Entertainment
Ground-breaking KÍLA make welcome return
Few acts down through the years have opened Irish traditional music up to outside influences with the relish and enthusiasm of Kíla, whose gig at Monroe’s Live on Sunday, May 4, comes as an unexpected treat to Galway fans.
A couple of years have passed since the Dublin traditional group last played around these parts, as the band members have been engaged in a variety of diverse projects as well as recruiting new members.
It’s been eight years since they collaborated with Japanese musician Oki for Kíla & Oki, one of the most eclectic Irish albums ever released and their appeal extends well beyond traditional music circles.
Formed over a quarter of a century ago by the Ó Snodaigh brothers and Eoin Dillon, along with several musicians who would later go on to form The Frames, Kíla have been firm favourites at Irish festivals down through the years.
The heartbeat of the band comes from the furious bodhrán playing of Rónán Ó Snodaigh, who released an album with a band called The Occasionals late last year.
That album, Sos, recently chosen as the RTÉ Radio One Album of the Week, is an eight-song collection completely ‘as Gaelige’ which includes some wonderful guitar work.
American guitar player Pete Pamf adds an unusual dimension to Sos, some of which could be compared to the upbeat African funk of 1980s African heroes The Bhundu Boys.
Funkiest of all is Anam Ionam, a track which could be defined as ‘World’ (rather than ‘Irish’) music. Title track, Sos, is trance-inducing, while Seod sounds like it has come straight out of Africa rather than West Kerry – where the band recorded most of the album.
Unfortunately, the music from Sos will not feature at next weekend’s Monroe’s Live gig – it really would be a treat to see O Snódaigh return to Galway with The Occasionals at some stage.
But, given that Kíla have been one of the most eclectic of Irish bands for two and a half decades, that should not matter when they perform a full live show at Monroe’s.
Indeed, albums such as Tóg é Go Bog é (1997), Lemonade & Buns (2000), Gamblers’ Ballet (2007), and Luna Park (2003) are among the finest traditional releases ever recorded, while Kíla & Oki (2006) – which drew on the Japanese Ainu tradition – is one of the most innovative collaborations in Irish musical history.
Kíla play a full show at Monroe’s Live on Sunday, May 4, at 9pm. Tickets, priced €10, are available online at monroes.ie or on the door for €12.
Folk duo Niall Teague and Pádraic Joyce are launching their new album What Will We Be, a blend of folk, Americana and acoustic music, this Friday, May 19, at 8pm in An Taibhdhearc.
The success of their well-received 2020 release Taobh le Taobh, as well as recent successes at the Pan Celtic and Oireachtas Song Contests, spurred the duo on to record this new album which represents many years of collaboration and musical development.
It features Niall and Pádraic on vocals, harmonies, and acoustic guitars, Maidhc Ó hÉanaigh on double bass and Neil Fitzgibbon on fiddle. The catchy title track, What Will We Be, features contributions from percussionist Jim Higgins (The Stunning, Christy Moore, Paul Brady) and haunting, driving melodies on vocals, guitar, and fiddle.
Themes of love and hope are woven through Come Away with Me which features interplay between piano and fiddle as well as rich vocal harmonies.
People, places, and broken dreams are celebrated and lamented on Martin and Tom, Guitar Gold, Memories of You and Achill Island. The influence of David Henry Thoreau’s novel Walden features on the tracks Simple and Wise and Walden, with the beauty of nature, escape and simple pleasures at their core.
The album moves from minimalistic folk ballads such as Galway Ghost to swirling, string-laden arrangements on the song Neptune, both of which are influenced by maritime tales from Galway. Much of the work on this album was supported by the Arts Council, including work with musical arranger Eoin Corcoran and the string ensemble Treo.
The album will be launched this Friday, May 19, at 8pm in an Taibhdhearc. Tickets €22, plus booking fee at Eventbrite.ie.
Dunmore is the place to be this weekend for lovers of traditional music, as the Galway County Fleadh will take place there from this Friday, May 19, to Sunday, May 23.
It is 10 years since Dunmore last hosted a fleadh and the local Comhaltas branch, which has re-formed since Covid, is looking forward to facilitating this gathering of music, song, dance and craic.
The official Opening Concert will take place in Dunmore Town Hall this Friday at 8pm with the acclaimed Mulcahy family from Limerick. Mick, Louise and Michelle are well known throughout the country, thanks to their live performances, television appearances and numerous CDs. They were the winners of the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Grúpa Ceoil Award for 2023. Tickets for their concert can be purchased on the door and a great night of music is promised.
Two days of competitions will kick off this Saturday at the town’s Community School, with more than 1,500 competitors taking part. Participants will be hoping to qualify for the Connacht Fleadh 2023, which will be held in Ballina, County Mayo, from June 23 to July 2.
Competitions for those aged Under 10, Under 12 and Under 15 will be held in a large variety of instruments on Saturday, as well as in singing and Comhrá Gaeilge. Sunday’s competitions will be for the Under 18 and Over 18 ages groups, as well as in dancing.
On both days a large entry is expected for Grúpaí Cheoil and Céilí Band competitions across all age groups.
Seventeen Comhaltas branches from across Galway will have participants in this weekend’s competitions, which will result in a large number of visitors to the Dunmore area.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the competitions, which offer a great opportunity to hear and see the talent on display. There will be sessions in local pubs over the weekend as well and everybody is welcome to attend these.
For more information on the County Fleadh, go to www.galwaycomhaltas.ie.
Music for Galway’s concert with renowned Swiss pianist Cédric Pescia which had been due to take place on April 27 but which had to be deferred, will now take place next Tuesday, May 23, at 8pm, in the Emily Anderson Concert Hall at the University of Galway.
This concert of German classics with Bach at its core, will brings the Bach element of Music for Galway’s 41st season to an end.
This world-class pianist who won the famous Gina Bachauer International Artists Piano Competition, has a repertoire that spans many eras from baroque to contemporary and he is widely known for his elaborate programmes. Cédric Pescia describes music as ‘language and movement at the same time’.
Audiences will have a chance to experience his soft, clear touch as he performs a programme for solo piano that will include classics such as Schumann’s popular Waldszenen (Forest Scenes), a suite of nine short pieces, and the penultimate of Beethoven’s piano sonatas, No. 31. These pieces will be interspersed with French Suites by Bach.
■ Ticket for Cédric Pescia’s concert are available at www.musicforgalway.ie, or by phone 091 705962 and on the door on the night. They cost €20/€18. The price for fulltime students of all ages is €6 while MfG Friends can avail of the friends’ rate of €16.
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