed 700 million views, I think it's fair to say that Kimbra is an international phenomenon.

I recently caught up with the New Zealander, who now resides in the United States to have a chat about what she's been getting up to over the past couple of months, what the music industry is like in her home country and of course, we had to talk about THAT song with Gotye - 'Somebody That I Used to Know', obviously! But first, here's how she got involved in music;

"I was inspired by a lot of the soul and R&B I heard growing up. I also sung in a choir at school that would sing Gershwin songs so I was attracted to very colorful music that challenged me from a young age. 
When I first learn guitar at around 14 I learnt songs from Stevie Wonder but I also loved a lot of heavy rock and prog bands which explains a lot of my attracting to strong rhythms. I first got involved in music as a way of expressing myself. I recorded songs into little dictaphones from about the age of 8 or 9 then moved onto an 8-Track once I was writing on guitar then later, Protools which is when I started producing music in more depth."

And the music that Kimbra has since produced has been of an outstanding quality! But the question that stood out for me is, as an 8 or 9 year old recording music into a dictaphone, did she ever imagine that a few years down the line, she would have achieved the amount of success she has achieved?

"I don’t think I ever had goals for worldwide success or fame, I just wanted to make music that would make people feel some of the things that music had made me feel. I realized it could be a way for me to feel as though Im making a difference in the world and also a place I felt I truly came alive. The fact that it has resonated so deeply with so many different people is amazing to me. The idea of having a lot of followers online is quite intangible to grasp but speaking to people at shows and the experience of having people come to your shows and singing along to your music is a very real thing. I definitely never imagined the things that have happened but I don’t think the future is ever much like what you imagined!"

As I said to Kimbra in the interview, with me being in Ireland and her growing up literally on the opposite side of the world, it is hard to understand what the music industry is like over in New Zealand but she claims her time there had a huge effect on her career - in a positive way!

"My time in New Zealand was a very nurturing time for me musically. Because it is so small the musical community really binds together and you feel a sense of family amongst a lot of the musicians. It is hard being so far away and I felt very drawn to travel from a young age and I think it was important for my musical development but New Zealand is still the place that first evoked me to write music (looking out at the beautiful landscapes as a kid) so it holds a lot of importance to me." 

I want you to look at the picture to the right! Look familiar? What an absolute belter of a song! Former number one not only in Ireland but in numerous countries across the globe and I have to admit, one of my favourite songs in the past decade! One of those songs that just never seems to get old! But what was it like to be involved in such a huge hit?

"I don’t really remember the stages of that song building, I just remember key events, like the recording of the song at my apartment in Melbourne, then suddenly going through customs in London and receiving a call to say it was at Number 1 at the time on the charts. It was very surreal and almost as though it were happening to someone else and I was sort of observing from afar. I was so busy touring at the time that I often didn’t have time to process a lot of it but I remember feeling very excited at what that meant for pop music and how special it was to be a part of a song that meant so much to people."

At the age of 25, something tells me there are exciting things to come from Kimbra, she says she has been working on lots of new music and is looking forward to it's release and seeing how her fans react!

"I am enjoying living in a new city [New York] after being in Los Angeles for the last 2 years. I am working on a lot of new music and excited to share it in the near future. I spent time in Africa this year as well as traveling a lot of America away from the context of touring and I have been collecting a lot of inspiration. I feel myself entering a new creative space and am focused on now channeling all of that into the next body of work."

So as they say, watch this space! You can follow Kimbra's every move on Twitter @kimbramusic, on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kimbramusic/ or on her website www.kimbramusic.com

Hopefully she'll be back on the road touring very soon, especially over in these parts!

EOIN!

Interview with Tim Night of 'Jupe'

Interview with Tim Night of 'Jupe'

I actually gave these guys some airplay on KFM Radio last Sunday evening on Alternative Irish and I have to say I really like the music they are producing - including their brand new single 'Rocket' which has just been released.

I chatted to frontman Tim Night about that new single, their upcoming gig in the iconic Whelan's venue in Dublin and much more!

"We got together in a really cool way actually. Myself and Brendon met at show in Dublin one night. We instantly hit it off, and got talking about our journeys so far in music and about what we wanted to write & play. We put the band together right after that, and I had known Jonesy from the scene and doing concerts with him, and figured he was the perfect bassist to slot right in. After hitting a tonne of studios, we knew we wanted a synth player with his finger on the pulse, so we got in Jeff, who was instrumental in evolving our sound 3-Dimensionally. The last jigsaw piece was our maestro on the guitar, Kevin. He's a bit of a prodigy, coming to us straight from music school."

Well the guys' latest single has just been released in Ireland but has been getting quite a lot of radio play not only here but also across the pond in the United Kingdom! Tim says the band are thrilled with the reaction it has received thus far!

