Interview with Joe Dolman

I suppose in many ways, this interview kind of happened by accident! I had been keeping quite a close eye on Joe's work for quite some time, but last month, I was over in Leeds reviewing a gig and saw on social media that Joe was playing a headline gig in the same town on the same night so we took advantage!

The headline show was in The Fox and Newt just outside the town centre and was his second last gig as part of his hugely successful UK Tour.

"It was an amazing experience. We played 7 shows in a range of different towns and got a really good reception. For me, the most important thing is that people enjoy my music, I don't mind if I get 20, 100 or 200 people to a gig, once they like what they're hearing! Incidentally, I used to live in Brighton and we played a gig in The Hope and Ruin and that was great because I saw lots of familiar faces! But I'm really excited at the moment because I feel as though things are headed in the right direction with touring and new releases - there's lots of exciting things in the pipeline."

This tour was also the first time Joe has brought a proper full band with him on the road and he says that made for the experience to be much more enjoyable too!

"Despite that fact that I'm playing with a band, the shows are still quite stripped back and intimate which I love! But like, this was the first proper tour that I actually had a band with me. I did an EP launch with a band and played a couple of gigs before but nothing to this extent and it's been really fun because often when you're touring on your own it can be pretty tiring and if things don't go right, you have no one there to support you or whatever so they guys have been great to have with me!"

As Joe said earlier, and it was something that really caught my attention, "there's lots of exciting things in the pipeline", naturally I was intrigued to know what was going on, as I'm sure his fans are too!

"Some things are still being put into motion but there is definitely going to be at least one, if not two tours, I'm going to be playing quite a few festivals over the summer which I will be announcing over the next couple of months and then also going to be releasing some brand new music too which I'm really excited about because I've been playing some new music on this tour and it's been getting a great reaction and everyone seems to be really liking the new stuff so it's filling me with a lot of confidence ahead of releasing it."

One thing to note is that he is an independent artist and he seems to have organised quite a lot of this stuff on his own, but like everything, I'm sure there are pros and cons?

"The funding bit is really tough because everyone would love to do bigger and better, especially me because I love to put on the best show I can. I mean, I'd love to make sure we had the best gear and play in the best venues but sometimes it just comes down to budget and that isn't always possible. But that said, I'm happy where I am at the moment and I don't compare myself to artists that are signed because it's a completely different way of doing things and I don't think either is better or worse. And although funding can be tough, I find it really rewarding when I make something happen just off my own back if that makes sense?"

For up and coming artists nowadays, media plays a massive part in helping them connect with people and reaching new audiences and Joe agrees that the likes of Twitter and Facebook have played a pivotal role in his career so far.

"Social media is probably the most important thing out there for artists at the moment, whether you're signed to a label or not. You can't put a price on that instant connection to people and it's so useful for artists to be able to grow and promote themselves. Twitter and YouTube really helped me out when I was starting out and it still helps me with letting people know about new music and upcoming shows!"

Joe Dolman is definitely a name to be keeping tabs on in 2017 because with new music and upcoming tours planned, you'll be hearing a lot more of him before the year is finished! In the mean time, check out his latest video on YouTube - the official video for his single "Separate Ways".

Gig Review: The Weeknd @ First Direct Arena, Leeds

Undoubtedly one of the biggest artists on the planet at the moment, and definitely one of the most high-profile gigs I've reviewed here on View From the Stalls.

The Weeknd absolutely smashed it in Leeds on Tuesday night - from the lighting and effects to stage presence and vocals, the entire show was incredible.

In a sold out venue, packed to the rafters with 13,500 people, he played tunes from his new album as well as a few older classics such as The Hills, Often, Earned It and I Cant Feel My Face!

Obvious crowd-pleasers were tunes such as I Feel It Coming, Party Monster and Starboy amongst others!

One thing that I found great about his show was the fact that he just let the music do the talking. Sometimes artists spend far too much time on stage talking and not enough time performing. He kept hitting out song after song after song and I reckon he easily played over 20 tracks in a 90 minute set!

The stage was insane too! The fact that it came right out into the crowd meant that he spent the majority of the show in the crowd and had the feel of an intimate gig despite being in a massive arena.

The gig in Leeds was the final show of the European leg of his tour and he now has his mind set on the North American leg over the next couple of months before performing at a number of festivals across the globe, including Longitude in Ireland!

Intimate and Unique Gig In Naas This Friday Night.

Last year saw the introduction of the Shortgrass Sessions by Naas based record label Downda Road Productions. Artists such as Davie Furey, The Mariannes, Underhill Rose and Keith Plunkett amongst a host of others made an appearance in venues around the town.

Friday night, however, is a slightly different Shortgrass Session, and when I say different, I mean unique.

