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Month: September 2016

TALL TREES

Free Entry 2016

TALL TREES

Doors 9pm – Free Entry _ MAIN VENUE _ Happy to announce that we will be playing in Whelan’s, Wexford St, Dublin this Saturday night..? So if there’s any Mayo heads staying the night in Dublin ye know where to go.. Hope to see some familiar faces !?#Mayo4Sam

TICKETS

FREE ENTRY Strictly over 18′s, I.D. may be required

AFTER THE GIG

Indie & Alternative Dance Party | Drinks Promos | 11pm til 3am or check out the bands playing The Midnight Hour in the upstairs venue – Free Entry via front door until 10:30pm

MUTEFISH (FREE ENTRY)

Free Entry 2016

MUTEFISH

plus support Doors 9pm – Free Entry _ MAIN VENUE _ MUTEFISH are culturally diverse six piece band from Ireland, Poland, Lithuania, Portugal and Ukraine. They fuse the musical sounds and cultures of Eastern Europe with traditional Irish influences resulting in an engaging melodic compilation of tracks.

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KICK UP THE ARTS

Buy Tickets 2016 master LINGO Festival presents

KICK UP THE ARTS

hosted by BLINDBOY BOAT CLUB _ Main Venue _ Conversational craic on art and social change, hosted by Blindboy Boat Club. Featuring Panti Bliss and Tara Flynn, with music from Poetic Pilgrimage and special guest poets, Cat Brogan and John Cummins. — — — — — Blindboy Boatclub, one half of the famed Rubberbandits, hosts a madcap panel of guests on the theme of socially engaged art, in a chat show like no other! Featuring Panti Bliss, drag queen, gender discombobulist and national feckin’ treasure, and Tara Flynn, actress, writer, and comedian. Joining them will be Poetic Pilgrimage, an outspoken hip-hop duo, Cat Brogan (winner, BBC Edinburgh Fringe Poetry Slam) and John Cummins (former All Ireland Poetry Slam Champion and featured poet for RTE and BBC’s Euro 2016 coverage). Blindboy Boatclub is one half of the Rubberbandits, the famed comedy hip- hop duo from Limerick. Their music video ‘Horse Outside’ went viral and won an IFTA Award. Rubberbandits were declared “Best Irish Act” by Entertainment.ie in 2011. Blindboy Boatclub has become a prominently outspoken commentator on politics and culture, making a splash on The Late Late Show and beyond. He is rapidly becoming an oracle for Ireland. PANTI BLISS Panti is Ireland’s foremost “gender discombobulist” and “accidental activist.” In 2015 Panti took to the stage of the National Theatre with a ten minute oration which went viral around the world. Panti also performed her four-star show HIGH HEELS IN LOW PLACES at the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe. Tara Flynn is an actress, writer and comedian known for All Creatures Big and Small (2015) among many others and is a strong voice for change in Ireland, particularly around Repeal the 8th. All of this is served up with a riotous mix of monologues and spoken word performances, with music from Poetic Pilgrimage, a female Hip Hop and Spoken Word duo who express the world as they see it through the art of rhyme. Hailing from Bristol and born to Jamaican parents, Poetic Pilgrimage are a rare act, being one of the few Muslim female outfits around. They create music that fuses their love of Hip-Hop with their Caribbean roots intertwined with Jazz, World Music, Electro Soul and beyond. The duo have shared stages with Talib Kweli, K-naan, Brother Ali, Bahamadia, Mutabaruka, Mr Lif and more.

TICKETS

€18 / €16 (Student / unwaged) Advanced tickets available online from WAV Tickets or Lo-Call 1890 200 078 (1-8pm M-F, 4-8pm Sat) – 50c per ticket service charge applies on phone, internet or creditcard bookings. Final ticket price may be higher from other outlets. Strictly over 18′s, I.D. may be required

AFTER THE GIG

Whelan’s Indie DJ in the bar and Sonntags [Disco/House/Funk] upstairs from 11pm til late (Free Entry).

GRACE WILDE

GRACE WILDE

plus support

_ Main Venue _

Facebook event

Unique Dublin duo Grace Wilde deliver a message of power and freedom through their music. Singer songwriter Audrey Fay and guitarist Enda Duffy come together to create a fresh and inspiring sound.

