CÚIRT IS a festival which celebrates prose, poetry, writers, and publications, but writing is not confined solely to novelists and poets, it can also include lyricists, wordsmiths, and songwriters.
Those whose words come accompanied by music and beats have a major place at this year’s Cúirt and the festival can boast shows from two of the finest singer-songwriters and one of the best rappers currently at work today.
American singer-songwriter Josh Ritter pondered on the nature of artistic inspiration and how a work of art offered by an artist to the world in time becomes the property of all in his magnificent ‘The Bone Of Song’.
He is contemplating the nature of writing again on his new album So Runs The World Away, released on April 23. “Where the songs felt large to me, I wanted them to be huge, both musically and lyrically,” Josh says. “Where they were small, I concentrated on the smallest details and we tried to make the music and the words work together. I love writing, and this is the most fulfilling record I’ve written yet.”
Josh and his Royal City Band return to Galway to play a ‘Róisín Dubh presents...’ show at The Radisson Blu Hotel on Saturday April 24. Earlier that day at 2pm, he will take part in a public interview with Philip King in the Druid Lane Theatre.
The English singer-songwriter Richard Hawley has worked with Pulp, All Saints, and Robbie Williams, but he is also a first class solo artist, who writes songs about his native Sheffield with lyrics that evoke a lost time and place, and music that is inspired by the classic songwriting of 1950s and early 1960s pop and ballads.
Hawley will be the Róisín Dubh on Sunday April 25. At 3pm he will take part in a public interview with Philip King and at 9pm will play a concert at the Dominick Street venue.
British left-field hip hop/indie pop duo Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip have just released their new album The Logic Of Chance and will play the Róisín Dubh on Tuesday April 22 at 9pm.
Over Dan’s beats and melodies, Pip, one of Britain’s cleverest lyricists, ponders such issues as violent crime stats, the state of the individual in a democracy, and the perils of late night rail travel. The Independent said they are “at the forefront of a new, urgent, hip-hop,” while MOJO described them as “witty, fearless and original”.
The Róisín will also host a spoken word and song night as Gaelige in association with Cúirt and Co Galway publishers Cló Iar-Chonnachta on Friday April 23 at 8pm.
Performing on the night will be traditional singers Johnny Mháirtín Learaí MacDonnchadha, broadcasters Meaití Joe Shéamuis Ó Fátharta and Máire Pheter Uí Dhroighneáin, authors and performers Joe Steve Ó Neachtain and his wife Máirín, box player Johnny Connolly, poet Seosamh Ó Guairim, and sean-nós dancer Seosamh Ó Neachtain. The MC will be broadcaster Máirtín Tom Sheáinín.
Tickets are available from the Róisín Dubh and Zhivago.
