Lisa brings newlook band for culture night show
Damian McCarney
The chance to catch Lisa O’Neill’s play in her home county must rank amongst the musical highlights of any year, and for the local organisers of Culture Night to get such a gifted talent is a real coup.
Having been starved of the chance to see the Ballyhaise folk-singer play live since she memorably graced Blessings Bar’s last Christmas with her buddy Glen Hansard providing her support, the concert in Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff this Friday (September 19) is sure to be packed out. The fact that the rather sophisticated sounding ‘An evening with Lisa O’Neill’ is free, well, it’s an added bonus.
The Celt caught up with Lisa on the way to a show in Carrick-on-Shannon. She’s been on the road a lot since the release of her all-conquering second album Same Cloth or Not. A tour of Australia - “that was really enjoyable and we’re looking forward to going back and also had summer shows “here and there” in England and Ireland followed.
Shows
For her own shows in Australia she played before crowds of between 100-400, and of her two shows with Hansard in Sydney Opera House, well: “I don’t know what that holds but it was full”. “It’s up there with the highlights, but all the shows were brilliant.”
Having dipped her toe in the States through an invite to the SXSW showcase in Texas three years ago, she is looking forward to a headline American tour in November, taking in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago.
“I’ve loved any trip I’ve taken to America, and they’ve all been for music. It’s a very exciting country and we’re delighted to be going out and headlining - that’s a first for me.”
http://youtu.be/dVHgmbrpHtY
Evovled
Lisa’s fans will be delighted to know that she is working on new material. “We are working on demos this year, and the album will hopefully be recorded next year,” says Lisa.
She expects her sound to further evolve in her third album, not least because she is touring with a new band line-up, which includes the addition of Bailieborough brass player Kevin Kelleher and Aoife O’Sullivan on viola.
“Because it’s not made yet, and because it’s not fully written, I couldn’t tell you how different it’s going to be but it is not the same thing - new experiences, as you know... and the band has changed as well.”
Catch ‘An evening with Lisa O’Neill’ when she plays Cavan County Museum on Culture Night on Friday, September 19 at 8.30pm.