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HESH (Launch night) w/ RUTH

Hesh Presents

RUTH

plus support Upstairs@Whelan’s from Midnight. Doors: 11:45pm – Free b4 10:30pm Sign up for guest list HERE — — — — — Hesh is a new late night show on Thursdays in Whelans Upstairs, dedicated to providing you with the best newcomers on the Irish scene.

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LIVE FROM THE WINDOW w/ THE GRAVELTONES

Free Entry 2016

Live from the Window at Whelan’s

THE GRAVELTONES

– PLAY THE FRONT BAR –

10pm – FREE ENTRY before 10:30pm

Based in the pits of east London and after both dive bombing their way across the pond from the beach edges of Australia on separate adventures, these two bastard Australian strangers had a chance meeting in the bowels of London’s grimy Denmark street in 2011 , two days later that meeting turned into their first show at London’s 100 Club.

The brain static enhancing rockers ‘The Graveltones’ evoke a blend of sounds to create their own style amongst the musical pigeons.

Jimmy O (Guitar/Vox) & Mikey Sorbello (drums) make up this magnetic two piece and spent those first few years playing the dingy clubs of the UK somewhat relentlessly with their NO REHEARSAL policy they racked up an extortionate amount of shows and became known for never playing the same set twice, in the early days mostly making the songs up live on stage. They issued their eagerly awaited debut album ‘Don’t Wait Down’ in the latter part of 2013 which was rapturously received by fans and critics alike. Since then the band has firmly secured a growing name world wide with countless touring, syncs, endorsements, accolades and the release of their 2nd album ‘Love Lies Dying’ in the midst of 2015.

AFTER THE GIG

Whelan’s Indie Club w/ Late Bar from 10:30pm or check out the bands playing The Midnight Hour in the upstairs venue – Free Entry via front door until 10:30pm | Drinks Promos

KING KONG CLUB

Free Entry 2016 The Home of Enthusiasm returns for Season 11!

KING KONG CLUB

featuring Island Life The Shout Montauk Hotel Chasing Felix & more tbc _ Main Venue _ Facebook event 8pm // FREE ENTRY The King Kong Club is a weekly battle of the bands with a twist; The Clap-O-Meter! The band that makes the most noise wins and carries on to the next round!

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SUB MOTION (Single Launch)

Buy Tickets 2016 master

SUB MOTION

SINGLE LAUNCH

plus support

^ Upstairs ^

Facebook event

“One of the few new bands I would walk across the street to see.” – RTE 2FM – Dave Fanning “With the likes of Queens of the Stone Age and Foo Fighters having played sold out gigs in recent times, Ireland is ready

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THOSE BLACK MARKS (Album Launch)

THOSE BLACK MARKS

ALBUM LAUNCH plus support BEAUTIFUL CORRUPTION CIARAN WOOD _ Main Venue _ Facebook event Those Black Marks official album launch of debut album Darwinian  Those Black Marks are a newly established four-piece rock band based in Dublin, Ireland. Each of the members had gained a wealth of experience playing in various bands in their local scene. In March 2015 Sean Watmore (vocals), Liam Redmond (Guitar), Eamon Mc Evoy (Bass) and Daymo Moran (Drums) first played together, establishing a musical chemistry that speaks for itself. Following a period of intensive gigging Those Black Marks entered the studio with material written by chief collaborators Watmore and Redmond. The band´s recorded material has already received commendations from musical luminaries such as Jeff Beck, Black Francis and Tom Waits. The ethos within the group was to capture the energy of their live performances whilst creating music that stands out from the crowd. The result of which is their confident debut album Darwinian, which mixes contemporary rock with undertones of the 90’s grunge era.

TICKETS

€5 on the door Strictly over 18′s, I.D. may be required.

AFTER THE GIG

Indie & Alternative Dance Party | Drinks Promos | 11pm til 3am or check out the bands playing The Midnight Hour in the upstairs venue – Free Entry via front door until 10:30pm

BRIAN DEADY – EXTRA DATE

Buy Tickets 2016 master EXTRA DATE ADDED DUE TO DEMAND MCD.ie presents

BRIAN DEADY

plus support JESSE JOHN HEFFERNAN _ Main Venue _ Tickets €17.50 incl. booking fee on sale this Monday “Deady is my favourite new act in Ireland” – Nile Rodgers “Bare-Knuckle and Remarkable” – The Times Brian Deady has announced a headline show at Whelan’s on Thursday 27th October.

