Limerick Post looks back on the year in music in Limerick with Eric FitzGerald
Dolores O’Riordan
THE sad passing of Dolores O’Riordan cast a long shadow over music in Limerick and beyond this year. Her voice seemed to be everywhere on radio, in live shows, on club dancefloors across the city. Cover versions of her music by Limerick bands whenyoung and Hermitage Green were shared worldwide.
In November Limerick musicians came together to record and take part in a tribute video to Dolores using Limerick Self Storage as a location. The heartfelt video for ‘When You’re Gone’ features the vocal talents of Emma Langford, Ronan Mitchell, David Idioh, Sarah Dolan, Steve Ryan, Brendan Markham, Limerick Gospel Choir, Clare O’Brien and Paddy Dennehy. It is a wonderful cover version with a superb accompanying video made by Shane Serrano. Every week musicians use rented units at Limerick Self Storage for rehearsal, explained the organisers, “honing their craft, with the dreams and aspirations of one day bringing their music to the world like The Cranberries once did.”
All proceeds from this video go to Midwest Simon Community (midwestsimon.ie/donate/)
Anna’s Anchor
THE new album ‘Everybody’s Welcome’ has picked up positive press for its honest, sometimes brutally honest lyrics and musical progression and building confidence within the project which is a vehicle for Marty Ryan’s songwriting.
Songs from the raging ‘White Washed Corridor’ (living with and coming to terms with alcoholism) to the heartbreaking ‘For The Parish’ (written for a friend who passed away last year), are songs that grow and grow with every listen.
Emma Langford
Limerick singer/ songwriter Emma Langford was a winner in the inaugural RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards at Vicar Street, Dublin in October.
Emma received well deserved recognition for her debut album ‘Quiet Giant’ and extensive touring in Ireland and Europe. She picked up the gong for Best Emerging Folk Artist.
Don Mescall
INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed singer-songwriter Don Mescall released his first studio album in 12 years. He brought an extraordinary and extensive lineup to University Concert Hall for the hometown launch of ‘Lighthouse Keeper’.
Paul Brady, Stella Parton, Christy Dignam (of Aslan), Dutch recording artist Desray, Eleanor Shanley, Na Fianna, Lisa McHugh and Shay Healy joined Don and the band on stage. This sold out show is to become an annual event and an album of duets with Stella Parton is now in the writing stages and should be recorded in 2019.
PowPig
THE Limerick pop/ punk band was 2FM Listeners Choice Winners, topping the public vote to bag themselves a lucrative slot at this year’s Other Voices in December. From winning the vote on Tuesday to doing interviews on national radio from their school, to finding themselves on the biggest stage at Other Voices the following Saturday, it was a week to never forget for the four teenagers.
PowPig charmed and won over the full house at IMRO Other Room and were filmed for future broadcast – with a set of smart indie songs, ‘Stinky Teeth’, ‘Mayday’ and ‘Rosalee’ being particular standouts. Other Voices presenter MayKay commented on how together the band played: “That was amazing!!”
Seoda Shows
Seoda Shows celebrated five years of cutting edge music promotion in Limerick this year and John Hennessey, the man behind the brand was invited to a mayoral reception by Mayor of the Metropolitan District, Daniel Butler which recognised and celebrated unsung heroes on the local scene and their contribution to music in Limerick.
Seoda Shows tends to book left-of-field and alternative artists, acts that will intrigue and make an impact on an audience; they may not necessarily be heard on daytime radio or in the charts.
Says John, “Seoda Shows is not the airport novel. It is the one that somebody recommended to you.”
Zombie Picnic
THE prog/ post-rock instrumentalists released their second album ‘Rise of a New Ideology’ in March. The lead track and video ‘Anger in Storage (Denial Will Follow)’ thundered out of the traps to promote the record which was recorded the album at GAF Studios, Tipperary and mastered by Richard Dowling of WAV Mastering.
We Come in Pieces
‘Stop The Rot’ is the new album from We Come in Pieces featuring as always Kieran Hayes (vocals/ drums) and Kieran Sims (bass/ vocals) but now with the addition of new kid Ciaran Culhane on guitar. The album is a riot of punk rage with Culhane’s sweeping solos and dancing on pedals making WCIP sound even more epic.
