Live Report: Gary O’Neill provides a serene set for the Y&E Series

Since picking up a guitar at age 14, Gary O’Neill has taken Irish folk songwriting in his stride. With inspirations such as Foy Vance and Joni Mitchell, the Kilkenny born artist’s 2022 EP To Those I’ve Missed caught the attention of radio stations across the country, including Tomorrow Radio, LMFM, FLIRT FM, Raidio Na Life and RTE 2XM.

Perched comfortably at home - accompanied only by an acoustic guitar and a houseplant - O’Neill introduced himself before kicking off with ‘These Are The Days’. An upbeat, folk anthem about appreciating living in the moment, his smooth vocals and soft finger-picked guitar provided a worthy opening to proceedings.

Taking a brief moment to greet audience members by name, the singer-songwriter introduced one of the latest additions to his ever-increasing repetoire of great songs - ‘Heather’. With a vocal range that we can only assume had viewers glued to their screens, the ballad drew sonic comparisons to the likes of Hozier and Bon Iver.

Clearly in his element in a more chilled-out setting, O’Neill instinctively strummed the guitar as he greeted late-comers and thanked both Hot Press and the Department of Culture. Track number three of the evening  followed suit. ‘Not Looking’ paired a chirpier melody with crooning, gentle vocals - a true testament to O’Neill’s skill as a songwriter, his raw and honest lyrics showcased his ability to tell a story through his music.

“This feels awfully like lockdown again” the musician jokingly reminisced before revealing to eager viewers that his new EP would be released sometime in early 2024.

‘Catching Wind’ was next up from the set; a nostalgic love-ballad that undoubtedly had members of the at-home audience feeling calm and appeased. Both O’Neill’s laid-back demeanour and talent as a musician were evident as he effortlessly belted out choruses without any apparent exertion.

After taking a final opportunity to virtually greet friends and family, O’Neill began to wrap up the set. The closing track of the evening, ‘Jasmine’ came from the artist’s 2022 EP To Those I’ve Missed. Another buttery-smooth folk number combining vivid storytelling with earthy vocals and stripped back guitar, viewers on the other end of the screen were rightly reluctant to see O’Neill sign off.

Rewatch Gary O’Neill’s set on the Hot Press Instagram.

 

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