"Yes, Rocket has been getting a tonne of awesome feedback which we're really delighted to see! It was launched in the UK first, and a lot of radio DJ's took it onboard and gave it lots of airplay which is amazing, positive feedback all round really. Since the UK release in July, we've been overwhelmed by the response. The radio we received, led to a number of shows in London, Birmingham and Liverpool. As a band, Rocket is a bit of a special song for us. It was written and came together quite naturally & quickly to be honest. Every once in a while, you have a song that just *wants* to be written, and that for us was Rocket. Once I had brought the initial idea into the studio, the guys were 110% on my same wavelength, and we hammered it out and brought it to completion!"

 But how does 'Rocket' compare to some of Jupe's older stuff?

"Honestly, it's really the perfect song for us to be releasing at this moment in time. It's got the trademark Jupe sound that our existing fanbase love and have come to enjoy, so we're being true to them. While at the same time, it's also a very forward-looking track, in terms of where we want to go and evolve ourselves as musicians & songwriters. Trying to be true to existing fans & incorporate new ideas is sometimes tricky for bands, but I feel we've really done a good job of making it work on this track. Also, if you're a brand new fan, it will be an amazing introduction to us and our music!"

Tim mentioned the band's "trademark" and I have to fully agree with him there! Here in Ireland, the style of music Jupe are releasing is quite unique, which the band feel can work to their advantage.

"Yes I believe so [that there is a niche for their style of music]. Firstly, we're really proud of our trademark sound which we've honed all the way back to working with Grammy award winning producers, it's important to us that our material is making people happy & they enjoy it all around the world, wherever they are. Secondly, we're so inspired by the insanely high level other Irish acts have reached in the past. Some of our favourite artists come from Ireland, and we've really been punching above our weight as a nation, so many timeless artists have come before us. Irish music fans are really some of the greatest lovers of music, it's evident in how well they treat & love their artists."

Well Irish music fans and Jupe fans in particular will be delighted to hear what the band have planned for the coming month or two!

"We've got a hectic close to 2015 with a bunch of media appearances to support Rocket - additionally we've got Ruby Sessions on 17th Nov which is one of the best music nights in Dublin, and cumulating in our headline show on 24th Nov in the iconic Whelans! Tickets flying out the door for this one, so hit us up on Facebook and Twitter for more info on tickets!"

'Rocket is available to purchase iTunes, Spotify, Play Store and all the other usual suspects. Have a listen for yourself here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNIW-TO7rR4

EOIN!

Interview with Sam Marder of Keywest

Interview with Sam Marder of Keywest

I have to be honest and say, it's been a while since I was this excited for an interview. With an album that went straight to number one here in Ireland, a tour on the way, and a growing fanbase, Keywest are certainly a force to be reckoned with.

I chatted to bass guitarist Sam Marder to talk about the bands success with the new album, the up and coming gigs and the busking on the world famous Grafton Street in Dublin. But.. let's start with the album, 'Joyland'!

"We were delighted to get the number one spot! We felt very honoured and proud of ourselves and our fans who have supported us through thick and thin. The first number one album for our band was certainly a big part of our career so far. 

A lot of people around us have reacted with a kind of "You've made it now!" type of attitude, the funny thing is as much of an accomplishment it is, it only encouraged us to get back on the street and further promote Joyland and keep it up their at the top for another week! We had no chance to celebrate. It was a kick in our arses showing us what we were capable of and how we could push this further and compete with the likes of major label artists in our own way!"

It's important to note that this success hasn't just been recognised in Ireland, the band actually had to add another date to play in London in November due to the phenomenal demand, something Sam is understandably delighted with!

"2 dates in London is very cool, we were really excited adding the UK dates onto our tour this year, especially seeing as the London dates are a homecoming gig for the three of us English lads in the band! 
I suppose we are probably the last people to realise and come to terms with how its truly coming together, but every now and again I get a clue and kind of stand back and think, "wow, there is actually a crowd here and they know all of our songs?". Its a really great feeling. Much like playing guitar hero, but in real life! But to be honest, a lot of daily life feels like a lot of hard work, like it's always been!"

Keywest will travel around Ireland and the UK on a tour in the months of November and December (I'll stick the dates and venues down on the bottom of the page) and the bass player admits that live performances hold a particular soft spot in the band's heart.

"We love performing live, its the raw energy that we have gotten hooked to! We have great interaction and banter with our fans too over all our social media, so sometimes our shows feel like just a giant party with a lot of mates!"

And when the guys aren't playing packed out shows, you can find them on the streets, busking! Which, again, is something that Sam says is very special to the band!