As I'm sure you will be well aware by now, it's International Women's Week, and to celebrate that, Maria Kelly, Saoirse Casey and Zara Duffin will be performing 'in the round' at McAuley Place on the Sallins Road in Naas.

I have seen each of these musicians play individually, but not all on the same stage and I can only imagine it will be a cracking show.

Tickets are €12 and more information can be found on www.downdaroad.com

But we have teamed up with the guys from Downda Road and have two tickets to give away! Check out their Facebook page or send us a message for more details on how you can get your hands on a pair!

Keith Plunkett Releases Music Video For "100 Cracks"

This guy has certainly been busy over the past number of weeks. Fresh from a hugely successful tour of Ireland to celebrate the launch of his new single "100 Cracks", Keith Plunkett has now released the official music video for the track in the last 24 hours.

The video is almost like a tour diary, including clips from shows, people he met and venues he performed at along the way.

As we have mentioned previously here on View From the Stalls, Keith will now be focusing on the release of his second studio EP which he hopes to bring out later on this year, and no doubt we will be sure to feature it.

But in the mean time, check out the "100 Cracks" music video below, it's a gem!

Interskalactic Announce EP Release Date and Irish Tour

I remember seeing these guys perform live at a festival in Leixlip last year and just being in complete awe of what they did. Although it wouldn't typically be my type of music, I would have to agree with Ryan Tubridy when he says that Interskalactic are the "future of ska in Ireland".

The band are set to release their forthcoming EP on the 31st of March before setting off to play a host of pre-summer shows throughout Ireland.

Their upbeat set features covers from classic ska artists including Prince Buster, The Skatalites and Byron Lee and The Dragonaires, their own ska-ified versions of popular hits from the last few decades, and now also their own music - this upcoming EP features five new and original big band ska tracks.

Although this will be their debut EP, the guys have a huge amount of experience behind them. Playing at festivals up and down the country as well as some iconic venues such as Vicar Street, The Workman's Club and Whelan's.

2017 TOUR DATES

01 Apr - 5th on Teeling, Sligo
08 Apr - Whelan's, Dublin
15 Apr - Monroe's, Galway
27 Apr - Harbour Bar, Dublin
05 May - Cathedral Quarter Arts, Belfast
06 May - Crane Lane, Cork
26 May - Dolan's, Limerick
27 May - Live on Air, Sligo
04 June - Halfway Skafest, Wexford

REWS Finish Tour in Ireland This Week

Exciting Irish/London female alt-rock duo REWS have signed to Marshall Records, the label set up by the iconic amp manufacturer, and play 4 Irish dates this week, bringing their extensive tour to a close.

Marshall Records have booked the band straight into the legendary Abbey Road Studios to start recording their much anticipated debut album!

They have already played in some great venues across the UK and just last night they performed in the iconic Whelan's in Dublin. Tonight, they take to the stage in Voodoo, Belfast, before playing in the Nerve Centre in Derry on Friday night and finishing up in the Barrow Lodge in Portarlington.

No doubt you'll be hearing a lot more about these guys in the future and we'll be keeping a close eye on them here at View From the Stalls.

Check out their recent single 'Miss You in the Dark' below!

Dan Owen Includes Ireland on Spring Tour

As he said himself, English singer/songwriter Dan Owen is heading off on "the world's largest pub crawl". He'll be playing 33 gigs over the next couple of months and the good news for Irish fans is that he'll be stopping off for five dates here!

You may remember that due to illness, Owen had to cancel his tour in December but he vows to come back better than ever and even owes fans a Guinness!

We've been keeping an eye on this artist for quite a while here on View From the Stalls and no doubt he'll be back in Ireland quite regularly playing even bigger venues, but for the time being, check out his upcoming dates in May below!

09 May - McHugh's, Belfast
10 May - Grand Social, Dublin
12 May - The Loft, Galway
13 May - Dolan's, Limerick
14 May - Cyprus Avenue, Cork

Dermot Kennedy Releases Details of Mini-Tour

Back in 2015 we caught up with Dermot Kennedy for a chat here on View From the Stalls, and ever since, we've been keeping tabs on what he's been getting up to.

Last year was a massive year for the singer/songwriter from Dublin as he released new music, played a number of gigs up and down the country and saw his streams on Spotify increase dramatically.

Yesterday he posted on social media the details about a new four-date tour as well as a teaser for brand new music so it looks at though 2017 is going to be just as busy for Kennedy.

Tickets for the tour are on sale tomorrow morning and you can check out his social media accounts or Songkick for details on how to get your hands on yours.

