THE FINAL round of Citóg gigs for 2015 really are a case of saving the bet until last, with a trio of events showcasing some of the best talent in indie, folk, hard rock, and singer-songwriter to emerge from, or be based in, County Galway.
The opening gig on December 2 at 9pm will be headlined by the multi-talented Galway indie-folk singer-songwriter Tracy Bruen. Her music draws on indie, folk, and blues and manages to be both infectious and rhythmic, while also being unapologetically quirky and left-field. A multi-instrumentalist and classically trained singer, Tracy engages a wide vocal range to explore the elements of the voice as an instrument in her songs.
The We Plug Good Music website said her "voice of husky, whispery, and sky-reaching heights is unapologetically Kate Bush-like and the blend of hill-walking candle-lit voyaging and blues guitar make it both timeless and fitting with the current music trend".
Also playing are Galway based sextet Spats Colombo - named after a gangstar in Some Like It Hot - whose sound encompasses folk, pop, indie-rock, ska, and Simon and Garfunkel/Mamas, and Papas-esque vocal harmonies. The band is led by Oxford born singer-songwriter Simon Noble, and also features his sister Harriet; Galwegians Rhona Ní Chearbhaill and Róisín O’Hara; and multi-instrumentalist Alan Kenny from Offaly.
Support is from Majestic Bears.
Next up are one of Galway's favourite bands, the Tuam pop-punk/garage rock trio Oh Boland on December 16. Band leader, vocalist, and songwriter Niall Murphy describes the band's inspirations thus: "A healthy dose of scum, a healthy dose of pop. It's definitely indebted to the whole sixties garage thing and sixties pop in general. We try to make it super simple and super melodic."
Niall says most of his lyrics are inspired by his day job as a barman. "I work in a bar back home in Tuam, mainly doing day shifts. Bar workers see and hear some weird stuff! It's not so much back of beer mat, Randy Newman troubadour stuff, as someone trying to keep one's brain from caving in."
Oh Boland's debut album, Spilt Milk is expected out next year.
Also on the bill is the flamboyant and brilliant Steven Sharpe, whose witty tales of contemporary gay life are filtered through Led Zeppelin influenced blues stompers and dextrous acoustic numbers. Support is from Marcus Fields.
The final gig is on December 23 and will feature the great It Was All A Bit Black & White, the two piece experimental instrumental band of drummer Mosey Byrne and guitarist Matt Sutton. They create song's heavily orientated around loops, low end guitars, big tones, bass driven synth's and crushing drums.
Wasabi Kicks and St Simeon & The Stylitesare supporting.
All gigs take place on Wednesdays from 11pm, except where otherwise stated. Admission is free. For more information see the Citóg page on Facebook.