"Busking is an experience! You never know whats gonna happen or who's gonna turn up, good or bad! 
However, while pulling those crowds on the street, I always feel amazed we've managed to capture the attention of people going about their daily business, while they are in the stress of shopping or commuting on the grey street. 
We've managed to capture the attention of a person and do something great together for the 15 minutes we've had them stand still and just listen and enjoy music. Its cool, its like you might have made a really positive impression on their day! Well we hope positive!!! Hopefully we are doing a good service for the community!"

So far, whether it be busking, in the studio recording, or doing gigs, it seems to be paying off for the band, so much so that they were awarded the 2015 Hot Press Most Promising Act!

"It was quite the achievement, to be honest, its our fans we have to thank for winning that one! I suppose winning that was a part of us getting the cover for Hotpress later on too! So we have our fans to thank for that also!"

Something tells me that won't be the last award this band scoops, especially with the drive and determination Sam portrays when it comes to talking about Keywest's future plans.

"What we've done so far has been off the efforts from our own back! We are an independent band! We want this to keep going and growing, so the plan for 2016 will to be travel and start branching out the same we have done here. Take to news streets in different lands and take to the internet and try and cause a stir!! Potentially we might introduce someone else to our entourage in the way of a licensing deal or something for abroad, but we'll see what 2016 has in store for us! Either way, we are happy to go it alone as usual too!"

If you haven't already checked these guys out, take my word for it, you are missing out. Here is how you can do so... Actually, I'll let Sam explain!

"Set me up for the plug, I love it! Joyland is available for order from HMV Ireland or in any of their stores, also it's available from iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and all the other usual suspects!
However, if you want to hear Joyland live, you will have to get a ticket to our UK and Ireland Winter Tour from www.ticketmaster.ie or www.ticketmaster.co.uk
The songs from Joyland were crafted on the street and inspired by the busking. We use a lot of that inherent acoustic driven rhythm that we felt drew people to us most effectively! And the songs are a collection of experiences. If you've ever heard us on the street and enjoyed it, I'm sure you will love Joyland. If not, I recommend you try it anyway!"

KEYWEST UK AND IRELAND WINTER TOUR DATES

Nov 13 - Belfast

Nov 18 - Liverpool

Nov 19 - Birmingham

Nov 20 - London (sold out)

Nov 21 - London (sold out)

Nov 27 - Killarney

Dec 04 - Cork

Dec 05 - Limerick

Dec 10 - Waterford

Dec 12 - Galway

Dec 15 - Dublin (sold out)

Dec 16 - Dublin

P.S You'll catch me at the Waterford gig! Be sure to say hi!

EOIN!

Interview with Flight Brigade

Interview with Flight Brigade

I can easily say that this is by far the largest band I have ever interviewed! Consisting of two sisters, four guys and one husband and wife, both Flight Brigade's on stage and off stage presence certainly is something to behold.

I recently chatted to the London based band about the release of their EP 'Stealing Fire', current tour and plenty more!

"We formed because Ollie (lead singer) grew up on the road from us girls in the group Me, (Miriam, now his wife) and my sister Dorry. Ollie had written some songs, and plucked up the nerve to drop in on our musician parents to see what they thought of his early demos. Dorry & I just started jamming along and a few months later we recruited musician friends from college. Neil was, and still is, the heaviest drummer we know, he's mad for really heavy music and we think that's bought a lot to our sound -as we like to combine beauty, harmonies and more delicate stuff with pretty heavy riffs. The fact there is 7 of us means we can get an almost orchestral sound at times and build layers and play with dynamics."

If you haven't already checked this band out on YouTube, I would highly recommend that you do so! Or alternatively, check out their tour dates on their website and tag along to a gig because here is what you can expect at a live performance:

"We like to think we give it all we can, people have told us, that's what comes across - which is good!. We aim to do what we do with conviction. To tell the story, or communicate a feeling. We also like to make use of dynamics, bring out the contrast between delicate intimacy and thunderous heaviness."  

No doubt, the setlist at a gig will be filled with older material but also the newer stuff on the EP. The band believe the new release has it's similarities and differences to their previous releases, something fans will be delighted to hear.

"I think there's some similarity and some contrast. Housefire has a brooding mood, which is also present in the track 'Our Friends Our Enemies'. We tend to write songs that tell a story. 'Our Friends Our Enemies' was written after Ollie heard an amazing story about World War 11. Ollie's was walking with a friend round Clapham Junction, where we lived, and his friend mentioned that bombs had fallen, right where they were standing, during World War 2 but hadn't exploded. Some Czech workers, under forced labor by the Nazi government were rolling powder-less shells off the munitions assembly line. One of the unexploded bombs was opened up and inside was a note, written in Czech, that read 'this is all we can do, for now'. This just inspired the song, it was a story of incredible courage under the watchful eye of the enemy. In contrast 'When We Were Young' is a fun, nostalgic track its got quite a different feel, kind of feeling of reminiscence. The Phantom is also more synth-driven and has an almost playful feel."

