Paddy Casey has announced that he will perform his first solo gig in Dublin following his American Tour, at the National Concert Hall this August, as part of the ESB BEO festival.
Released in 1999 Paddy Casey’s debut album went double-platinum, establishing him as one of Ireland’s brightest prospects. but the intervening four years have seen that crown slip, as a succession of homegrown singer songwriters battled their way into contention, outstripping him in terms of record sales – and hard graft. now casey is back in the frame, with his long-waited follow-up, the cheekily titled Living – an album that sees him gloriously back on top of his game. why did it take four years to make? the answer to that burning question may go back even further. because Paddy Casey’s life story is truly a remarkable one.
Paddy Casey is just one of a host of the nation's finest acts at the Sennheiser Live Stage for two days of great live music. Fresh from releasing his Addicted To Company album this month, Paddy plays a set on Saturday evening, and will be joined over the weekend by The Frank & Walters, The Walls, The Flaws, Neosupervital, Royseven, Dirty Epics, The Kinetiks and Messiah J & The Expert, with lots more yet to be announced.
The true mark of quality songwriting comes through when songs are at their most naked, stripped of all studio trickery and jiggery-pokery - just the basic accompaniment and vocal
This Sunday's edition of Limerick Green and Live looks set to be a good un with the likes of Rodrigio and Gabrielle, Juliette Turner, Groove Armada and plenty of other top acts.
Following The Frames' recent storming of St John's Castle, the good burghers of Limerick get some more al fresco rock 'n' roll on June 18 when Paddy Casey plays the city's racecourse as part of their summer meet.
As he left the stage to rapturous applause and chants of ‘Paddy, Paddy’ it seemed somewhat odd that Paddy Casey would later reflect on this, his first London gig since the release of Living, as the worst of his current tour.
On the first listen, Paddy Casey’s debut album Amen (So Be It) stands out as top quality singer/songwriter material. On the second, you hear intimations of the kind of subtle complexity which insists that you listen again. And again. And again.
Paddy Casey scotches rumours that he has left Sony Music and Principle Management. "I can understand people thinking it," says Paddy, "but no, they're still on board"
Quick, quick – I need to make a cynical wisecrack about a whinging troubadour type before I explode! Ah, here’s Paddy Casey – that should do the trick. Yawnsome drive-time snoozefest which makes ‘The Blower’s Daughter’ sound like a cut from Bolt Thrower’s Realm Of Chaos. Not my cuppa meat, as you can see.
Sometimes it feels as though Ireland is suffering an overdose of bed-sit earnestness. For a generation of songwriters, elegant mooching has acquired the character of a national pastime.
Amidst the apparently bottomless onslaught of weepy self-consciousness, Paddy Casey cuts a solitary figure. Although no less gushing than his peers, the Dublin singer boasts songwriting chops to match.
Despite sharing a home with fellow troubador Paddy Casey, singer-songwriter Declan O’Rourke isn’t one for late-night acoustic sessions. You’re far more likely to find him kicking back with a Coen brothers box-set and musing on the early exploration of Antarctica.
When a gang of Ireland’s finest musicians, media stars and political types gathered in the Central Hotel for pre-Christmas drinks, there were fun and games aplenty. reporting: Stephen Bailey, Stuart Clark and Roisin Dwyer. Photos: Mick Quinn and Graham Keogh. Costumes: courtesy of The Dublin Costume Company.
The Thrills blamed for after-match riot, the word 'me' has been banned from songtitles that will be played on RTE, and who'd win a fight between Paddy Casey and Glen Hansard.
No surprise to learn that Dubliners Doris previously operated as an acoustic three-piece. ‘Will I Ever Learn’ is awash with that chirpy acoustic sound. Upbeat and melodic, it also has the tendency to lodge itself in your brain upon first listen.
Obscenely catchy, it follows a path well worn by the likes of Travis, Picturehouse and Paddy Casey. They may not exactly be reinventing the wheel, but this is a decent debut nonetheless.
