Booka Brass Band will play Dolan’s this Saturday March 21. The debut EP ‘BBB’ is out now on bandcamp.com.
BOOKA Brass Band is an eight piece instrumental brass band based in Dublin with members from all over the country, stretching from Cork to Belfast. The group released their debut EP last week. “It’s been a long time coming,” confirms the band.
In 2012 Booka Brass Band started out as a group of young music students addressing a bar full of revellers shyly. With regular shows in venues all over Dublin including The Sugar Club, Whelan’s and Twisted Pepper, alongside stomping sets to festival crowds at Electric Picnic, Sea Sessions and Longitude, the group has speedily become an eight piece band of professional entertainers and craftsmen.
In the past few months they have opened shows for acts that have inspired them such as New Orleans’ own Hot 8 Brass Band and the critically acclaimed Hypnotic Brass Ensemble.
They’ve also collaborated with Jerry Fish and Lisa Hannigan on the back of their eleventh hour set at Vicar Street on New Year’s Eve.
Limerick Post spoke to the band this week.
LP: Are BBB surprised to be headlining such prominent venues after such a short time together?
BBB: “Yes it’s amazing how things have progressed so quickly. Its exactly two years to the day between out first ever gig and our vicar street show which is something we’re amazed by.”
LP: An eight piece band is a lot of musicians living and travelling together.
Who has the most annoying habit?
BBB: “Eh that’s a good question. I’d say its probably our drummer Ronan. He has this knack of knowing when two songs sound very similar. Once he points out the similarities you just can’t help but notice them.”
LP: What is the ultimate aim of BBB, Do lots of shows or record original material?
BBB: “Our live show is what we’ve worked really hard on for the last two years and it has gotten us to where we are now but we are constantly writing material. We have plans to record plenty more.”
LP: How did the collaborations with Lisa Hannigan and James Vincent McMorrow come about?
BBB: “Lisa kindly gave her time to come be a special guest at our first button factory show last March. I bumped into James backstage at longitude, briefly spoke and things went from there.”
Live reviews for Booka Brass Band have been universally positive making them a must see band this week: “Something magical happened at the Button Factory last Friday” enthuses InDublin while music blog Goldenplec.ie exclaimed, “Booka Brass Band have every right to be claimed as Ireland’s best live act right now”
Expect to hear covers of Jason Derulo’s ‘Talk Dirty’ and Beyoncé’s ‘Crazy In Love’. Even when the band left the stage at Longtitude Festival last Summer and stagehands said there was to be no more music, Booka Brass took the crowd out into the fields and continued playing into the night.
The debut EP ‘BBB’ is out now on bandcamp.com. Booka Brass Band will play Dolan’s this Saturday March 21.
