The Rye — Kevin Melly (vocals, acoustic guitar ), Anna Falkenau (fiddle, backing vocals ) Alan Walsh (banjo, electric guitar, backing vocals ), Barry Wallace (bass, banjo ) and Desmond Harrington (drums ) — have been spending much of this summer in the studio recording their debut album. It promises to be one of the buzziest albums to be released in 2010. Each song on the album has a very distinct identity, ranging from the highly charged ‘There’s A Moth at Your Window’, over the jazzy-snappy ‘Lovebirds’, the quirky ‘Wondering the Why’, to the touching ‘Dance With You’.
The music makes for the tightest, most impressive ensemble play on the west coast of Ireland and The Rye are not just a band but a musical experience. The Rye have managed to squeeze in a few festivals over the summer, including The Roundstone Summer Festival, The Life Festival and they played on the Salty Dog stage in the woods at The Electric Picnic Festival two weeks ago. As for now, if you want to hear The Rye’s high-spirited music you should catch them at Bar Ritz tomorrow night Saturday September 18 for the last time this year.
Support on the night will come from Limerick grunge rock group Last Days Of Death Country and Cork post-punk outfit The Vital Spark.
Last Days of Death Country are the most alluring and addictive sounds on the music scene in Limerick; the result of this group forming is a distinct, pulsating and unreservedly raw brand of alternative grunge rock. They dedicate efforts to producing at times serene and blissfully unaware sounds that swell to haunting emotional anthemic breaks infused with striking guitar melodies, gritty riffs and a relentless trashing momentum. The band are currently recording their debut EP with Cranberries’ sticks-man Fergal Lawler, and they intend to bring the release of the album to every corner of the country and beyond.
The Vital Spark from Cork came together in 2000, all three members hail from Mitchelstown but are now stationed in Cork city. Post-punk bands such as Gang Of Four, Captain Beefheart and Jesus and the Mary Chain influence them. They released an EP last year titled The colour of things to come which is being championed by BBC Radio One’s Steve Lamaque. Hotpress magazine named The colour of things to come as EP of the fortnight. So why not come out and support your local music scene as The Rye play Mayo’s only underground alternative and traditional music night at Finbar Hoban Presents… Bar Ritz (Mulroys Bar ) Castlebar Tomorrow night Saturday September 19 with support from Last Days of Death Country and very special guests The Vital Spark. Coming Soon to Bar Ritz The Flaws.