The name may not ring a huge number of bells, yet Fiona Melady has been something of an Irish musical mainstay over recent years, first as a member of Turn and then through her work with Gemma Hayes, Paddy Casey and Declan O’Rourke. Of them all, ‘One’ is probably most reminiscent of Hayes, especially in the vocal department. As accomplished as you’d expect, Melady still needs to find more of an original angle.
The Irish contingent has been confirmed for South By Southwest, the annual showcase festival in Austin, Texas, which is arguably the most important shop window for new acts in the U.S. – and a few old ones to boot.
They may have toured with the likes of Paddy Casey, Ann Scott and Hothouse Flowers, but far from dealing in laidback acoustica, Birr group Wallmark are in fact a hard-rockin’ Led Zep/Who influenced outfit with an appetite for sonic destruction.
Jim Corr-endorsed four-piece Karrier have wowed the Dublin indie circuit and supported Pink at Malahide Castle. Now, the band are looking to make a big impact with their debut album.
Paul Brady and Eddi Reader are raving about his work, and his album is surging up the charts – but Ireland’s latest singer-songwriter sensation Declan O’Rourke is still making his own breakfast.
Our annual HP-7 summit brings together some of the pre-eminent movers and shakers in irish music to reflect on everything from backstage catering to the end of war, pestilence and famine. Your host: Stuart Clark.
Aslan were the unexpected winners of the night at the Meteor Ireland Music awards, beating off competition from the likes of Ash, Delorentos and the Flaws to take the title of Best Irish Band.
Music Ireland ’07 has scored a major coup by getting Prince drummer John Blackwell to grace the Sennheiser Live Stage at the October 5 to 7 event in the Dublin RDS.
Dermot Doran tells Eamon Sweeney how the most unusual collaboration of the year was born, how its going to raise some much-needed Christmas cash for Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin . . . and of course . . . why its time to party like it's 1999!
Made up of some of Ireland’s finest session musicians, who have played with artists ranging from Damien Rice and Paddy Casey to Sister Sledge and the Bee Gees, The Carnival Saloon offer a promising debut.
Taking place tonight in the Dublin Point, the Meteor Ireland Music Awards will feature performances by Paddy Casey, Bell X1 and The Thrills among others
Hotpress.com brings you our exclusive first photos from Oxegen '08. Our man Graham Keogh was up front to catch all the action for headliners Kings Of Leon, along with Interpol, Cat Power and Friendy Fire.
How many bands can you fit into a weekend? One more than you thought, because it's just been announced that Paddy Casey has will headline a night at Hard Working Class Heroes.
The organisers of Oxegen '08 have revealed that the three day festival is now completely sold out. Plus, they've announced the day by day line-up so far...
Music lovers of the world, unite and take over! Whether you play music, work in music, want a career in music or just love to listen, don’t miss Music Ireland ’07 – the country’s biggest music show and exhibition.
Mick Flannery is just one of the top artists featured singing a track on Seachtain na Gaeilge’s Irish language compilation Ceol ’09, due for release next month. Jackie Hayden talks to him about the experience.
U2, Simon Carmody and Kila have led a collaboration on a special tribute to Ronnie Drew, which was recorded in Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin, over the past few days.
The new found confidence of Oxegen 08, more than made up for the overcast weather and chilly temperatures. Hot Press were there to catch the best of the best.
Twelve months ago, Declan O'Rourke was almost unheard of. Since then, his record has acheived platinum status. On the eve of his biggest tour ever, O'Rourke talks about a year in the maelstrom.
The Stables in Mullingar has become an essential stopover on the Irish rock touring circuit. Here, the venue's booking man, David McLynn tells Jackie Hayden about the current state of rock in the Midlands.
This year’s Heineken Green Energy festival has something for every music lover. Whether anthemic stadium rock (Snow Patrol) is your thing or you enjoy boisterous pop (Kaiser Chiefs), it’s a festival packed with sonic treats.