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JINX LENNON

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JINX LENNON

plus support WASPS VS HUMANS ^ Upstairs ^ Being honest can get you into trouble. Being true to your vocation is a rare thing. Diplomacy? That’s fine for politicians at all levels, but when you have something to say about something that needs to be said, truth and honesty

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ALISON SPITTLE

Buy Tickets 2016 master Whelanslive.com and Lisa Richards present

ALISON SPITTLE

plus guests NO MONSTER CLUB _ Main Venue _ Alison spittle discovers Hawaii. Join Alison as she discovers Hawaii one last time downstairs in Whelans in her biggest headline gig to date.

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THIS SOWING SEASON (Single Launch)

THIS SOWING SEASON

Single Launch plus support BLUE FISH DIAMOND KANDCE ^Upstairs^ This Sowing Season are an alternative rock band from Dublin Ireland. They band was formed when members Alan O Keeffe (singer/guitarist) and Shane Ryan (drummer) both met in college studying music in 2014.

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DAN OWEN

* * * * *

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED

REFUNDS FROM POINT OF SALE

SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE CAUSED

* * * * *

MCD.ie presents

DAN OWEN

plus support

EVE BELLE

^ Upstairs ^ Dan Owen announced today that he will embark on his own headline show Upstairs at Whelans, December 16th. This is after the release of his highly anticipated EP “Open Hands and Enemies” on October 19th.

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RUSANGANO FAMILY

Buy Tickets 2016 master

Aiken Promotions presents

RUSANGANO FAMILY

plus support

SAME D4ENCE

_ Main Venue _ Rusangano Family is made up of God Knows, MuRli and mynameisjOhn. 2 MCs and 1 DJ. Based in the West of Ireland, the trio has been steadily building their own unique brand of dynamic bass-led music

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KING KONG CLUB

Free Entry 2016 The Home of Enthusiasm returns for Season 11!

KING KONG CLUB

featuring Sin Verdad Buckles n’Son The Fresco Future MUNKY Carron Lips ^ Upstairs ^ Facebook event 8pm // FREE ENTRY The King Kong Club is a weekly battle of the bands with a twist; The Clap-O-Meter! The band that makes the most noise wins and carries on to the next round!

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MICHAEL McDERMOTT

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Whelanslive.com presents

MICHAEL McDERMOTT

plus support ^ Upstairs ^ Michael McDermott’s story is the classic tale of survival, perseverance, love and redemption. The first half begins with youthful innocence, a dream-come-true recording contract, a classic debut album heralded by the media, and a downward spiral with seemingly no bottom.

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JOE FOX

Buy Tickets 2016 master MCD.ie presents

JOE FOX

plus support ^Upstairs^ Joe Fox is a singer and a songwriter who comes from London and his EP, released on the Blue Flowers label, is called “Acoustic Alley Sessions”. The first song on the EP is entitled “Like Jesus”.