DERMOT KENNEDY TOUR DATES

29 Mar - The Sugar Club, Dublin
30 Mar - The Loft, Galway
31 Mar - Cyprus Avenue, Cork
03 Apr - The Waiting Room, London

JP Cooper Announces Dublin Show

So JP Cooper is coming to Dublin to play at the Academy 2 and believe me when I say that it will probably be your only chance to see him perform in such a small venue because I have no doubt that he will be playing bigger shows in Ireland in the very near future.

Tickets for the gig on Wednesday May 31st go on sale tomorrow morning at 9am and I feel as though they will sell out pretty quickly! I also wouldn't be surprised if it got moved to the main stage!

The last 12 months have really seen JP's rise to fame with 'Perfect Strangers' and 'September Song' both doing incredibly well in the worldwide charts, as well as him completing a UK Tour.

Check out the acoustic version of 'September Song' below!

Tickets for the gig are €16 including booking fee, get yourself onto Ticketmaster in the morning; you won't regret it!

Gig Guide: Craig Gallagher @ Whelan's

I think the first time I ever saw Craig Gallagher perform was back in 2014 as a support act to Gavin James in Whelan's, but now, fast forward a couple of years and Gallagher will be headlining his very own show at the iconic Dublin venue and it couldn't be more deserved.

For those of you who are regular visitors to the blog will be very familiar with Craig Gallagher by now as we have featured numerous releases of his and we are very excited to be reviewing his gig next Friday evening (Feb 17th)

Over the last few years, he has well and truly grown as an artist, building up a solid fanbase, not only in Ireland but further afield too. A headline show in Amsterdam in March certainly underpins that fact!

He has been featured in various different magazines and on a number of blogs, being tipped as one to watch for 2017 and I truly couldn't agree more! I feel as though next Friday night's gig in Whelan's is just the beginning of a massive year for Craig.

His support acts on the night ooze talent as well. Aaron Rowe is making a name for himself particularly on the Dublin circuit, while Brian McGovern is no stranger to View From the Stalls! You may recall just a couple of weeks ago his debut EP "Wife" was our EP of the Week and we are really looking forward to his set as well!

This will undoubtedly be a sell out show so check out Craig's Facebook page for last remaining tickets.

And just for a little taster, here's his track "Without You".

Sydnee Carter Introduces Brand New Single

You may remember last year I interviewed the incredibly talented Australian singer/songwriter Sydnee Carter here on View From the Stalls and I'm delighted to say that the reaction we got to the piece was exceptional!

Ever since, I've kept in regular contact with Sydnee and her team and as soon as I found out she was releasing a brand new track, I immediately agreed to feature it. "When We Were Young" is the first single release from her up and coming EP "Sticks and Stones" and if the debut track is anything to go by, we are in for a real treat when the EP is dropped!

Sydnee's self titled first EP was a massive success as she gained AirPlay and reviews not only in her homeland, but also in many countries worldwide (including here in Ireland of course!) and as a result, her fanbase has grown massively.

Regarding the new track, Sydnee said "This song was written just as I was approaching the age of 18 and considering the new freedom of adulthood and at the same time, reminiscing about the 'haven't got a care in the world nature' of my youth; growing up in a street with many children, near parks and a lake with so many places to explore and enjoy. That happy, carefree feeling pours out into this song."

To say I am excited to see what else Sydnee Carter has to offer the music world would be a complete and utter understatement because I truly believe she has what it takes to go all the way.

You can check out the new track plus keep up to date with all of her releases, both old and new on her Soundcloud, Spotify etc.

https://soundcloud.com/sydnee-carter-2/when-we-were-young/s-JM2vL

Keith Plunkett Announces Single Launch and Irish Tour

You may recall about a year ago, I earmarked Keith Plunkett as being one to watch in the Irish music industry. With an exceptional talent for songwriting, great stage presence and a pure love for what he does, I firmly believe that this guy has something special.

2017 could be the year that we see that "something special" come to the fore as he gears up to release a brand new single, go on a mini Irish tour and then bring out an EP in May (safe to say he's going to be busy!).

The 27th of January sees the official single launch of "100 Cracks", a track that I remember seeing him perform a while back and instantly loving. It was actually premiered on KFM Radio on Sunday night, where listeners were given an exclusive first listen, and judging by the reaction on social media, it went down a treat!

The launch takes place in Fate Restaurant in Naas and he'll be joined on the night by the well respected Mulligan Brothers, tickets are €15 and for more information, you can log onto www.downdaroad.com

Following that, Keith sets off to play some of the coolest venues around the country;

09 Feb - The Spirit Store, Dundalk
15 Feb - The Workman's Club, Dublin
22 Feb - Matt Molloys, Westport
23 Feb - Monroes, Galway

Then, as I said, he'll be putting the head down to focus on releasing his second EP later on this year! Here's a little taster of "100 Cracks", which of course, is released at the end of this month!