Following on from Hot Press' extensive polling of musicians around Ireland, we herewith present The 100 Greatest Irish Albums Of All Time as voted by You, the population of hotpress.com
After what seemed like an eternity of enduring processed boy/girl band hell, 2003 was the year that pop became exciting again. Finally, we got a long hot summer soundtracked by Beyoncé (song of the year – hands down), 50 Cent’s awesome ‘In Da Club’ and even a band from my own ‘hood whose debut album was the feelgood hit of the season.
You know, Nick Lowe was right when he asked “What’s so funny about peace, love and understanding?” Lately, I try to avoid the news as often as not, because it seems that every day there’s another atrocity: more carnage, more blood, more tears, more misery, more grief.
Following the news that the Eyebrowy cartoons are to be featured on The Last Broadcast, we can now reveal that their five-minute slots will begin next Tuesday.
Going on the road with Chris Rea was a once in a lifetime opportunity for Derry blues virtuoso Paul Casey. Here he opens his tour diary to Hot Press readers.
They've hardly played any gigs and have only a handful of releasees to their name. Thanks in part, to the blessing of Damien Rice, however The Guggenheim Grotto are going places.
A glimpse into Glen Hansard’s tour diary while on the road with The Frames' fourth album For The Birds (2001) - including reflections on their first landmark Olympia show (March 30th, 2001)
Everyone's favourite punk-pop pranksters Fight Like Apes report exclusively from their recent trips to Canadian Music Week and the South By South West indie festival in Austin, Texas.
How Eric Eckhart quit his swish job, sold his house and cars, split with his girlfriend and burned his picket fence in order to pursue his creative vision.
A unique blend of domestic and international talent, Other Voices is the brainchild of Philip King. The new series is, he believes, the most ambitious yet.
Many Irish radio fans reckon that the 2fm evening schedule is at its most exciting for years – from 6 pm, when a revitalised Dave Fanning comes on, right through to Hotpress columnist Cormac Battle signing off at 2am. One of the linchpins of that stretch is Dubliner Rick O’Shea. To celebrate his tenth year in radio we sent Jackie Hayden to ask O’Shea a few leading questions and to check out the great man’s credentials with his colleagues.
Steve Cummins meets Philip King, the man behind Other Voices: Songs From A Room, the acclaimed music show which has provided an invaluable platform for Irish musicians – and which has now expanded its remit to include international artists as well.
Steve Cummins meets Philip King, the man behind Other Voices: Songs From A Room, the acclaimed music show which has provided an invaluable platform for Irish musicians – and which has now expanded its remit to include international artists as well.
He’s Ireland’s latest singer-songwriter sensation. But Colm Lynch is no mere Damien Rice clone. In fact, his debut album, A Whisper In A Riot might be the most exciting thing you’ve heard in years.
Niall Stanage pays tribute to a remarkable young woman whose passion for music made her one of the most widely respected and genuinely loved people in the history of Irish music
Over the past number of years, Today FM has consistently supported Irish music, playlisting records by local artists and doing in-studio sessions on a regular basis. in the process the station has played an important part in the increasingly impressive chart and sales achievements of irish acts.
Since 1996 the Heineken Green Energy Festival has lit up the capital city with some of the brightest stars of modern rock. Patrick Hedlund and hotpress assistant editor, Stuart Clark, report
The dark, romantic Raining Down Arrows is the latest milestone in the creative
liberation of Mundy, a man whose thoughts on love, friendship and connecting with the audience are at the core of his music.
Didn't get a ticket for this year's sold-out Oxegen festival? Thought all hope was lost? Well dry those tears, music fans, cause hotpress.com are here to brighten your day!
Applications are now open for next year's near-legendary South By South festival, which sees the great and the good of the music industry check out thousands of bands under the Texan sun.
A breathtaking variety of acts have come together - as Lennon might have put it - to focus attention on the ongoing genocide in Darfur, under the auspices of Amnesty International.