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DOVECOTE

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DOVECOTE

plus support

^ Upstairs ^ “A laid-back album that is delicate and robust in all the right places” – The Irish Times “An early contender for Irish album of the year” –  GoldenPlec.com Album of the Week – RTE Radio 1 “Genius”– Sunday Independent “If you don’t do it, you’ll go mad – it’s a form of self-­‐expression, and as an archaeologist you realise that we’re all just tiny ants on this planet. We’re all just moving through, and it’s what you can do in such a brief period of time that’s important.” Dovecote’s Niall Colfer, former member of the now defunct (but always highly regarded) Irish band Salthouse, has reached a point in his life where he can see not only the wood for the trees but also the rings on the tree trunks. It isn’t at all that time is running out, it’s more that timing is crucial -­‐ there are things to do, matters to be addressed, songs to be written. From Wexford, in his early 40s, and living in Dublin for the past 20 years, Niall Colfer remains justifiably proud of Salthouse’s brief recorded legacy (“two really good albums and an EP -­‐ and we did it all by ourselves; built our own studio, always got good reviews. There are a lot of good memories…”), but come 2009 a solo career presented itself in the form of debut album, Finds. An apt album title, you may think, for someone who is an archaeologist, but dig a little deeper and you’ll discover a record rich in texture and wise in nature. Niall says he put a lot hard work into the album, but soon realised that his music had to be put on hold for what many people term ‘real life’: work, relationships, children. “Life went on,” he says. “Everything was great, but then, soon enough, the itch came back.” Ah, yes, the itch that needs to be scratched, the creative urge that cannot be ignored, dismissed, denied or devalued. And so six years later comes Dovecote, an eponymous ten-­‐track album that once again displays Niall’s innate knack of constructing modest yet highly effective and acutely intelligent pop songs. The way Niall tells it, he slipped back into songwriting mode naturally – there was no existential crisis, no self-­‐ imposed, pressure-­‐cooker ultimatum. Simply put, he knew what had to be done, and if it took him years to achieve the results, then what of it? And so Dovecote was born. “I decided to go for a name change for this album,” says Niall, likening it to a new kind of beginning. “With the last album, I felt I had to maybe write a song in a certain way, or get the right producer, but Dovecote is very organic, very natural. I really enjoyed making it, being in the studio with friends, under no pressure whatsoever.” The lack of stress or anxiety, he admits, is due to several things: being slightly older and, just as important, having more realistic levels of expectation. “The only expectations from the record I have are musical and creative. They were being met because I had a great band in the studio as well as a fantastic producer. I wanted brass on a song, strings on a few songs, and I just took my time. I felt I would put the album out when it was ready. And the Dovecote name is good -­‐ I thought a change of name was warranted. It’s a new start in many ways; I felt the shackles were free by not calling myself ‘Niall Colfer’. ”There’s a very smart, cohesive and subtle sonic sensibility underpinning Dovecote’s ten songs. For this album, Niall wanted the songs to sound “more like a band in a room, where people are playing real instruments; I wanted it to sound less produced, and the songs to be really strong, songs that people could relate to; I wanted vocal performances. Often, you’d patch together vocals from different takes, but the vocals here are straight through, and not layered. This is a less noisy album, with more deft touches…” Lyrically, Niall explores a range of personal topics. “When you’re younger, many different things define what is important, but once you grow up a bit you come to know what the mainstays in life actually are. Without sounding like a cliché, those things have to be family and friends; and being happy creatively, comfortable in what you’re doing – they have to be it. Anything beyond that doesn’t necessarily make you contented or satisfied. You learn that…” Completed over a two-­‐year transitional period, Dovecote’s songs are, reveals Niall, “written out of a cathartic need of figuring out things for myself. It would have been easy to forget about songwriting and creative self-­‐ expression, but at the end of the day the process was about no one else but me. And yet not in a narcissistic way -­‐ more a songwriter putting a puzzle together piece by piece.” Recorded in Gavin Glass’s Orphan Recording Studios, Inchicore, Dublin, produced by Sean Coleman (Eels, Mark Eitzel), and featuring Barry Smullen (drums) and Mark Kelly (bass), there is an obvious sense of self-­‐vindication with Dovecote the album (and Dovecote the band) that smacks of nothing other than someone aiming to perfect their craft. “I’d always been tipping away,” adds Niall, “so while I wouldn’t say I’m surprised by how well the album sounds, I would say that I’m very happy. And, also, quite justified that I can still do it.” There are doubts, Niall muses, about some people – possibly even himself, reflecting on matters before the dawn chorus wakes up everyone – thinking that maybe their time is over, their day is spent. “It isn’t about having a day,” he observes. “It’s about having a life.” Things to do? Songs to be written? Matters to be addressed? Jobs well and truly done. Dovecote is released in March 2016 via G&J Records.

TICKETS

€10 available online from WAV Tickets or Lo-Call 1890 200 078 (1-8pm M-F, 4-8pm Sat)

– 50c per ticket service charge applies on phone, internet or creditcard bookings. Final ticket price may be higher from other outlets.

