Deaf Animal Orchestra, Acrojunk This Friday

This Friday night, The Deaf Animal Orchestra and Acrojunk will be entertaining the masses in The Pumphouse from 9pm or so. We’ve featured both acts on the Sound System Podcast and caught Acrojunk in action back at the end of August. Rob O’Connor (Acrojunk) has been a guest at the One Take Sessions earlier this year (back in the ID days) so I’ll happily vouch for the talent that will be on display. If you’re around this Friday then go check them out!

The Deaf Animal Orchestra have been playing together since early ‘06 and are fast gathering a reputation as one of the country’s most promising musical acts. Alan Jacques of Limerick’s Live 95FM has boldly declared them “the best new band in Ireland!” Rob O’Connor of Beat FM and Liam Merriman and Roddie Cleere of WLR have also had their tunes on heavy rotation. Originally a guitar, bass and drums three-piece, they’ve just added a new fourth member (Alex Soikans, formerly of Jay Jam Fly Jive) in order to expand their live sound and match the ambition of their studio recordings. They’ve been working hard all year with producer Martin Quinn and are truly beginning to find their own voice.

The Deaf Animals are already on their third record release. Recent single, ‘Falling Asleep/Morning Running’ is currently doing the business for them, broadening their fan base. The previous single, ‘All Together Now/The Madman’ has received airplay all over the country and received Jackie Hayden of Hotpress’ ‘Pick of the Fortnight’ award (something any Irish band worth their salt should pick up along the way!) Along the course of their ventures in the Irish music scene they’ve supported the likes of Giveamanakick, Dae Kim and The Cartoon Thieves. 2008 will see an album from these guys and they’re confident it’s going to be a year to remember. Check out their tunes at myspace.com/deafanimalorchestra

What do you get when you cross a radio DJ, a former Olympic athlete, a graphic designer, a photographer and guy whose greatest ambition is to sell fresh mackerel from the side of the road? No, it’s not an extremely fit and well turned-out fisherman type, instead you get a feast of intelligent, sometimes blistering electro-folk-rock, all wrapped up in the band Acrojunk. They have a new single “Generation X-Squared” on the way after Christmas. Heavily influenced by the cultural writings of Douglas Coupland and melodic tuneship of The Divine Comedy, “Generation X-Squared” has the wit, the heart and the hooks to succeed on the airwaves.

In 2006, Waterford’s Acrojunk grew out of the ashes of the critically lauded group “The Bearded Ladies” and with their fervent stage presence are quickly gaining a reputation as one of Ireland’s most promising acts. Even though they’ve only been together a year, they’ve already shared stages up and down the country with such luminaries as The Walls, Mark Geary, Fred, Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club and Dae Kim. In February of 2007, Acrojunk released their debut EP “The Cold Old Playboy” to much applause and aplomb. “Their overall sound is quite unique. Acrojunk take the best, leave the rest and develop a likeable combination of old and new styles” – Hotpress. Check them out on MySpace too.