Although the band are understandably thrilled with the end product of the EP, they don't want to stop there, and already have plans to release an album in the not too distant future.

"We can't wait to get the album out. Work is being done on it as we speak. We're squirreling away on it in-between tour dates!"

Ah yes, the tour! I was joking to the guys that one noticeable absence from the tour was Ireland! But they assure me it's high up on their to-do list. Sit tight Irish fans.

"Yes it is busy but we're kinda used to that. We played 16 UK festivals this summer so it's been pretty non stop for a while! If only we could play Ireland in this tour! We'd love nothing more. Us sisters are half-Irish, we love the country and have loads of family in Connemara.  So, yes, we'd especially love to come play Ireland. But Yeah, we love playing live, we've played hundreds of gigs and learnt lots through doing that. It's hard to beat the feeling of playing live, its addictive in many ways, - we're truly hooked at any rate!"

As I mentioned, you can check out their tour dates on the website www.flightbrigade.com. The EP was released last Friday October 23rd and is available to purchase on all digital outlets and physical copies are available to buy at one of the gigs! If you're considering popping along to a gig, here's a little taster of what to expect - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3N91IAT_yY

EOIN!

Interview with Chris Haze

Interview with Chris Haze

Mark my words; this guy is going to be huge. With his new single 'Let Us Be Heroes' set to be released on December 4th, playing festivals such as Indiependence and supporting bands like The Academic on tour, Chris Haze is already taking steps in the right direction.

I recently caught up with the rising artist to pick his brain about the new single and talk about much more besides!

"Music is always something I loved, I ended up teaching myself the guitar when I was in a pretty shitty place in my life. (excuse the sob story). I lived in a house with a few mates at the time and one of them used to play the guitar. I kinda robbed his guitar all the time teaching myself a few chords from YouTube videos. Until I could eventually afford my own second hand guitar. From there I ended up writing my own songs by putting chords together rather than learning covers. The natural progression after that lead me to writing lyrics and that's when music really became special for me."

One could only assume that one of the hardest things about being an up and coming solo artist is promoting yourself and getting people to listen to your music and take you seriously. Haze admits, it can be difficult at times. 

"It is definitely not one of the easiest things. The hardest part is getting people in the industry and fans to take you seriously as an artist. Promoting yourself also takes time from the things you should be doing like writing, rehearsing and most of all enjoying the music. I look at it like this..no one will push you/promote you better than yourself because nobody believes in what you do like yourself as an artist. So it is hard but rewarding if you can make the connections and fans you need supporting you."

Anyone who is familiar with Haze's music or knows him personally, will be well aware that he is an extremely hard working musician and has enjoyed a considerable amount of success recently, with things falling into place for him at the right times, but he is adamant, the hard work is just beginning.

"I have been enjoying it but at the same time I still have a lot of work to do to get to the stage i'd like to be at. I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to my career because I always want the next step which sometimes kicks me in the teeth from expectations being too high. But I'm learning and working harder everyday to achieve the success I'd like to achieve."

The release of his new single 'Let Us Be Heroes' will undoubtedly bring more success, I'll let Chris explain where the idea for the song came from and what people can expect from it!

"Let Us Be Heroes is another way of me saying “stick together”. And when I say “Heroes” I don’t mean superman, I mean everyday heroes that go out of their way to make things easier and more manageable for those who find it hard to do it for themselves. It’s about sticking together and trying to help rather than hoping these problems pass by without affecting you. It’s easy for a lot of us to get on with every day life without these kinds of issues because most of us live in modern societies where we don’t have to see or deal with issues like starvation, and fatal diseases taking the lives of our loved ones.
The idea and message behind this song and title is that..just because these kinds of issues are not a part of our everyday lives, doesn’t mean they’re not happening. We should always be conscious of these issues other people face on a daily basis and do whatever we can to help.  I know some days it’s hard to but we should always be grateful for the lives a lot of us have without ever forgetting about the people facing real life problems right now."

Regarding that song, he recently posted on his official Twitter @chrishazemusic that it would be going back to the studio for a bit of work, but fear not, the change will hopefully bring positive rewards.

"When I say a little different I mean a higher standard of production. I produced the current version of the single but a producer that worked on the latest The Script album and produced Superheroes really likes the song and wants to take it to the next level production wise. Which will hopefully result in a higher rate of airplay for the release."

As I mentioned before, Chris has and is still touring with Irish band The Academic (playing in the Fences in Mullingar tonight Friday 23 Oct) and he says he is delighted to be gigging with the guys.