Strictly over 18′s, I.D. may be required

AFTER THE GIG

Whelan’s Indie Club w/ Late Bar from 10:30pm or check out the bands playing The Midnight Hour in the upstairs venue – Free Entry via front door until 10:30pm | Drinks Promos

IF CARLSBERG DID THURSDAYS w/ IVY NATIONS

Free Entry 2016

IF CARLSBERG DID THURSDAYS

w/ IVY NATIONS plus support _ Main Venue _ Join Carlsberg & the Zoo Crew (September 22nd) on Camden or Harcourt street for your chance to win great prizes – including a trip to Copenhagen! #IfCarlsbergDidThursdays — drinkaware.ie

TICKETS

FREE ENTRY Strictly over 18′s, I.D. may be required.

AFTER THE GIG

Indie & Alternative Dance Party | Drinks Promos | 11pm til 3am or check out the bands playing The Midnight Hour in the upstairs venue – Free Entry via front door until 10:30pm  

SAMPLE ANSWER

Buy Tickets 2016 master ON SALE MON 19 SEPT @ 9 MCD.ie presents

SAMPLE ANSWER

plus support _ Main Venue _   Tickets on sale Monday from Ticketmaster.ie from €12 ‘Pop with a real sense of edge’ – Clash ‘Sample Answer arrives on every stage – fully formed’– Irish Times ‘Soulful pop with a dusting of hip-hop thrown in for good measure’ – Gigwise

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CHRIS SMITHER

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CHRIS SMITHER

plus support _ Main Venue _ Having distilled his own signature sound of blues and folk for 50 years, Chris Smither is truly an American original. Chris continues to draw deeply from the blues, American folk music, modern poets and philosophers.

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JD & THE STRAIGHT SHOT

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MCD.ie presents

JD & THE STRAIGHT SHOT

plus support

_ Main Venue _

JD & The Straight Shot have announced details of Irish tour dates including a headline performance at Whelan’s, Wexford street on 26th October 2016. Tickets priced €15 inclusive of booking fee go on sale at 9am this Wednesday, 14th September 

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POP THE CHERRY COMEDY

Buy Tickets 2016 no seat

POP THE CHERRY COMEDY

Every Monday Upstairs at Whelan’s featuring
Paul Marsh Keith Fox Cormac McGuinness Roger O’Sullivan Erin Reddy Alan Barnett
Darren Cullen
with Richie Bree as MC. 
^ Upstairs ^ Facebook event Pop the Cherry Comedy bring you a truly electric night in Whelan’s every Monday – This is stand-up comedy brought to you by young, new and emerging talent on the Irish comedy scene.

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POP THE CHERRY COMEDY

Buy Tickets 2016 no seat

POP THE CHERRY COMEDY

Every Monday Upstairs at Whelan’s featuring

TBC

^ Upstairs ^ Facebook event Pop the Cherry Comedy bring you a truly electric night in Whelan’s every Monday – This is stand-up comedy brought to you by young, new and emerging talent on the Irish comedy scene.

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POP THE CHERRY COMEDY

Buy Tickets 2016 no seat

POP THE CHERRY COMEDY

Every Monday Upstairs at Whelan’s featuring

TBC

^ Upstairs ^ Facebook event Pop the Cherry Comedy bring you a truly electric night in Whelan’s every Monday – This is stand-up comedy brought to you by young, new and emerging talent on the Irish comedy scene.

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POP THE CHERRY COMEDY

Buy Tickets 2016 no seat

POP THE CHERRY COMEDY

Every Monday Upstairs at Whelan’s featuring

David McSavage Tomie James Peter Flanagan Shifts Amy Molloy Enya Martin plus more TBA with Duane Doogan as MC

_ Main Venue _ Facebook event Comedian David McSavage is one of Ireland’s most cutting edge comedians. In a brand new show, he looks at the benefits of yoga & his love for Daniel O’Donnell

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POP THE CHERRY COMEDY

Buy Tickets 2016 no seat

POP THE CHERRY COMEDY

Every Monday Upstairs at Whelan’s featuring

Grainne McKeever Alan McElroy Iain O’Connor Ross McCarthy Sam Monaghan Sahar Ali Romicorn Cruanes with Niall Farrell as MC

^ Upstairs ^ Facebook event Pop the Cherry Comedy bring you a truly electric night in Whelan’s every Monday – This is stand-up comedy brought to you by young, new and emerging talent on the Irish comedy scene.

