Kila
'Kila are extraordinary', Bono
'Brilliant', Sinead ó Connor
Playing together for nearly 20 years, Kila are one of Ireland's most innovative and exciting bands. The seven members come from different musical backgrounds and share a passion to create great music with an ability to absorb influences from across the globe. With its roots in traditional Irish, it features a strong percussive like singing and gorgeous melodies driven by a serious rhythmical undercurrent. Kila have created their own distinctive style of world music, which has won over audiences around the world through their eight recordings to date and their spectacular live performances.
The Band: Made up of two sets of brothers Kila consists of; Ronan ó Snodaigh on bodhran, djembe, congas, bongos, guitar and vocals; Rossa Ó Snodaigh on tin whistle, low whistle, clarinet, bazouki, mandolin, bones and vocals; Colm Ó Snodaigh on flute, tin whistle, guitar, saxophone, percussion and vocals; Lance Hogan on guitar, drums, and vocals; Brian Hogan on bass, double bass and vocals; Dee Armstrong on fiddle, viola, hammered dulcimer, accordion and bodhran. Eoin Dillon on uileann pipes, tin whistle, low whistle, shakers and vocals.
Albums:
Gamblers' Ballet: (August 2007)
A powerfully energetic album, this is Kíla at their best. The material from the album was developed over the past few years in the live sets and brought together in studio with the help of Karl Odlum. It is a funky, fresh, upbeat collection of songs and tunes. Nominated for Irelands Choice Music Prize and Meteor Awards Jan 2008.
Kila & Oki (July 2006) Kila released their first collaborative album in July 2006 with renowned Ainu musician Oki, a contemporary from the World Music and Womad Circuit. The album has achieved rave reviews in Ireland from the national press and in the World Music press in UK and has been released in UK, France, Spain, Benelux, and Japan to date.
Live: Kila are widely renowned for their stunning sets and surprise guest performers at their shows, including trapeze artists, fire jugglers and belly dancers, their live energetic live performances have seen them continue to wow and attract new audiences over the years.
Kila have played in over 20 countries throughout the world, at festivals and venues, most notable festivals in recent years include Womadelaide Australia, Womad Reading, Spain and Sicily, Glastonbury Festival, Witness Festival, Sigzet Festival Budapest, Montreaux Jazz Festival, Stockholm Water Festival, and the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics Ireland 2003. They regularly tour Japan with Plankton Agency, North America with Columbia Arts Management, Australia with Gaynor Crawford and Michael Chugg Entertainment and the UK, Spain, and throughout Europe.
Film, Television and Theatre: Kila have supplied and composed music for a number of films, TV and Theatre productions notably; Feature Films; 'Gold in the Streets' (Liz Gill, Noel Pearson - Ferndale Films), 'Silent Grace' (Maeve Murphy, Follower Productions) 'Capital Letters' Ciaran Ó Connor and the documentaries: 'Seven Days' about writer Paulo Coehlo (Little Bird Productions) and 'Hidden Treasures' Irish Folklore and Crafts series (Loopline Productions). In 2001 they composed the sound track for the London West End play Monkey! and subsequently released an album of the same music.
Kíla composed music for a six part series 'Celtic Monsters' a co production between TG4, and SC4 (2005)
Kila's music has also been used in a number of BBC Timewatch documentaries: ‘The Battle of The River Plate (2005), Hadrians Wall (2006) and Richard Hammond and the Holy Grail (2006) and in the RTE productions: Primetime Special on Islam In Ireland (2006), and drama The Big Bow Wow (2005)
Awards:
Shortlisted Choice Music Prize, 2008
Nominee in Meteor Irish Music awards, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006,2007, 2008
2002 Meteor Irish Music Industry Award - Best Trad Act
Hot Press Readers Choice Awards - Best Trad Act - 2003, 2004, 2007
Kila run their own label Kila Records and own a recording studio, they also look after their own publishing through Kila Music.
For further information on Kila, contact Sarah Glennane Kila Records. info@kilarecords.com Tel: 00 353 1 4788034 and see www.kila.ie To download photos go to www.kila.ie/press
History In The Backroom
7th Nov 2008 - Headline