BriBryOnTour: #CutCakeNotWrists

As some of you may already know, Brian O'Reilly (better known as BriBry), has recently been touring the UK alongside Dave Giles, Tom Law and Eddplant for what was called 'The Upload Tour'.

Introducing: Ferals

Up and coming rock trio, Ferals, from Northen England, are growing rapidly in the music scene, having been invited into the studio with BBC. Having only been given birth to by vocalist and guitarist, Matt Dryden in 2012, this is an absolutely massive achievement for these guys.

Review: Bastille- 'Bad Blood' Album

Following very successful single releases, including one of their most acclaimed songs, Flaws, and the latest, Pompeii, Bastille's debut album is finally set for release on March 4th, eagerly anticipated by their rapidly growing fan base. I'm sure for Dan Smith, it feels like this debut album has been a long time coming; having travelled from being a one-man band to the frontman of what is looking likely to be the "next big thing" in the music scene.

Review: The Ruby Sessions 19/2/13

For those of you who don't know what The Ruby Sessions is; it's a weekly event held on Tuesdays in the intimate setting of Doyle's pub in Dublin city. Each week, four acts are scheduled to play for 20 minutes each. The Ruby Sessions has been running for 14 years now, so these guys know what they're doing. With many very successful artists having played here in the past, such as Damien Rice, Paulo Nutini, Mumford & Sons and Glen Hansard, the line up never disappoints. This week I decided to head along and review the show.

This weeks line up, once again attracted a massive crowd to Doyle's, all waiting to witness performances from Jason Clarke, Orla Gartland, Bairbre Anne and Leaders of Men. With these four acts on the cards, and the beautiful candlelit setting of The Ruby Sessions, who wouldn't head down for only a small admission fee of €6?! (All of which goes to the Dublin Simon Community for the homeless, I must add).

First up this particular night was singer/songwriter Bairbre Anne, who has recently been over in London doing some writing and recording, and said she can't wait to get back to it. Opening up the show with an original song from her debut EP Helium Heart, I immediately saw why a large percentage of the people attending had come solely to see her. Bairbre performed four originals and one cover of I Follow Rivers' by Lykke Li. Of course, this got everyone singing along- as every song which is later made into a remixed club banger does! Bairbre had a wonderful, strong voice that sort of played Peek-A-Boo with an Alanis Morisette sound. Her set was pretty much the perfect chilled, yet powerful opener people want at an event like The Ruby Sessions.

Next to take to the stage was Jason Clarke, a Northern Irish singer/songwriter, accompanied by a band. As soon as Jason opened his mouth with the first line of an original song, Lawson immediately came to mind. With a writing style that could be described as a mix of pop and indie, and a beautifully smooth voice, Jason would easily fit into that very popular mainstream category that Lawson seem to be poster boys for at the moment. When Jason went on to sing his new song, I was instantly glued. The backing singer kicked in, and ultimately, the harmonies just came down and took the song to a whole new level, with a complete blend of tones that they executed delightfully. To finish his set, Jason attempted something that even he admitted should never be done, and to almost everyone there, it did sound like a disaster waiting to happen- a cover of Man In The Mirror by MJ. Brave or what? At least I thought it was brave, until I realised this was absolutely no risk for this guy; he smashed it. Hitting every note perfectly and making it his own in a modern sound, he had people singing a long to every chorus, and that's always a good sign right?!

It was then time for the second last act of the night. The girl probably most familiar to The Ruby Sessions stage; Dublin singer/songwriter, Orla Gartland. Kicking off her set with a new-ish song, Jealous, which is up for free download on her Facebook, she really portrayed her capabilities as a singer; hitting those high notes with precision, and getting the powerful, abrupt guitar chords bang on. After the bit of chit-chat and promised humour that Orla always takes with her when performing, it was time for one of Orla's most well known, and probably most lyrically heart-wrenching song- Devil On My Shoulder. Every time Orla performs this song, she manages to draw the crowd away from everything else, and just silence the room. This is one girl, one guitar, and one song; and to have the talent and the ability to do that to a crowd of people (especially an Irish pub!) is incredible. Admitting that she likes trying new things at The Ruby Sessions, we were next presented with a brand new song- Piece By Piece, before moving on to a fun, light-hearted cover she had also never performed live before- Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd. Orla's performances are always so relaxed and more importantly, they never fall into that trap of being fake- she's a purely genuine performer. That, mixed with the beautiful friendly atmosphere that every week at The Ruby Sessions brings, will always be a winner.

Unfortunately, due to time restrictions, I was unable to review the last act of the night, Leaders of Men. One of the acts I was looking forward to reviewing the most; I was quite excited to see what they'd produce. No panic, I'm sure I'll catch them again at The Ruby Sessions in the not so distant future.

Are you in Dublin on a Tuesday night with nothing to do? I strongly recommend you get yourself down to Doyle's pub and discover four talented acts at The Ruby Sessions. You won't be disappointed. 

Also, you should be able to catch a review of The Ruby Sessions right here every week from now to the foreseeable future. 

The Lumineers Live: Olympia Theatre, Feb 16th 2013

February 16th had been marked on my calender for quite a while. It was always set up to be an amazing night; The Lumineers with support act Langhorne Slim & The Law- how could there be any doubt. Well, I underestimated it completely. In all honesty, there was no support act at this show- either act could have been mistaken for the headliner on this particular night. Langhorne Slim & The Law may have been the opening act, but my god were they difficult to follow.

Introducing: Shauna Mackin

Ever listen to an artist and immediately think "why amn't I hearing this person everywhere?!". Well, 22 year old singer songwriter, Shauna Mackin is a perfect example. Shauna is originally from Dublin, but because of her passion for music and, I suppose, the booming industry in the UK, it was only a matter of time before she was sent packing to Manchester to pursue a degree in music.

Review: Langhorne Slim & The Law- 'The Way We Move'

Relatively known for his 2009 release Be Set Free, American singer songwriter Langhorne Slim, has since been joined by a band, and together they have managed to create something that many of us are lucky to have grace our ears. 

Review: Taylor Ames- 'Songs You Were Never Meant To Hear'

20 year old British singer songwriter, Taylor Ames, seems to be making a name for himself in what is an increasingly competitive music industry. With over 37,000 followers on Twitter, it appears that this guy might just have what it takes to overtake a large portion of the sea of songwriters that are currently on the rise.

BriBry Set To Release New EP- 'Grow'

The much loved Irish Youtuber, BriBry, known for his 'Things To Do Before You Die' series, recently reached a phenomenal, but well deserved 100,000 subscribers. Becoming increasingly successful on the site, it's not only his Youtube popularity that's making 2013 look promising for Brian. With a new EP- Grow on the way, people have an even bigger reason to be talking about the "Irish willy on Youtube" as he makes himself known!