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POP THE CHERRY COMEDY

Buy Tickets 2016 no seat

POP THE CHERRY COMEDY

Every Monday Upstairs at Whelan’s featuring

Aidan Killian Neil Delamere Conor McDonough-Flynn Simon Caine Carl Weldon Robbie Kearney Brendan O’Keefe with Fiona Frawley as MC.

^ Upstairs ^ Facebook event Pop the Cherry Comedy bring you a truly electric night in Whelan’s every Monday – This is stand-up comedy brought to you by young, new and emerging talent on the Irish comedy scene.

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ZOE CONWAY, MAIRTÍN O’CONNOR & DONAL LUNNY

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ZOE CONWAY, MAIRTÍN O’CONNOR & DONAL LUNNY

Irish Album Launch Faoi Lán Seol – In Full Sail _ Main Venue _ This new group brings together the dazzling talents of three of the country’s finest traditional musicians; button accordion master Máirtín O’Connor, fiddle player Zoë Conway and guitar and bouzouki player Donal Lunny.

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WOB!

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WOB!

‘SAMBASS Party’ plus support

^ Upstairs ^

Facebook event

WOB! will play a Headline show – ‘SAMBASS Party’ at Whelan’s Upstairs, on Saturday 01.10.2016, at 8pm. Come and see why WOB! are becoming notorious for their high-energy shows, you will leave lighthearted!

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JAMES OR

JAMES OR

plus support

ATLANTIS FIRE DEPARTMENT

^ Upstairs ^

Summer 2016 has already seen James OR release his debut EP “Cold Open.” Recorded with renowned producer Christian Best (Mick Flannery), mixed by Brad Fisher (Manchester Orchestra, Frightened Rabbit), and with a sound tinged with influences of Blur, The Frames and Elbow

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APELLA

Buy Tickets 2016 Sold Out master

APELLA

plus support

^ Upstairs ^

Facebook event

The Debut Single, ‘We Met At A Party’

‘A killer pop tune that’s going to be all over radio like a rash.” – Stuart Clark, Hot Press

Few songs scream “summer!” as loudly as ‘We Met At A Party’, the debut single from Dublin duo Apella

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THE VAGARIES

Buy Tickets 2016 master

THE VAGARIES

plus support ^ Upstairs ^ Moustache lady video release – a special night for movember Dublin band The Vagaries come back to Whelan’s this November, this follows from the acclaimed foursomes sold out Whelan’s show last December.

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KEVYN

Free Entry 2016

KEVYN

plus support ^ Upstairs ^ The Young and the Restless present one Dublin’s newest and most promising names to come out in 2016. Straight back from their packed out performance at the Electric Picnic, this high octane band will take you on a rollercoaster ride of melodic outbursts and energetic catchy tunes. Championed by Dan Hagerty on 2FM and the local music scene setters State Magazine- this band is making waves turn into tsunams! Catch this Saturday in Whelan’s upstairs

TICKETS

FREE ENTRY Strictly over 18’s, I.D. may be required.

AFTER THE GIG

Whelan’s Indie Club w/ Late Bar from 10:30pm or check out the bands playing The Midnight Hour in the upstairs venue – Free Entry via front door until 10:30pm | Drinks Promos

MIDNIGHT HOUR w/ THE GIRL TALK

featuring –

THE GIRL TALK

plus support

MODERN PICTURES

Upstairs@Whelan’s from Midnight. Doors: 11:45pm – Free b4 10:30pm Sign up for guest list HERE Whelanslive.com is proud to bring you The Midnight Hour. Showcasing the best new talent in Ireland & beyond.

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PAUL McDONNELL

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PAUL McDONNELL

plus guests

^ Upstairs ^

“Lyrically very clever & musically beautiful – terrific” Pat Kenny, Newstalk

“This is simply stunning!” Paul Power on KFM Radio

“instantly appealing…classy stuff” Hot Press album review

“Heartfelt” *** Irish Mail on Sunday album review

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STEVE FORBERT

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Whelanslive.com presents

STEVE FORBERT

plus support

_ Main Venue _

– GRAMMY NOMINEE STEVE FORBERT RETURNS, STAKES HIS CLAIM AS A GREAT AMERICAN SONGWRITER –

As a young man from Meridian, Mississippi, Steve Forbert traveled to New York City and played guitar for spare change in Grand Central Station.

