"Exquisite"
- The Guardian
Fresh from sold-out shows in London and Dublin earlier this year, contemporary Irish music sensation The Gloaming play the Absolut Big Top at the Galway International Arts Festival in July.
Fiddlers Martin Hayes and Caoimhin Ó Raghallaigh, sean-nós singer Iarla Ó Lionáird, New York pianist Thomas Bartlett (Doveman), and Chicago-born guitarist Dennis Cahill make up this quirky trad super group, mixing traditional Irish music’s rich, melancholic tones with modern hues of jazz, contemporary classical and experimental melodies. The New Yorker remarked that "[The Gloaming] moves the music of Ireland in captivating new directions."
The Gloaming exploded onto the music scene with their self-titled debut album in 2014, which was considered as one of the finest recordings of the year. The album’s medley of sean-nós and contemporary music secured its spot on some of music’s most prestigious best-of lists, such as MOJO Magazine and NPR Music. It was also picked by The Guardian as 'The One Album You Should Hear This Week'; won a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award; and claimed the 'Meteor Choice Music Prize for Best Irish Album of 2014'.
Their new album, 'The Gloaming 2', was inspired and written during their worldwide tour in 2015 and recorded in December 2015 at Real World Studios.
Joining them on the night is the spellbinding Cavan folk singer and racontueuse Lisa O'Neill. Her rich voice, melancholic melodies and lyrical wit make her live shows legendary as she brings her audiences from tears to laughter. O'Neill takes to the stage at 8.15pm.