Dog-Eared Memories, despite the claim that this is a new, stripped down Dara sound, is full of big ideas in both music and words. The influence of Coldplay and U2 is undeniable, but tempered by an intimate writing style that recalls Ben Folds or Randy Newman, especially given the choice of piano as lead instrument.
Dublin favourites Turn recently took to the highway for an Irish tour. Tanya Sweeney joined them for a trip to Limerick and an insight into what makes Ollie Cole and company tick.
U2 manager Paul McGuinness is among the most powerful players in the music industry. To coincide with the DVD release of U2’s classic ZOO TV Live From Sydney, he talks candidly about his relationship with the band and their controversial decision to move part of their business empire to the Netherlands in order to lower their tax burden.
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the dissection of the rock ‘n’ roll year that is the Hot Press Summit. Gathering round the table are the good and great of Irish music, but who let Podge & Rodge in?
Having dominated the charts here for the past ten years, Ash are gearing up for a full-scale invasion of America. Stuart Clark dons his hard hat as Tim, Mark, Rick and Charlotte tell him about their new record of mass destruction Meltdown, and the A-list celebrity company they’ve been keeping in the city of angels.
There are no guarantees of success in the music biz, but if you have what it takes there is plenty of expert help available to ensure you give it your best shot.
The latest Boy to leave the Zone, the launch of Mikey Graham s solo voyage has been attended by
controversy and criticism. But don t underestimate his determination. I m not the passenger, he tells PETER MURPHY. Portraits of the Artist: DECLAN ENGLISH
Republic Of Loose are that rarest of beasts – an Irish rock band who can get their groove on. Ahead of the release of their new album, they talk about standing out from the crowd.
Never mind figgy puddings and partridges in pear trees, there’s some serious seasonal business to be done as the annual HP-7 summit gathers in the crucible of cultural discourse that is The Central Hotel’s Library Bar.
From A to Z, Paul Nolan and Ronan Fitzgerald introduce all the runners and riders for Punchestown – throwing in a baker’s dozen of acts who are not to be missed * along the way
To celebrate their 10th birthday, The Ruby Sessions have organised four weeks of celebrations including performances from some of the best acts Ireland has to offer.
The star of cult movies such as Natural Born Killers, Kalifornia and Strange Days, Juliette Lewis appeared to have a direct entry to rock's premier league when she turned her attention to her punk outfit The Licks. Instead, she opted to embark on a small-scale tour and play a series of small venues throughout the US and Europe. Peter Murphy was on hand as Lewis' magical mystery tour reached Ireland, and was witness to some truly fascinating scenes as the singer and her band bewitched the Dublin indie cognoscenti, travelled south to rock Limerick and strolled the red carpet to join the glitterati backstage at the Meteor Awards. Photography by Liam Sweeney.
Oxegen is ready to kick off properly in the next half an hour, and with the first act due on stage, we've got the first report from our reporter in the field – literally – including a full weather report!
Prince may be content just to party but in a four-page special the Hot Press journalistic elite takes a look at everything 1999 has to offer. And then some.
Those going to the Hard Working Class Heroes musicfest in Dublin next weekend (August 26-9) will be mighty thrilled to learn that there will be a series of lunchtime in-stores at Tower Records as a taster for what the three-day event holds.
As U2 get ready to launch their Vertigo World Tour in San Diego, a whole gaggle – or should that be whoop? – of Irish artists have covered their songs on the Today FM supported Even Better Than The Real Thing.
It’s what every remembrance should be: not a reflection on the ache of losing him, but a celebration of our insane good luck at having had him in the first place.
With 25,000 albums released in Ireland every year, keeping tabs on new music has become an increasingly expensive hobby.
Staying abreast of what has become a fast moving, ever changing domestic scene is especially challenging. A handful of specialist shows aside, one rarely encounters bands such as The Amazing Pilots or Dry County on radio. Often checking out emerging groups means trial and error purchasing.