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CHATHAM COUNTY LINE

Buy Tickets 2016 master ON SALE THUR 8th SEPT, 9am Aiken Promtions presents

CHATHAM COUNTY LINE

plus support _ Main Venue _

Facebook event

‘’Our band is a lot like this place,” says Chatham County Line guitarist, lead singer and songwriter Dave Wilson. His eyes wander across the original hardwood lanes of the mid-century Raleigh bowling alley where he just finished rolling and drinking two rounds. Playing traditional string band instrumentation around a single microphone while clad in suits and ties visually projects a similar sepia-toned timelessness. “We create a product that you’re familiar with and you’ll enjoy going back to because you know what to expect. My dad ran a local hardware store years ago and I always felt like we shared that.” Sure enough, like a small town store, there’s no dramatic tale or sexy hook to fuel the hype machine for Autumn, the seventh studio album since the Raleigh, NC-based Chatham County Line—Wilson, John Teer (mandolin/fiddle), Chandler Holt (banjo), and Greg Readling (bass, pedal steel, piano)—coalesced in the late 1990’s. Instead, the story behind the workmanlike group’s newest release—available September 2, 2016 via Yep Roc Records—is simple: A veteran ensemble at the top of its game sticking to its considerable strengths—poignant songwriting and inventive acoustic arrangements that draw upon a broad array of American roots influences, highlighted by trademark three- and four-part harmonies that shine throughout. But like the flat-screen televisions that now dot those bowling lanes, the quartet respects its history—from bluegrass inventor Bill Monroe to innovators like John Hartford—while remaining mindful of more modern influences, including its members’ backgrounds in rock bands. “We were so obsessive about the way Tightrope sounded and making sure we got the songs right that this record was kind of a 180 from that,” Wilson explains, referring to the meticulous, multi-year process that birthed Autumn’s predecessor. “I think we were all exhausted from that process and wanted to just take the songs I had written and record them.” Thanks to the more casual approach, Autumn marries the comfortable maturity of 2014’s Tightrope with the welcome spontaneity of Chatham County Line’s earlier work. With some finishing touches done at Durham, NC’s Overdub Lane, two brief sessions—produced by Wilson at Kernersville, NC’s Fidelitorium—over the falls of 2014 and 2015 yielded not only the eleven tracks that comprise Autumn, but also a title for the album. Fortunately for fans, Chatham County Line has no plans to cut back on its live engagements, from the elegant European concert halls to the large American folk festivals at which the quartet has become a fixture. On stage, the musical relationships fostered by its consistent line-up are apparent, through an unspoken chemistry that allows the freedom for improvisational flashes that seem as polished as the rest of its set. Those moments keep performances fresh as the band’s best-known songs become concert staples, despite a deep catalog that features dozens of stellar tunes. “The fans drive the setlist and the songs that we feel like we need to play every night,” Wilson states. “But this is never a position that I thought we would be in, that there would be all these songs we wrote that people listen to and make babies to, so then they bring the baby to the show to hear that particular song.” “The conundrum of this new record is what old songs do we take out of the set and which new ones do we put in,” Holt muses, agreeing with Wilson that it’s a good problem to have for a group in its second decade of making music on its own terms, happy to avoid the path of acts that have morphed into business juggernauts. “Music today has almost become about everything else besides the music, but for the four of us, it’s very much the opposite of that. We get to do what we want to do. What else is there?” Tickets priced €16.50 on sale from Thursday 8th September at 9am from www.whelanslive.com, www.ticketmaster.ie & usual outlets nationwide.

TICKETS

€16.50 available online from WAV Tickets or Lo-Call 1890 200 078 (1-8pm M-F, 4-8pm Sat) – 50c per ticket service charge applies on phone, internet or creditcard bookings. Final ticket price may be higher from other outlets. Strictly over 18′s, I.D. may be required.

AFTER THE GIG

Whelan’s Indie Club w/ Late Bar from 10:30pm or check out the bands playing The Midnight Hour in the upstairs venue – Free Entry via front door until 10:30pm | Drinks Promos
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