Laura Duff
LIMERICK singer/ songwriter Laura Duff released her debut single ‘Up The You’. The track is a taster from the upcoming EP due for an early 2019 release and was recorded and produced by Christian Best of Monique Studios, Cork and mastered here in Limerick by Richard Dowling of Wav Mastering. ‘Up The You’ is a strong and confident opener from an artist who took her first steps into songwriting with Music Generation Limerick, as part of the band Little Tents.
Proper Micro NV
‘Dormant Boy’ is the debut album from 24 year-old Limerick electronic musician, singer and songwriter Proper Micro NV (aka Rory Hall).
Far from “dormant”, PMNV has been making all the right noises and showing up at all the best parties in the last few years (Electric Picnic, Body&Soul, Castlepalooza, Hard Working Class Heroes). All the hard graft culminates in this debut album featuring 12 tracks that celebrate “multiple subsets, elements of electronic, soul, ambient, dance and house,” as Rory rightly surmises.
The driving thump of ‘Take Me All Around’ to the cool funk of ‘Call Me What You Want’, ‘Dormant Boy’ is a lavish and joyous electronic production.
unsung heroes
In November, Metropolitan Mayor Daniel Butler put out a call on Twitter looking for help to identify a list of unsung heroes of the local music scene. From there followed some extensive research both online and offline into Limerick individuals in the background making music happen in the city in various ways.
After lots of “discussions and heated debates,” says Mayor Butler, the list was whittled down to four people. Máire Keary-Scanlon, John Hennessy, Shane Curtin and Ber Angley were honoured at City Hall in the presence of a large crowd from the music community in Limerick.
Paddy Brennan
A HEFTY book three years in research and planning and editing by Paddy Brennan of Limerick Rock’n’Roll Club created a huge stir in the city in October. Limerick Music throughout the decades, The history of Limerick music from 1800 to 2018 is 556 pages of Limerick music memorabilia and rare photographs from 1800 to 2018, featuring more than 1400 photos in colour and black and white.
The book has an extensive section on The Cranberries. There are articles and photographs on Classical and Opera from the 1800’s.
Warsaw Radio
Fronted by Limerick man Brian McNamara, Warsaw Radio released their debut album this year.
The album ‘Midnight Broadcast’ was preceded by the single ‘Ms Monroe’, a wonderful rockin’ blues track that perfectly showcases a tight band and Brian’s husky expressive voice.
The song and its video takes inspiration from the relationship between filmmaker Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe.
Paddy Mulcahy
LIMERICK composer/musician Paddy Mulcahy released his EP ‘From Water’ in May. ‘From Water’ is inspired by that part of the River Shannon that flows through Limerick City. For the recording Paddy returns to aesthetic of electronic instruments of past recordings to produce upbeat and positive pieces with “undertones of nostalgia and sadness.”
Féile na Gréine
Féile na Gréine was organised by promoters DIY LK and Lower Your Expectations in August. The three day festival brought 24 acts to stages across the city centre and was organised and curated with a lot of work and a love for new music by the promoters. The festival featured Post Punk Podge & The Technohippies, L’arry, Just Mustard, Static Vision and Prescription DJs.
The citywide festival was the result of venues pooling their resources to give a platform for underground of punk, electronic and hip hop acts from across the country.
Post Punk Podge & The Technohippies
The trio released a new song with all proceeds from downloads going to the Novas charity. The song ‘Home is Where the Heart Bleeds’ focuses on Ireland’s homelessness crisis.
Their uncompromising output highlights social issues and social injustices. The group played festival slots over the summer and momentum is building for Post Punk Podge & The Technohippies in 2019.
Hedfuzy
LIMERICK band Hedfuzy made Top 5 in the iTunes Charts with their new single in September.
‘Shadow for the Disappeared’ is the first release from a new lineup of Hedfuzy: founder Pat Byrne (bass, keyboards, vocals) is joined by Keith McCoy (drums); PJ O’Connell (guitars), Jamie Callaghan (vocals) and Graham Keane makes a guest appearance on guitar.
The band will launch a new album at Dolan’s in January.
