Damien Dempsey
Damien Dempsey's 5th studio album "The Rocky Road" marks a departure for this critically acclaimed, No.1 selling singer and songwriter who releases this collection of traditional Irish songs and modern classics on 6th June. The album includes collaborations with his heroes John Sheahan and Barney McKenna of The Dubliners and Sharon Shannon.
The Rocky Road, available from 6th June, comprises new arrangements of many well-loved and familiar songs including The Rocky Road to Dublin, The Foggy Dew, The Hot Asphalt, and Ewan MacColl’s Schooldays Over and Shane MacGowan’s Rainy Night in Soho.
Damien’s collection of Meteor Awards include both Best Irish Male and also Best Traditional / Folk and his roots in Traditional music can be clearly felt in his own compositions on his previous albums. Damien says; "Ballads are my roots, it was the first music that turned me on, and the first songs that I heard being sung in my home by friends and family". "I would have over two hundred ballads in my head, and I used to sing them regularly in pubs around Dublin in the 1990's. I reckoned I had a good feel for these songs, and as I studied Irish history, I felt I could really tell their story and do them some justice on an album….I’ve always been an advocate of the sing-song, and I have a lot of very young fans, so naturally if I do this album, these kids are gonna hear all these timeless songs that they may not have heard otherwise”. “I want to give the young kids an alternative to the new MTV generation, gangster rap, Britney Spears and maybe get them interested in their own history through music".
Damien has spent the first months of 2008 touring the US and Australia but returns to Ireland for his first tour dates this year, playing smaller venues around the country to showcase this intimate album. He will also be playing several festivals and appearing as a guest of Sharon Shannon, singing with her Big Band. More dates will be added soon and full worldwide tour dates can be found at www.damiendempsey.com
Irish Tour Dates
September
Fri 26 Culdaff, McGrorys
Sat 27 Ennis, Glor
October
Wed 1 Limerick, University of Limerick (students only)
Fri 3 Mullingar, The Stables
Sat 4 Cork, Savoy - Cork Folk Festival
Wed 8 Balleyboffey, Balor Arts Centre
Thu 9 Manorhamilton, The Glens Centre
Fri 10 Sligo, The Clarence
Sat 11 Cloughanover, Campbell's Tavern
Thu 23 Thurles, The Source Arts Centre
Fri 24 Navan, The Backroom @ Lantern Bar
Sat 25 Castleblaney, Iontas
November
Sun 2 Athlone, Passionfruit Theatre
Sat 22 Droheda, McHugh's
Sun 23 Celbridge, Setanta House Hotel
Tue 25 Monaghan, The Brewery
Wed 26 Castlebar, Linenhall
Fri 28 Tullamore, The Thatch
Sat 29 Dundalk, Spirit Store
December
Tue 2 Bantry, The Mariner
Wed 3 Limerick, Dolans
Thu 4 Clonmel, O'Keeffes
Sat 6 Galway, Roisin Dubh
Sun 7 Ballymahon, Bog Lane Theatre
Thu 11 Clonakilty, Debarras
Sun 14 Wterford, Electric Avenue
History In The Backroom
24th Oct 2008 - Headline