"It's a great opportunity to be given to support any band or act with hype behind them. On top of them being a pretty talented bunch. I was delighted when their management asked me to support them as they played just after me on the mainstage of Indiependence Festival this Summer."

So it really does seem to be coming together for Haze but like he said, the hard work is only beginning, and here is what the future holds;

"The future holds lots more Single/EP & Album releases and as many gigs and tours as possible. The aim is to get a label involved to help make all these things easily possible."

EOIN!

Interview with Jamie Harrison

Interview with Jamie Harrison

This guy has been making huge strides in the Irish music industry in recent times, and with the calibre of music he continues to release, such as his latest single 'If I Only Knew Your Name', it doesn't appear that the success is bound to halt at any time soon.

I recently caught up with the Galway native to chat about that single that has everyone talking! I've even given it a couple of spins on my radio show myself!

"This was a song I wrote last year that seemed to come together

magically - one of those rare '30 minute songs.  I guess it refers

to those moments what we've all experienced where you pass

someone on the street or see someone somewhere and for a

second everything just stops as you catch eyes.  It also has a 

more 'daydream' element of thinking about who that 'one person'

is and where in the world they might be.  I guess that's what it 

meant for me, but of course, it came out of me so fast that it also 

has other subconscious meanings and interpretations and it's 

not really stuck down to one thing.  The lyrics are maybe a little

bit more open to interpretation than some of my other songs."

If you haven't already heard the lyrics, have a listen here for yourself, and watch the very snazzy music video, which Jamie says was great fun to make; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFtuRzaOusk

"I had an amazing director just guiding me through everything so that made it a lot easier.  It was certainly the largest and most serious from a  production standpoint, (and it was shot in Hollywood, the entertainment capital of the world) so there was a little bit of extra pressure there I guess, but I loved every minute of it!"

Despite his notable success to date, in many ways this release is just the start of Jamie Harrison. In fact, he has an EP set to be released very shortly.

"I will have an EP coming soon after releasing 'If Only I Knew Your Name'. I am really excited to release that because it gives people more of an idea of who I am and that I'm not just about one thing. It also gives people an opportunity to hear some other songs that I can do live, so its always nicer to go to a gig and know some of the songs, than to only know one."

With over 12,000 likes on Facebook, people are becoming more and more familiar with Harrison's music, which one can only assume is a dream come true for any artist. But the humble Galwegian is keeping his feet fixed firmly on the ground

"To be honest, it's been gradually building for a while and many people already recognise me from busking in whatever city I happen to be in, so I don't feel any huge change taking place right now. Like you said before, it's only the beginning for me, so maybe in time, I'll have a better answer to that question! But also, I've been so busy doing so many radio shows and TV slots that I haven't had a huge amount of time to even notice it! And my family will make sure my feet always stay firmly planted on the ground though *laughs*"

Jamie mentioned his busking, which really was a focal point in getting his career up and running. He started out as a busker, playing on the streets of Galway. In 2012 he raised €6,000 for Neuroblastoma patient Lily-Mae and sang on the charity single 'A Song For Lily-Mae', which went to number 1 in the Irish charts. But he claims he doesn't have a preference of being on the streets busking or in the studio recording.. It all depends on the weather. Typical Irish!!

"It really depends where I am and what the weather is like outside haha! In the winter, it's a lot nicer being in a cosy studio hanging out with other musicians and making music, but when the sun is out, it's a really good buzz being out on the streets and meeting people and playing music for them. It's also quite nice around Christmas when people are in doing their Christmas shopping and exploring the markets, but damn, trying to keep your fingers warm while playing the guitar is no easy feat!"

So whether you plan on listening to Jamie on the street, buying his EP or seeing him at a live gig, here is what he has in store for the future;

"I will be doing some gigs in Galway and Dublin coming up to Christmas, but dates aren't completely locked down yet. However, if you go onto my Facebook page which is facebook.com/jamieharrisonmusic, I'll be keeping people updated whenever we decide on some definite dates!"

If you do happen to see him busking, be a dear and give him a cup of coffee to warm him up! Poor guy!

EOIN!

Interview with Saoirse Casey

Interview with Saoirse Casey

Get out your pen and notepad and stick this name down on your 'One to Watch' page. With an incredibly unique voice, style and the ability to formulate exquisite lyrics, it won't be long until Saoirse Casey is making headlines.

I recently chatted to her following the premiere of Keith Plunkett's music video for his new single 'Hold On' which we both feature in as leads (I dont think acting is my thing), but nonetheless, here's what she had to say.

"Music was always something I cared about but I don’t know about it being an eventuality. I was encouraged to learn instruments and I was very stubborn I think. My mom tried to teach me keyboard when I was around 10 or 11 and I just wasn’t dedicated at all.. I get a little annoyed at that because now I’m piano obsessed and it would have been great to have started learning back then."

