Quarter Block Party

🌟Ultan O'Brien with Nic Gareiss and Méabh McKenna 🌟 Coughlans, Thursday 03 April at 7.30pm

We're delighted to welcome Ultan O'Brien, Nic Gareiss and Méabh McKenna to Coughlans on Thursday April 03 to celebrate the release of Dancing the Line.

Ultan O’Brien’s debut solo release, Dancing the Line, is due to be released on March 20th through Nyahh Records. The 14-track album delves deep into sound art and experimental music, exploring the connection between percussive dance and old fiddle music through rhythm and tone.

Ultan will be joined by harpist, Méabh McKenna, and percussive dancer, Nic Gareiss.

Ultan O’Brien is a fiddle player and composer from County Clare. Ultan is a performer as well as a regular at sessions all over Ireland and can be found by chance in any pub in Dublin, Cork or some remote village on the edge of nowhere. Ultan was reared in the rich tradition of Irish music which is so commonly found and heard in Co Clare, but he also delves deep into sound art and experimental music. He has often been heard in the back of a car after a few pints quoting lines from Alvin Lucier or speaking at length about improvisation and its place in modern Irish music. Ultan O’Brien is a fresh and vital player who has much to offer with his unique approach and technique to a tradition so old and ever ready for a subtle change every 100 years or so. Ultan has played and recorded with people and bands such as Skipper’s Alley, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, John Francis Flynn, Slow Moving Clouds, Cuar, Laura Jurd, Martin Green, Natalia Beylis, Paul Roe and Nic Gareiss.

‘in its [Ultan’s fiddle playing] sincerity of tone it reminds me somewhat of those great caoineadh which were played with such elusive grandeur by Denis Murphy and Pádraig O’Keefe’ Adrian Scahill

‘lets the heart brighten and the feet tap’ Richard Hollingum -KlofMag

🎟️Tickets available from coughlans.ie

🌟 RÓIS 🌟 Friday 18th October, Plugd Records

Fermanagh artist RÓIS releases her concept keening EP ‘Mo Léan, later this week. Written and produced by RÓIS with additional production from John ‘Spud’ Murphy the new release takes the listener through the grieving process from start to finish, from the chaos that loss brings to the intense emotional outpourings and finally a cathartic release.

We are thrilled to welcome RÓIS to Plugd Records for a very special and intimate concert on Friday 18th October.

🎟 Tickets on sale Thursday 3rd October at 9am.

🌟 JULIA MARIA 🌟’The Skin I’m In’ EP Launch
Coughlans | Thursday 31st October, 8pm
🎟 Tickets on sale Friday 20th September at 9am, available from coughlans.ie

Julia Maria’s music is characterised by her hypnotic folk infused vocals, rich instrumental arrangements and poignant lyricism ❤️

⭐ Plugd Records After Party ⭐

Thrilled to have two absolute legends playing records tomorrow night at Plugd Records. Following the all day Test Site Block Party on the Coal Quay, Julie Landers and Vicky Langan will treat us to a few hours of bops, where Brian's Wines will be hosting.

We'll be kicking off at 7pm tomorrow, free entry to anyone in the area!

Don't miss out on a fantastic day of music beforehand, there's still a few tickets left for Test Site where you can catch Rita Lynn, Jean Pack, Post Punk Podge & The Technohippies and Laurie Shaw presents Felted Fruit.

🎟 Tickets available from eventbrite.ie | Link in out instagram bio 💥

⭐ LAURIE SHAW ⭐
Saturday 20th July | Test Site

Laurie Shaw hails from The Wirral peninsula. He has made over 80 records in the Kerry mountains including Working Nights, My Girlfriend the Klansman and The Ink Trap to name just a few. Shaw has played Cork's Quarter Block Party Festival, Indiependence and Electric Picnic with his band The Magic Flutes. His 2018 album, Weird Weekends is an album born out of nostalgia for his teenage-hood growing up in Kenmare, which he paints as a small tourist town with a dark underbelly. At the end of 2018, Shaw released Year Zero, an album selected by Nialler9 for the Top 20 Irish Albums of 2018 list. The record featured musings on philosophy and history but musically explored fuzzy guitar sounds and psychedelic pop. His latest opus' are 2020's Annual, a double album about time travel and 2021's Into The Microcosm, a concept album about a night spent partying in a woods as a teenager. He has also released a Double LP called Felted Fruit with Sunstone Records.

🎟 Tickets on sale now from eventbrite.ie | Available via link in bio