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MIDNIGHT HOUR RESIDENCY w/ STATE LIGHTS

featuring –

STATE LIGHTS

Upstairs@Whelan’s from Midnight.

Doors: 11:30pm

Get guest list HERE

Whelanslive.com is proud to bring you The Midnight Hour. Showcasing the best new talent in Ireland.

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We’re delighted to be back gigging and we couldn’t be happier to be playing in Whelan’s again!

THIS IS A MIDNIGHT SHOW.

We’ll be playing in the upstairs venue and admission is €10. If you want to get in FOR FREE then comment on HERE saying “The love is in your eyes” and we’ll put your name down on the guest list!

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Singer Shobsy, guitarist Joe Regan drummer Paul Ridgeway and bassist Noel Perry are all students at BIMM Music College in Dublin. The atmosphere at BIMM encourages collaborations and musical friendships to blossom. Bonding over a shared interest in classic 80’s music and a common desire to write big stadium sized songs the guys decided to work on a music project. This early incarnation lead to the formation of State Lights in May 2014.

Progress was immediate and the band quickly decamped to Granard Co Longford to record their first songs in Joe Regan’s home studio. The first result of these sessions was the ‘Breakout’ EP which articulates tales of young love, rejection and hope underpinned by a classic vocal style wrapped around a big atmospheric sound. The EP quickly gained traction and eventually peaked at No 6 in the Irish iTunes Album Charts. Radio support was immediate with the group being selected as ‘Artist of the week’ on the critically acclaimed ‘Totally Irish’ show on 98fm with significant airplay being received on 2FM and TXFM also.

2015 Kicked off in style with a headlining performance at the BT Young Scientist Exhibition before a crowd of 4000 students at Dublin’s RDS arena. They then headlined the ‘Whelan’s Ones to Watch 2015’ Festival before a storming set at the First Fortnight Festival at the Button Factory. The band ended the month by performing as Special Guests (alongside The Riptide Movement) at the prestigious entertainment.ie awards.

The band received their first UK radio play on March 27th when they were selected to appear as ‘Shock of the New’ on the influential Jo Good show on XFM while their first US play arrived through KROQ 106.7 (LA) who played ‘Breakout’ on March 29th. Further airplay was received on Flux FM in Germany and WBOS 92.9 Boston also. The ‘Passport Approved’ radio show which is syndicated to over 25 major stations globally featured the band alongside Kodaline, Hozier and Gavin James as part of a special feature on Irish acts in May.

During the summer the band performed storming sets at both Indiependence and Castlepalooza festivals.

“Dublin’s State Lights show why Irish music is booming in the current climate. A young band armed with some excellent U2-style riffs and a singer possessing both a stunning voice and a magnetic stage presence” (Dublin Concerts)

The band are currently writing and recording material for an EP release slated for February 2016.Already it is easy to understand why critics view State Lights as one of the best new bands in Ireland.

“State Lights – Dublin band whose debut EP “The Breakout” is full of bracing, assured rock/pop tunes and who already have a sound which is aiming for stadiums and arenas. Frontman Shobsy’s voice is one of their key assets, but the musicianship underpinning the songs is also pretty striking at this early stage. The sound of a potentially very large crowd” – Jim Carroll, The Irish Times

Gigs:
Whelans Residency (All Midnight Hour shows)
Thurs Sept 24th,
Thur Oct 29th,
Sat Nov 28th
Sat Dec 26th.

TICKETS

FREE before 10:30pm, Club entry applies after 10:30pm (Thur/Fri/Sat) – Sign up for guest list HERE