Thank God, then, for HMV’s Irish Playlist CD. Given away free with selected titles, the HMV Playlist has established itself as a gem of a compilation album. June’s Irish Playlist is exceptional throughout.
You might think that Dublin needs another acoustic-flavoured album on the market like it needs a SARS epidemic, yet this is a joyous mixed bag of intimate-sounding folk, upbeat indie and ’80s fused electronica.
As of today, we at hotpress.com will be bringing you the full story from Oxegen 2008, including interviews with some of the biggest hits of the weekend.
Obviously, it’s the album of the TV show, which is for the most part absolutely brilliant, where the crème de la crème of the Irish music community, along with a few adopted extras, decamped to St James’ Church, Dingle, for a week of gigs.
True, Caught In The Net would rather wank pigs in hell than attend a Panic At The Disco gig, but we wouldn’t be as fascistically anti-emo as the Russian parliament who want to make possession of an asymmetrical fringe a criminal offence.
Other Voices: Songs From A Room - the gig series held in a Dingle church and filmed for serial broadcast on N2 - to debut on telly screens at the end of the month
What on paper could have a some sort of post-modern Raggle TaggleFest 2002, turned out to be one of the most moving celebrations of friendship and music this city has ever seen
An EP entitled Blow Horn Or Scream Louder, allegedly monikered after a sign in Coney Island and has nothing whatsoever to do with Geri Halliwell, has just been released on a new independent label called Bed of Rockets.
Ireland s recording studios are busy creating the masterpieces that will dominate the charts over the coming year but there are still good deals on offer from some of our most respected establishments.
colm o hare reports.
More fab new Volta and Road Relish releases, additional servings of The Jimmy Cake, Nick Drake getting a Tongue-lashing and Adrian Crowley blowing horns and screaming louder
30th Anniversary Retrospective: When Anne Sexton saw the headline announcing our search for a sex columnist on the front of Hot Press, she felt that destiny was calling, But where, she asks, are the groupies?
Around two years ago, Arab Strap’s Aidan Moffat told this reviewer that the finest gig he’d ever seen was by an American musician named Devendra Banhart
After the rip-roaring success of last year's event, Music Ireland '07 has been extended to a three-day event, incorporating a dedicated student day on Friday October 5. Aimed primarily at second-level schools, the day is set to be one of the most educational and entertaining school tours in the country. For those wishing to follow a career in music, the show is a real treat.
Question: Why do so many rock bands take the tradesman’s entrance these days? And when was it they became so self-referential, self-effacing, heterogeneous, monosexual; cut off from the tributary streams of the other arts, adopting forelock tugging as a stance? What happened to glamour, decadence, risk, dandyism, wit? The idea of the pop star as alien emissary, queer weirdo, sin-eater, beautiful freak?
Skibbereen is the unlikely location for one of the most impressive festival line-ups of the year. Simon Basketter hears how Liss Ard can attract some of the biggest international names in rock.
On the face of it, Westmeath s made more of a name for itself in the bellylaugh stakes than in the annals of music. Still, scratch beneath the surface of any town or townland, and you ll be rivetted to your seat with musical anecdotes.
It s a kind of an honour to be invited in here. The scenery isn t so special a rented office in an industrial park in west Belfast, lined with concrete.
A simmering dissatisfaction with the amount of Irish music being played on Irish radio bubbled over at Music Ireland, with a debate that was, by turns, lively and illuminating.
Alanis Morissette and Paddy Casey bobbing around together on a pontoon on the Lagan? If you lie awake nights thinking what a wondrous thing this would be, good news, April 30 finds the aforementioned tunesmiths appearing on a floating stage outside Belfast's Waterfront Hall as part of the BBC Music Live extravaganza.
Budget cuts almost spelled the end of Other Voices. But the team behind the Dingle music institution rallied around – with the result that this year’s line-up is arguably among the strongest in the history of the show
