On Sunday evening Hot Press welcomed Waterford singer-songwriter Dave Lofts to the Y&E Series. An establised musician on the Irish circuit, Lofts has shared the stage alongside beloved artists such as Damien Dempsey and Paddy Casey.

After spending years developing as a solo artist, he recently came together with local indie-folk band S.A.N.D. - the collective offering an enrapturing, homegrown sound.  Having recently impressed audiences with a headline Workman's show and an appereance at this year's Electric Picnic , the five-piece Waterford indie group recently shared their first single, ‘Tell Me'. in preperation for their debut album.

Known for his husky, heartfelt vocals, Lofts wasted no time before introducing himself whilst gently strumming his guitar. His first song of the evening was the soon-to-be-released ‘Just a Man’.  With its vulnerable lyrics and acoustic feel, the heartfelt number would go on to set the tone for the rest of the set.

Next up was a song which the talented artist penned during Lockdown titled - ‘Drinking with the Boys.’ Closing my eyes while listening to his deep, soulful vocals envoked the feeling of drifitng away to a cosy countryside pub.

Following on, Lofts serenaded the audience with ‘She Always Takes it Black’, by South-African born singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov. “I always like to share a cover of an artist that maybe you guys have never heard of but someone that is close to me… he is my absolute hero and I admire him so much,” gleamed Lofts.

In between songs, he treated the stream like he was on stage, interacting with an avid comment section and shouting out members of his live audience.

We were treated to a string of unreleased original material, including ‘Poison’, which detailed  Lofts' views on the music industry, and 'Enemy', during which some attentive listeners may have noticed where he wittingly altered one line to “I want to welcome you all night to the Hot Press show.”

The final song of the evening was another heartwarming, original love song - his reverbed vocals crooning  a memorable set to a fitting close. After thanking his audience, Lofts said his goodbyes, capping off another memorable evening for the Hot Press Y&E Series 2023.

 

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Watch the Hot Press Y&E Series - supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media - live on the Hot Press Instagram at 7pm each night.
Catch the following up-and-comers take over the Hot Press Instagram over the coming days…

Thursday 19th: Krea
After initially rising to prominence as a member of Wyvern Lingo, Krea – aka Karen Cowley – emerged as a dazzling solo act last year with the serene ‘September Sun.’ With her debut EP The Callows now out in the world, the artist’s luscious melodies and captivating storytelling invites listeners on a soulful ride. Her promising Y&E set will arrive after a premiere of her forthcoming video, so stay tuned!

Friday 20th: Bernard M
Marked by his standout passion for creating genre-bending music and for bringing that sound to life onstage, the 23-year-old Crumlin native and multi-instrumental singer-songwriter/producer brings it all to the table. His shows are something of a spiritual experience, his magnetising energy and boundary-defying sonics captivating anyone lucky enough to be present. His new single ‘Young,’ a story of young love, is an earworm of an electric pop anthem.

Saturday 21st: Daragh Daly
Following his first encounter with his granddad’s guitar, the now-21-year-old Co. Meath artist has established himself as a self-taught multi-instrumentalist who isn’t afraid to break beyond the confines of genre. As well as being crowned a regional winner in the A New Local Hero talent earlier this year, he's garnered impressive radio and streaming attention.