The Grand Social

Friday 27th April - Birds of Olympus EP Launch

Usually it takes some time for a fledgling band to leave the safety of the hometown and expand skywards to bigger, more expectant audiences. Not if you’re a band imbued with the divine strength of natural flow. Birds of Olympus are all about the spontaneity, it’s a way of living that pays off. Formed in lightning fast time, the Wicklow natives have already carved out a migratory path in little more than a year.

Their compelling mix of neo-psychedelic and electronic grabbed the attention of SXSW programmers last October at Hard Working Class Heroes Dublin and soon their focus became international.

With five showcases in Austin and notable audience members like David Fricke of Rolling Stone and Steve Lamacq of BBC Radio 6, who gave their first release ‘Vine of the Soul’ a spin on his show.

It’s evident that Birds of Olympus’ sensibilities stem much further than pop. Their genuine approach to the craft is already turning first time listeners into fans.

Venue: The Loft Doors: 8pm - 11pm Admission: €8

Saturday 28th April - Whole Lotta Voltage – Tribute to AC/DC

Whole Lotta Voltage are now Ireland’s longest running and most widely recognised AC/DC tribute. Wowing crowds in venues all over Ireland and abroad with a wild stage show, full costume, stunning musicianship and vocals and a set-list covering 4 decades of rock & roll perfection, Whole Lotta Voltage are THE AC/DC tribute for AC/DC fanatics. Every detail of the band has been painstakingly studied and recreated to perfection, raising the bar and setting the standard for others to try and follow.
“A first-rate tribute act – a eulogistic and respectful power smack to the wrinkled balls of the real AC/DC” – Ian Colgan, ‘Wicklow People’
“Keep on rockin Whole Lotta Voltage” – Angus Young, AC/DC
Venue: The Loft Doors: 8pm - 11pm Admission: €10 Buy Tickets Now!

Tuesday 1st May - Sarah McQuaid

With the release of her new album, the Madrid-born, Chicago-raised, Cornwall-based singer/songwriter has expanded her battery of instruments to include piano, electric guitar and drum, and it’s drawn critical raves internationally: Dutch music magazine Heaven hailed it as “an early contender for folk album of 2018,” the UK’s fRoots said it was “a collection to savour” and the USA’s PopMatters called it “a gateway into a true innovator’s soul.”

In April 2017, Sarah was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Ards International Guitar Festival in Newtownards, Northern Ireland (previous recipients include legendary guitarists Davey Graham, John Renbourn, John Martyn, Martin Simpson, Pierre Bensusan and Martin Carthy) in recognition of her innovative use of the DADGAD tuning and her authorship of The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book (Ossian/Music Sales Inc, 1995). She regularly presents workshops on the DADGAD tuning (as well as on songwriting, tour booking and more) at festivals, music schools and venues around the globe, and is working on a follow-up book on DADGAD song accompaniment.

Venue: The Loft Doors: 7.30pm - 10.30pm Admission: €12

Wednesday 2nd May - Barrence Whitfield & The Savages

Boston born Barrence Whitfield is known for his for his incendiary live performances alongside his band The Savages (Peter Greenberg, Phil Lenker, Andy Jody, Tom Quartulli). During his shows people are often forced to question whether they are seeing a passionate performance or an escaped inmate having a fit (it is almost certainly the former).

After 26 years of performing his unique blend of Garage, Rockabilly, R&B, & straight up Rock N’ Roll, Barrence shows no signs of slowing down. Rumours abound that he has swallowed set-lists & took bites of tin cans while in a frenzy performing and these rumours are most likely true given the nature of his performance.

A full on, full throttle performance, this promises to be a night of mayhem and screaming soul vocals from the one and only human thermonuclear device that is Barrence Whitfield.

Venue: The Loft Doors: 8pm - 11pm Admission: €15 Buy Tickets Now!