Saoirse is actually the daughter of the hugely popular and successful Irish singer/songwriter, Paddy Casey and she claims he has influenced her greatly, but not in the traditional sense of the term!

"Hmm… I’m not sure he influenced me in the way I play or write, but seeing him play his songs for people as I grew up and going to his gigs was and is a very special thing to me. I was and am very proud of him. Yes, he influences me now. Some of his advice includes ‘’Don’t be a musician’’ and ‘’Don’t date musicians’’. He’s actually forbidden me to date anyone till I’m 30 years old!!"

So at the age of 19, it seems Saoirse has a while to wait yet until she can search for the man of her dreams but at 17, she made a life-changing decision. She left school and focused more and more on her music.

"I have no idea if leaving school was the right thing to do.. I still feel like a baby bird. I think time will tell? It did feel right though. I don’t think it’s for everyone. There was a lot of great things about the school I went to but getting up in the mornings just wasn’t working for me. Just kidding. I don’t regret anything yet. There’s a great quote by someone somewhere ‘’Do it or don’t do it. you will regret both’’ I'm just going to try my best." 

For anyone who has heard Casey's music before, you will be well aware of her captivating lyrics and ability to paint a picture in the listener's mind. But where do the ideas for her songs come from?

"All my songs are personal in an impersonal way. I do try to cloud the truth a little bit, just because the details aren’t very important. They start with a feeling, and the story can come from there. The stories might not be true but at the same time they are. I think the word for that is allegory, but that makes me think of the bible!!

The young artist claims that she is really enjoying the experience of gigging and performing in front of larger audiences but admits she is unsure as to what the future holds for her from a musical point of view.

"The word career scares me..but I would like to keep playing music for a long time. There’s so much to learn, and thats so exciting. As for getting signed, well, thats also a bit of a scary term. I can’t imagine a businessman/woman seeing something sellable in me. Can I just go live in the forest and hold concerts for the woodland animals? I hear they’re a very attentive audience."

Well the woodland animals will be glad to hear that she does have one particular project she is focused on;

"I'm hoping to release my album in Spring 2016, and this week I'm playing support for Declan O'Rourke in St.David's Church in Naas. I'm really looking forward to that." 

And finally... I asked where people could find out more about Saoirse Casey and/or listen to her music and she gave me this response.. See if you can make sense of it!!

"Of course, you can find me sometimes on the moon. There’s this beautiful jazz bar there, where I sing at. Mostly covers, you know, like The Cure and Simon and Garfunkel. Or you could check my Facebook page and youtube… or my website. Cue website link… www.saoirse-music.tumblr.com :) I would be very happy if someone liked my music, and wanted to come see me play."

EOIN! 

Interview with Jessica Smith

Interview with Jessica Smith 

I think it goes without saying that Ireland has produced some incredible artists in recent years, but when it comes to dance tunes or club classics, well, we may be a little bit behind other countries. But fear not, Dublin singer/songwriter Jessica Smith has just released a single worthy of getting a few spins in any nightclub.

I recently caught up with her to talk all things Jessica Smith-y including how the song came about, how she found it making a music video for the first time and what her plans are for the future.

"I have been singing since i was a child. Music has always been in my family with my Dad Damian Smith being a trained baritone. In fact the first time i remember singing was when my dad was rehearsing in our house for a show he was doing at the time in National Concert Hall in Dublin. My dad called me into the room and asked me to sing the female part in "BlackHills" from Calamity Jane. I recall singing in front of his Aunt and Uncle in their home in Baldoyle. I suppose i just loved it from that moment.

I love Coldplay and Adele and pretty much majority of dance music. I want to write music that is up beat with a story.

I want my music to move people both physically and emotionally."

Well, 50/50 certainly will move people physically but one song I stumbled across that moved me emotionally song 'Marry Me', composed around the time of the Same Sex Marriage Referendum in Ireland. Here's what she had to say about it; Oh and check it out too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iymv2-jfxCM

"I wrote 'Marry Me' with my producer Cormac Butler. I decided to write 'Marry Me' for the Marriage Referendum , i suppose, to be a voice for my family members and friends who are gay. I have never understood why it would be up to someone else to say how people should live their lives. I have seen Love in all shapes and sizes and forms and its all equal in my eyes. I wanted to put my opinion across in the only way i know how which is in my music in the hopes that it would make a difference. Love is Love simple as."

As I mentioned in my intro, it may be argued that Ireland is a little bit off the pace when it comes to dance music but the Dubliner believes that she could actually use that to her advantage and that there may be a niche for that genre of music within the country.

"50/50 is definitely different to 'Marry Me'. It's more pop dance than anything else. I do think there is a niche for that style of music in Ireland in particular because there aren't many people doing this genre here."

