Gypsies on the Autobahn announce farewell show at Whelan's

Dublin group Gypsies on the Autobahn announced their split in March 2020, with their final show slated for April 2020. Needless to say, Covid scuppered those plans.

Today, the four-piece have announced the rescheduling of their final show after 14 years together, which will take place on April 8th in Whelan's.

Gypsies on the Autobahn is made up of brothers James and Daniel Smith, alongside friends Niall Mooney and Gary Quinn. Forming at the age of 16 to perform in a school talent show, the quartet continued writing music together and went on to have a career which spanned over a decade. The band saw much success in their time together, releasing two albums with Universal Records Ireland, touring with bands like Little Green Cars and Bleeding Heart Pigeons, supporting acts Bombay Bicycle Club and playing festival slots including Oxegen, Electric Picnic and Other Voices.

"We’ve been amping this up in our heads for the last two years and have been planning a great show for people. We want to end it all with a bang, and thank all those people who followed us for years by giving them a show they deserve," Talking about the upcoming show, lead singer James (J Smith) says.

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News of their break up came just nine months after the release of their critically-acclaimed sophomore album Suspended. Talking about writing the record, James said his writing process had evolved into an introspective search for personal hope.

"Gypsies On The Autobahn’s 2017 debut, Born Brief, firmly established the indie four-piece as serious contenders," Edwin McFee wrote for Hot Press in 2019. "The follow-up sees them return for round two, and despite having considerably less time on this occasion, the Dubs have come out fighting once again – and impressively so. Based around a central theme of hope born from moments of struggle, it’s a more assured beast than its predecessor, brimming with confidence and class."

James has since embarked on solo efforts with experimental outfit YURN and his J Smith moniker. The musician's debut album (...)and you chose not to laugh landed in May 2021, following debut single 'I'm Sorry'.

His first single of 2022, 'Skipping Stones', focuses on becoming a father and the grief of losing a parent. The folk-pop record is reminiscent of Elliot Smith and Ben Howard, and the first to be taken from a four-track EP.