From Lawrence, Kansas via Ireland, vintage rock outfit Carswell & Hope are set to embark on a six-date Irish tour this week, marking their long-awaited return to the country after an 11-year absence. Fronted by Limerick-born singer-songwriter Nick Carswell, the band will kick off the tour at Dolans in Limerick on Saturday, 26 April. Tickets are available at www.dolans.ie.
The tour continues with performances in Dublin, Youghal, Cork, Dingle, and Kilkee, and represents not only a musical milestone for the band, but also a heartfelt homecoming for Carswell. Known in Ireland for his work with The Elective Orchestra, Carswell relocated to the US in 2011, where he formed Carswell & Hope. Since then, the band has released several well-received EPs and albums and become a staple of the Kansas City music scene.
The group is particularly recognised for their role as the house band at the Kansas City Irish Fest’s “Mixtape” show—one of the largest Irish festivals in the US. Carswell and drummer Jason Slote have also collaborated with Irish acts Mundy and Emma Langford during their American tours.
The upcoming Irish dates mark the band’s first return since their 2014 tour in support of their debut album, A Hunger.
Speaking about the tour, Carswell said:
“We are way overdue for a trip home with the band. We were well on our way to planning a tour in 2020 before the pandemic changed everything. Every time I’ve been back since, I’ve been itching to bring the band with me. We can’t wait!”
Formed in 2012 after Carswell’s move to Kansas, the band—now comprising Jason Slote (drums), Austin Quick (bass/keys), Jordan Tucker (guitar), and Ryan McCall (keys)—quickly gained momentum in the Midwest, sharing stages with the likes of Mayer Hawthorne, The Mowgli’s, Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze), and Mundy.
Their most recent full-length album, Sign of the Times (2022), was met with critical acclaim, following 2018’s Exit Plan EP and the 2019 single On My Way, which featured a crowd-sourced music video made from fan-submitted clips around the globe.
https://youtu.be/MeusH-OlXBk?si=NWiwOgoycgIKTZR8
MusicLimerick Playlist
