Nigerian drummers, Ugandan dancers and a Filipino guitar group will perform alongside some of Ireland’s best-known indie and alternative music acts later this month at a special gig organised by Irish charity, Trócaire.
TrócaireLive will take place at The Grand Social, 35 Lower Liffey Street, Dublin 1 on Saturday, April 28th (doors open at 7.30pm). The gig will showcase Irish and world music, and place a spotlight on Trócaire’s campaigning work.
Fred, The Hot Sprockets and Katie Kim will headline TrócaireLive and will be joined by the Dembe Troupe dancers from Uganda; Talking Drums, a Nigerian drumming duo; and Manila Rhythm, a Filipino acoustic band. Up-and-coming singer-songwriter, Daniel Scannell, will also perform; Groovement Soul will close the gig with a DJ set; and the event will be MC'd by Today FM’s Paul McLoone, himself a well-known musician and lead singer with The Undertones.
Announcing details of TrócaireLive on Tuesday, Joanne McGarry, Campaigns Officer with Trócaire, said: “Trócaire works in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. This gig will reflect the global nature of our work. It will give people a chance to sample elements of different cultures, while enjoying top-class Irish acts.
“The night will kick off with Nigerian folk drummers performing outside the venue. Inside, people can enjoy Middle Eastern food and soak up the atmosphere in the rooftop garden as they listen to the laidback surfer sounds of Daniel Scannell.
“Anyone who likes dancing will find it impossible to resist the mariachi-inspired music of Manila Rhythm and the awe-inspiring moves of the Dembe dance troupe. And, on top of all this, we’re offering the chance to see three of the most exciting contemporary acts on the Irish music scene: Fred, The Hot Sprockets and Katie Kim. This truly promises to be a gig with a difference.”
Childhood Memories of Trócaire
At today’s launch, some of the musicians who will perform at TrócaireLive shared their childhood memories of the charity. Trócaire is the Irish word for ’mercy'.
Joseph O'Leary, lead singer with Fred, said: “Growing up, the Trócaire box always appeared in our house the first or second week of Lent and was usually full by Easter, sometimes topped up by our folks. However, one year, to break from formula, it was decided that my three siblings and I would all receive our own Trócaire box. All hell broke loose at the end of Lent that year, as some of us had nothing in our boxes and claimed to have been robbed! ... Good, honest times.”
Hailing from Cork, Fred are one of Ireland’s best-loved bands and have just returned to the country after a Canadian tour, which included a number of performances at Canadian Music Week, one of the premier music conferences and festivals in North America. Fred have been together – in various line-ups – since 1999, and their reputation as a great live music act has increased on the back of constant touring and festivals, both at home and abroad. The band recently released their fourth studio album,Leaving My Empire, which has been hailed as their finest record to date.
The Hot Sprockets, meanwhile, are five friends who came together with a shared love of blues and rock‘n’roll. They released their debut album, Honey Skippin, last year and, since then, their music has been used on everything from Bulmers’ ad campaigns to a BBC comedy and various RTÉ programmes. A phenomenal live band, the past two years have seen them play over 200 gigs, including support slots with The Zutons, The View, The Divine Comedy, Ida Maria, Peter Hook, Republic of Loose and BP Fallon.
Sharing his childhood memories of Trócaire today, Franky Kelly from The Hot Sprockets said: “When I was in primary school, I got the Trócaire box to bring home for Lent. I was only six or seven at the time and didn’t really know what the money I kept putting in the box was for. But when Lent was over and it was time to bring the money in, I got really upset – I thought it was mine to keep! Since then, I’ve fasted for Trócaire and raised money for them a few times.”
The third headline act at TrócaireLive will be Katie Kim. Katie Kim is the pseudonym of Katie Sullivan when she performs and records her slowcore, ethereal, ambient folk / pop. She has been compared to Zola Jesus, Coco Rosie, Cat Power and Joanna Newsom. Her debut release, Twelve, was admired and praised throughout the country and prompted collaboration with a spectrum of other artists, including David Kitt, Milosh, Halves, Mike Scott, and Tenpastseven, amongst others. Her second album, Cover & Flood, a double-vinyl release, will be officially launched in the coming weeks.
Further information about all of the acts performing at TrócaireLive is available at: www.trocaire.org/blogs/trocairelive-grand-social. Tickets for the gig cost 10 euro, and are available now from Entertainment.ie, and will also be available – on a ‘first come, first served’ basis – at the door on the night.
Further information about Trócaire is available at: www.trocaire.org.
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