Vesta Varro Scoop ‘Best Live Performance’, Hit Kilkenny Twice
Limerick based quintet Vesta Varro have just returned from a highly successful trip to Toronto for Indie Week. The band were delighted when the organizers invited them to attend this year’s event to perform, however, they have an even quicker ‘pep in their step’ for the return journey to Ireland having bagged the accolade of “THE BEST LIVE PERFORMANCE” award and with it prizes totting in at $5,000!
No rest for the lads either on their return, Vesta Varro are straight back into further live shows with gigs earlier this week on Tuesday 16th at The Stables in UL, Limerick and on Thursday 18th VV (yesterday) were performing in Dublin at ‘The Live In Your Living Room’ event organized by Garageland in The Sugar Club alongside Royseven, The Idiot, My Pet Jeep, Shiversaint and Born Days.
On October 19th (today) Vesta Varro release the 2nd single, “Weighted Love” from the band’s debut album, “EXIT HERE”. To coincide with the single’s release the guys will be performing an acoustic set at HMV, Limerick at 5pm on Friday 19th
VESTA VARRO made a big impression on the release of the Top 40 single “Pyramid Clocks” in May of this year and the subsequent release of the band’s debut album “EXIT HERE” in June. “Impressive abandon” – Metro and “Just about Perfect” – Hot Press being just some of the comments received!
Vesta Varro’s “EXIT HERE” album has being receiving deserved attention not just in Ireland, but internationally also. “Pyramid Clocks” has been added to a number of playlists at independent radio in USA including high rotation at Smash 679 Radio in LA. Just reward at this juncture for this Limerick based quintet and proof were it needed that these guys’ star is on the rise!
Vesta Varro take to the stage this weekend in Eddie Murphy’s in Thomastown (Saturday) before making the trip to the city with ourselves and Frantic State on Saturday November 10th.
Recorded in Dublin’s legendary Windmill Lane Studios, for the debut album “Exit Here”, Vesta Varro teamed up with triple Grammy winner, producer Richard Rainey. The Grammys were due respect for said producer’s work on the 11 million selling U2 album ‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind’. Rainey won Record of the Year 2000 for ‘Beautiful Day’ and Record of the Year 2001 ‘Walk On’ and Rock Album of the Year 2001. Not bad company for the VV guys to be keeping! The band’s growing legion of fans includes Paul Cook, drummer with the legendary Sex Pistols, who approached the band after one of their London shows and bought a round!
VOTD: Dio ‘Holy Diver’
October 19, 2007 by Ken McGuire
Filed under Video
Hats off to Ronnie James, he knows all about the cheese. Rumour too that Atrax Mantis burst into an impromptu version of ‘Holy Diver’ at their recent appearance in Paris Texas. Either way, here’s your video of the day for Friday.
28th Podcast Goes Live
October 18, 2007 by Ken McGuire
Filed under Podcast
So we’re back with the 28th Sound System Podcast, myself (Ken) and Ross on the mic again, getting the hang of this co-hosting thing when it’s just the two of us (just like that song, only without the little guy). Anywho, we’re looking at a few things this week, namely the upcoming gigs, return of the One Take Sessions next week, Rockfall, taking questions from the forum and everything inbetween.
We’ve also music from
- Hybrasil - ‘Heads Up’
- Pal Steelo - ‘Days Without You’
- Innate - ‘Sweet Mess’ (One Take Sessions)
- Ian Doyle - ‘Untitled’ (One Take Sessions)
Massive spike in traffic to the podcast with the addition of the MP3 player on the homepage so if you’re a new listener and you’ve got feedback then get in touch, tell us what you think! If you’re an Irish band or you’re touring in Ireland or have a gig coming up in Ireland then give us a shout, we’ll play your music and plug those gigs in the podcast listings!
Until fabled #29…
Peace.
Listen to Podcast #28 (Download)
Guggenheim Grotto Tomorrow Night
The Guggenheim Grotto return to Kilkenny this weekend for an intimate acoustic show in Cleere’s Theatre minus one of their regular members, Shane Power.
The remaining duo of multi-instrumentalists Kevin May and Mick Lynch will take to the stage to showcase material from their much anticipated second album, due for release early next year.
They will be joined on the night by fellow Dublin folk-rocker Pal Steelo.
