Antrim trad merchants Beoga have become a very hot property in the States with their current album, The Incident, being shortlisted for ‘Best Contemporary World Music Album’ at the 2010 Grammys, which take place on January 31 in Los Angeles.
Since releasing their masterpiece in January, the quintet have gigged in no fewer than 13 countries, picked up a US House of Representatives Certificate of Congressional Recognition and been described by the Wall Street Journal as “the most exciting traditional band to emerge from Ireland this century.”
The album’s standouts include a humorous duet, ‘On The Way’, about getting lost in Donegal, which finds lead singer Niamh Byrne trading jibes with the song’s author Joe Echo, a.k.a. Ciaran Gribbin. Gribbin is big news himself at the moment having co-authored Madonna’s new single, ‘Celebration’, with Paul Oakenfold and Ian Green.
Fresh back from Australia where he played a particularly memorable show with Paolo Nutini, he’ll be Joe Echoing his way to Dublin on December 17 for a show in the Dublin Academy.

Pictured: Joe Echo at Castlepalooza