And that certainly seems to be the case so far because the song and Smith's vocals have been getting a huge amount of praise from various different music critics and has even been getting some airplay on national radio.

"The response thus far has been extremely positive. '50/50' has been played on a good few Radio stations throughout Ireland since its release including being the 'Home Grown Hero' for Dermot&Daves show on TodayFM the week of its release. I am VERY excited to see how '50/50' does over the coming weeks."

Often, musicians find the transition from recording vocals behind a microphone to making a music video in front of the camera to be quite difficult and although for Jessica it was a brand new experience, she claims to have loved every minute of it. See for yourself https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSeShNzWi7s

""The music video was a totally new experience and was in fact my first ever music video for my original material. It was filmed by 'Crooked Gentlemen Films' who are AMAZINGLY talented and really helped to bring my music to life. The Dancers in the video were incredible, it was beautiful to watch them act out the story in the song and i wont lie i may have shed a tear watching them perform. The whole experience of making the music video was surreal and a memory i will cherish."

Hopefully from her point of view this will be just the first of many music videos she will be involved in. Jessica says she wants this to be a huge stepping stone in her career and she is working hard to ensure it lasts.

"I want '50/50' to be the start of my career. I fully intend to record more music and have been writing for the past 3 years with Cormac so there are many many more songs to come. In fact, I am currently working on my EP which i aim to release early in the new year."

Check Jessica out on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Jessicamusicofficial?ref=bookmarks

On her Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChvi7q__Nw3NqlowZ7ZtO3g

And website - www.jessicasmithmusic.com

You can also download 50/50 on Spotifuy, Google Play and iTunes.

EOIN!

Interview with Sean McGrath of 'In Focus'

Interview with Sean McGrath of 'In Focus'

Young Irish band 'In Focus' have certainly been grabbing people's attention in recent months. Whether it be busking in the streets or playing at organised gigs, these guys have been doing incredibly well for themselves, and have seen their hard work pay off by winning the 'Your Local Star Talent Competition' just under two weeks ago.

I caught up with lead singer Sean McGrath to get inside the mind of this incredible up and coming band and to talk about their outstanding recent success.

"The band originally started as a duo with myself and David (McCabe) getting together and seeing what we could do and then we got a gig through college with Adam (Tracey) and Jordan (Higgins) and as soon as we played with them we knew that we needed to become a band everything just fit. Then we just got Ian (Bailey) in because David knew him and he was a really solid drummer (and he can drive us all around!!)"

With five band members, one would be forgiven for thinking that it may be difficult for everyone to agree on a music style. But Sean insists that it all came together naturally for the guys.

"We do all have completely different tastes in music from swing to heavy metal but when writing we kind of just fell into our own style mainly Acoustic Rock style with our own twist, we added our own style of melodies and lead and bass lines to make ourselves stand out. So it kind of just fell into place rather than us having to force it." 

 "Promoting ourselves was and still is the most difficult thing to do as a band. We got an awful lot of our following from busking and then the more and more gigs we are getting gives us a good following also. We have put a lot of work and effort into getting our image right so that we catch peoples attention and stand out and so far it has been working for us."



There is no doubt that it has been working for the band, because as I mentioned, they were recently crowned the winners of the 'Your Local Talent Star Competition' held in the Riverside Hotel in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. As champions, the band's prizes included a €2000 cash prize, chance to record a single in one of Ireland's leading recording studios with 100 CDs, a brand new website and 5 paid gigs nationwide. So it's no surprise that it is the bands biggest achievement to date.

"It was really amazing we said we would try an original song "Lost" (Our Upcoming Single) and people really took to it as well because it is quite upbeat and catchy. People started clapping along and singing along to the chorus once they heard it and it really made us stand out which we think the judges appreciated and took into consideration when deciding.It's a great opportunity for us to make ourselves known and to make our mark and hopefully find our place in the industry.I think its something we have all dreamt of and now it has become a reality no one can tell how the single is going to go or if it will take off but its still a massive step in our career and we have got massive belief in ourselves and our music."

And on a lighter note.... What do the guys plan on doing with the money?!

"Ahhhh we can't be telling you that now haha! Ah no we had decided before the competition that if we won we wouldn't go mad and spend it stupidly we were going to invest it into getting our other original songs out and get our music out there." 

Wise decision! But the band know that the can't afford to sit back and relax, this really is only the beginning! So what are their future plans?

"We are going to keep plugging away, gigging and working hard, trying to get some notice, get some stuff out there and hopefully record an EP to send to some labels and yeah just see where we go from there. We would love to be playing festivals and bigger gigs but its not just going to be handed to us so the harder we work the better it will pay off for us hopefully."