Since a sold out performance in the city last June The Guggenheim Grotto have been playing regularly around Ireland and England as they try to consolidate the positive reviews that accompanied their debut album on both sides of the water.
Waltzing Alone was recorded over a six month period in a home studio and released in Ireland two years ago where it was well received.
And it wasn’t long before the band began to receive recognition in America thanks to widespread airplay and began to gig sporadically before kicking off a US tour after a US release of the album in September 2006.
The group’s brand of often literary inspired song-writing with folk sensibilities was honed on the same Dublin songwriter circuit that spawned Damien Rice and two of the album’s songs were picked up by hit US television shows.
The album also landed in the iTunes Hot List, further boosting the group’s profile and a second US tour in February this year with a number of radio appearances and in-store shows for Apple.
In April the album’s opening track, Philosophia, was chosen as the iTunes Free Single of the Week and within a day the album had been catapulted to number one on the online music store’s folk chart.
The song then appeared on all demo units of the highly anticipated Apple iPhone.
A third US tour over the summer ended with an appearance at the Rocky Mountain Folk Festival alongside Judy Collins, Ray LaMontagne, Richie Havens, Brett Dennen and Chris Isaak.
The Guggenheim Grotto will play Cleere’s Theatre on Friday, October 19, with support from Pal Steelo who is currently touring and promoting his debut solo album.
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We’ve got tracks from Pal Steelo on this week’s podcast (#28, online shortly) while show #27 features the sounds of The Guggenheim Grotto. Tickets 8 euro on the door, kick off is 10pm, see you there!
Get Your Gigs On The Podcast Tonight
If you’re in the Kilkenny / Carlow area and you want your upcoming gig or event plugged for this coming weekend / week then you’ve got until 8:30pm tonight to get the details in for Sound System Podcast #28 which will be released tomorrow.
Remember to include band / act names, venue, date, price etc!
VOTD: Men At Work ‘Land Down Under’
Men at Work, timeless!
VOTD: Hybrasil ‘San Fran’
Been listening to ‘The Monkey Pole’ for the week, terrific debut album by Hybrasil, will get a full review done shortly. Anywhoo, here’s ‘San Fran’, taken from the album.
Traditional Irish Singing Workshop with ArtLinks
Given our involvement with ArtLinks activities upcoming in Kilkenny and Wicklow we’re promoting some of the other activities happening around the South East and next weekend will cater for a one day course / workshop on Traditional Irish Singing.
In association with the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance (University of Limerick), this one-day course is designed for musicians with an interest in traditional Irish song. The course will cover a variety of topics, including
- Resources and repertoire
- Song styles and singing traditions
- Recording, touring and promoting
Musicians will have the opportunity to sing (individually and collectively), share repertoire, network with other singers, discuss challenges facing traditional Irish singing and much more.
Facilitators: Sandra Joyce (Director of BA in Irish Music & Dance, U.L), Eilís Ní Shuilleabhan (Trad. Irish Singer) Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh (Trad. Irish Singer)
Venue: Sat 20 Oct, St Michael’s Theatre, New Ross, Wexford 10-4pm
Fee: €45 or €30 if registered on www.artlinks.ie – the new directory website for creative practitioners in Counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wicklow, Wexford.
VOTD: Redneck Manifesto ‘We Still Got It’
Redneck Manifesto kicks off the week!
VOTD: The Guggenheim Grotto ‘Everyman’ (also, up next weekend!)
There’s a few videos popping up online of TGG from their tour around the US (one of various tours given their popularity over there). This track, Everyman, is a fantastic live track recorded live at the Apple Store in San Francisco back in February of this year. The TGG lads found themselves at number one in the folk music charts on iTunes earlier this year after grabbing ’single of the week’ with Philosophia.
With a mini Irish/UK tour currently on the go, they’re back in Kilkenny next Friday night (October 19th) for a very intimate performance in Cleere’s Theatre. We’re looking at an acoustic show on Friday to showcase some of the material from their forthcoming follow-up to ‘…Waltzing Alone’, due for release early next year.
Tickets are €8, available on the door, and support on the night comes from Dublin’s Pal Steelo. So your video of the day for Sunday comes from TGG and you’ll have a chance to hear ‘Everyman’ in person if you drop into Cleere’s this coming Friday night.
What a tune.