Snakehips & MØ Release Video For New Track "Don't Leave"

It's been a while since a music video has given me goosebumps, but as I write this, sitting in a beautiful cafe on The Isle of Man, the hairs are standing on the back of my neck.

I've always been a massive fan of MØ, having gone to review her gig in Manchester last year, where she absolutely killed it! And as for Snakehips, well they have had exceptional success in the charts in the past, so this was always going to be a great collaboration!

I don't want to spoil too much about the music video because it's pretty simple to catch onto what's actually going on, but it really does pull at the heartstrings!

Watch out for this track because I truly believe it will be making its way up the charts in the not too distant future!

Pleasure Beach Announce New Single and Irish Tour Dates

Belfast quintet Pleasure Beach yesterday announce a new single 'Burning Up' which follows up last year's 'Magic Mountain' and the Choice Song of the Year nominated 'Go', a track which has now racked up over one million plays on streaming services worldwide.

As well as supporting Bell X1 at their sold out show in the Olympia Theatre later this month, Pleasure Beach have announced that they will be playing a couple of Irish shows in the coming months. You can check out the tour dates, along with the official video for 'Go' below!

23 Feb - Whelan's, Dublin
24 Feb - Limelight 2. Belfast
25 Feb - Roisin Dubh, Galway
02 Mar - Cyprus Avenue, Cork

EP of the Week: 'Wife' by Brian McGovern

Let me tell you, this is a guy really creating a stir in the Irish music industry of late. Whether it be releasing an EP, playing a sold out gig in Whelan's or supporting Gavin James in the 3 Arena, Brian McGovern truly is a name to keep an eye on.

His EP 'Wife' was brought out a little earlier this year and I'm delighted to feature it as my EP of the Week, simply because I haven't stopped listening to it over the last few days or so!

It consists of three extremely heartfelt, emotional and exceptionally well-written tracks; Scars, Wings and the title of the EP 'Wife'.

It's available to listen to on Spotify etc. and so far, it has been really well received by the general public!

Furthermore, as I said, he's fresh from a sold out gig in the iconic Dublin venue, Whelan's (sold out in 4 days might I add!) and talking to him afterwards, he was understandably over the moon! It was so much of a success, that last weekend, he went back to play their 'Ones to Watch'!

Just to get a little taster of what to expect from the EP, check out this live video Brian recorded of my favourite track 'Scars'.

Video credit: The Ruby Sessions.

Paddy Mahon Releases Debut Track

About 6 months ago I got in contact with Paddy and told him to keep me in the loop with whatever he planned to release in the near future because having seen some of his cover videos online, I knew he had something special. As we entered into 2017, he dropped an original track called 'Position' and I have to say, I love it.

For many up and coming musicians, Facebook is a huge platform to showcase their musical talents and Paddy is no different. The amount of views and likes he gets on his videos is phenomenal and the response to his debut original was insane too!

It was produced by Will Minnock and the video, which is simple, yet effective was recorded by Paddy himself and he told me that he was working literally on a budget of zero, which, in my opinion makes the track all the more special!

I really do think this is just the beginning for this young singer/songwriter and 2017 could potentially be a massive year for him!

Check out the video below! The track is also available on Soundcloud too.

Ed Sheeran Makes Long-Awaited Comeback

Let's face it. The pressure was really on Mr Sheeran to come back with some cracking music following a year long break, and the man didn't disappoint us.

This morning saw the release of two brand new tracks called 'Shape of You' and 'Castle on the Hill' both of which are outstanding (vintage Ed).

I have to say, 'Shape of You' is definitely the catchier of the two and chances are it will get quite a lot of airplay worldwide! But for me, 'Castle on the Hill' is just special. The lyrics, the music and particularly the chorus has made an immediate impression on me.

I suppose the exciting thing about this is the fact that it's only a taster of what's to come from his
new album.

Between the two songs, at present, Ed is currently number one in over 40 countries, and that number is definitely set to rise.

If you've been living under a rock for the past twelve hours, check out the two tracks below!

James Arthur's New Track Making A Great Impression

Perhaps I'm a little bit biased because only two weeks ago I reviewed Mr Arthur's gig in Birmingham, but this new track 'Safe Inside' will definitely be heard on your radios in the not too distant future.

Released on Christmas Day, the song effectively deals with the relationship he has with his little sister and his concerns and worries about her growing up! The track has so far had a great reception with many people sharing it on social media, meaning that in just a week, it already has close to 2.5 million views.

He's heading back out on the road in March but unfortunately, the majority, if not all of the shows are already sold out, and understandably so! I honestly feel as though his new album 'Back From The Edge' was THE comeback album of 2016.

Have a listen to the new track and watch the video below!