For those of you interested in listening to the bands music or keeping up to date with all the behind the scenes stuff, Sean has all the details!

"We have our music on YouTube for now but if you like the Facebook page, we post things regularly and now with our single coming out we will be putting it on iTunes, Spotify, XBox music really anywhere we can put it."

In Focus Official - Facebook
@InFocus_Band - Twitter
@InFocus_Official - Instagram 
in_focusband - Snapchat

EOIN!

Interview with Ben Rogers

Interview with Ben Rogers

Between sharing a brand new video, releasing an album and announcing a Canadian and UK Tour, Vancouver based, outlaw country artist, Ben Rogers certainly is one busy man!

And when I caught up with him a couple of days ago, he understandably had lots to talk about!

 "I first got into country music when I heard some old country records at my grandparents' house one day and I really liked the sound of it. But as a child, I didn't think that I could find it anywhere else, because my parents didn't have any country records. So I cherished my visits to my grandparents' place because it reminded me of a type of music that I thought only existed in one place. And then as I got older and moved into my teens, I picked up a guitar and started songwriting."

Ben explained how he believed country music only existed in his grandparents house as a child, suggesting that it wasn't particularly popular around that time, but now as an artist, looking from the inside out, does he believe the demand has gotten bigger? Around Vancouver, especially.

"I think there was a bit of a scene going for a number of years, I think that country music on a broader scale has perhaps lost a bit of the taboo that pop country has bestowed upon it and I think that people are more open to country music than perhaps a few years ago, certainly."

Ben is described as having a very unique and 'gritty' tone to his style of singing, something that he says he became aware of about six or seven years ago.

"I'm not sure what it was, the sound just came from a different place than it had previously and it just morphed into what it became."

And that tone most definitely hasn't done him any harm because as I mentioned, he is enjoying quite a lot of success at the moment and releasing his album 'The Bloodred Yonder' this coming Friday is a big step in his career, according to Ben himself.


"I'm really excited about this album, even though it did take quite a while, simply because I'm a bit of a perfectionist and also it took a long time for the band to come together. The material was there but I needed the right band and slowly that came together, with the most recent addition of Matt Kelly on pedal steel and that was the defining moment where I thought I was ready to make the record."

For anyone who has seen any of Ben's live performances or watched his videos on YouTube. it's clear that there are quite a number of people involved in the performance, something Ben was quick to point out.

"The band have been incredible to work with. I mean, they've been steadfast through the journey of the past couple of years. I feel Ben Rogers has become, not just a name, but it really defines the whole outfit. For example, on stage I will say "WE are Ben Rogers" because it has become a unit and a family. They are such talented musicians and I have nothing but the highest regard for every single one of them."

Ben's video for his song 'Panhandler' has also just been shared and it's a special one for him personally, stating that "It was the first video we made with the full band so I was really happy with it"

I also mentioned how Ben plans to go on tour around his home country of Canada and also across the water to the United Kingdom in the coming months. I will include a list of his tour dates at the bottom of this post, but Ben is understandably excited about getting back on stage.

"I can't wait, gigging in Canada is always fun and of course, I am really exciting about going back to the UK because they have some of the best crowds I have ever played to so I cannot wait to get back to that part of the world."

So both he and his band have a lot on their plate in the near future, but me being me, I like to ask the harder questions from time to time, what's his plans for 2016?

"Well I'd like to take this tour on the road for a while and really fine tune our live performance and bring the music to as many people as possible. Of course, Eoin, I would love to come to Ireland but unfortunately there are no dates on this tour!"

But as he says himself, one step at a time! I guess he's right too!

Check Ben out on Facebook - Ben Rogers Music
On his website - www.benrogersmusic.com

BEN ROGERS TOUR DATES
Aug 15 - Winlaw, BC – The Field
Sept 10 – Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern  with The Harpoonist And The Axe Murderer
Sept 11 -   Ottawa - The Rainbow Bistro  with The Harpoonist And The Axe Murderer
Sept 17- Victoria, BC - Rifflandia
Sept 18 - Vancouver, BC – The Wise Hall

Oct 10   Nottingham, UK - The Guitar Bar
Oct 11   Bath, UK - American Museum
Oct 11   Bristol, UK - the Canteen
Oct 13   London, UK - The Green Note
Oct 14   Pembrokeshire, UK - Haverfordwest
Oct 16   Scarborough, UK - Woodend Gallery
Oct 17   North Yorkshire, UK - Musicport Festival
Oct 18   Edinburgh, UK - Douglas Robertson's Gallery
Oct 20   Kilbarchan, UK - The Old Library
Oct 23   Aberdeen, UK - The Blue Lamp
Oct 24   Hawick, UK - The Border Club
Oct 25   Irvine, UK - Harbour Arts Centre

EOIN!