Thursday 3rd May - WhenYoung

Their story started in Limerick… three underage teenagers met for the first time after sneaking into Costello’s Tavern: the only bar in town that floated their musical tastes. After bonding over cheap vodka and the sound of The Velvet Underground, they began playing music together and moved to Dublin to seek some big city excitement. Developing their DIY approach, the band moved to London and became whenyoung. Don’t miss the trio when they return to Dublin for their headline show at The Grand Social this May!
Venue: The Loft Doors: 8pm - 10.30pm Admission: €12 Buy Tickets Now!

Friday 4th May - JD Wilkes with the Legendary Shack Shakers

The Legendary Shack Shakers’ hell-for-leather roadshow has earned quite a name for itself with its unique brand of Southern Gothic and swampy “hillbilly blues” that is all-at-once irreverent, lyrical, dangerous, and fun. Led by their charismatic, rail-thin frontman and blues-harpist JD Wilkes, the Shack Shakers are a four-man wrecking crew from the South whose explosive interpretations of swamp blues, rock n’ roll and hillbilly music have made fans, critics and legions of potential converts into true believers.On stage, JD has been compared to the likes of Iggy Pop, David Byrne, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra has called JD “the last great Rock and Roll frontman
Venue: The Loft Doors: 8pm - 11.30pm Admission: €20 Buy Tickets Now!

Friday 11th May - Yusss! for Repeal

YUSSS! is back and this time we are throwing a 9 hour party with ALL proceeds going to the TOGETHER FOR YES campaign.
YUSSS! FOR REPEAL presents some of Ireland’s most talented Musicians, DJ’s and Spoken Word Artists. Plus we will have an awesome merch market for you to peruse.

And as if that wasn’t enough over the 3 week lead up to YUSSS! FOR REPEAL we will be announcing even more amazing acts! This is an event not to be missed!

Let’s get Together for what is set to be a truly memorable night… Let’s get Together for an awesome cause….
LET’S GET TOGETHER FOR YES!!

LINE UP:
The Jimmy Cake / Landless / Percolator / Carol Keogh / Neev Kennedy (Fig) & Paul Butler (The Young Folk)

DJ’s: Karla H / Kate Butler / LOLZ (Laura O’Connell)

+ Spoken word: Vickey Curtis / Lewis Kenny

+ very special guests TBA

Merch Market : Together for Yes, The Dirt Bird, Roberta Murray, Eoin Whelan Illustration,

Venue: The Loft Doors: 8pm - 11pm Admission: €15

Saturday 12th May - Skrapz

Cut from the cloth of rappers that put authenticity above everything, Skrapz’s immersive conversational flow and compelling backstory have built his reputation as somewhat of a people’s champ; a rapper that we can believe in, and be inspired by. It’s not surprising that heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua was victorious in his bout against Wladmir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium, after walking to the ring blaring the North West Londoner’s ‘They Ain’t Ready’.

The streets have always supported Skrapz, his independent debut album ‘The End of the Beginning’ featured appearances from Nines, Giggs, Wretch 32 and Donae’O, and managed to climb to number 42 on the album charts in 2015. But the stakes have changed since then: with way more focus on UK Rap than ever before, and the Ice City Boys representative’s peers charting in the top ten with equally uncompromising albums, he’s filled with a new fire as he approaches his second album with a brand new team behind him.
As grime MC Skrapsta he cut his teeth with legendary grime crew SLK, sneaking out at night to perform at raves that he wasn’t old enough to be in, jumping fences to spit bars on pirate stations like Freeze FM, and even even sharing sets with the genre’s Godfather, Wiley. He’d later make the transition to rap, taking influence from the likes of Joe Black, Giggs and Blade Brown, when he realised that the slower pace was a more natural fit for his low-pitched tone of voice.
He was building a name for himself with debut mixtape ‘Skrapz Is Back’ and in the process of recording a second, ‘Shutdown Season’, when he’d find himself serving a jail sentence for two years and four months. After struggling to find the headspace to write, he’d eventually break down his situation on a candid track called ‘Letter 2 My Fans’, and his peers on the outside, including long-time friend Nines, would help to complete his unfinished mixtape and keep his buzz building. He’d also pen enough material to record his third and fourth mixtape, ‘Skrapz Is Back PT 2.’ and ’80’s Baby’, both of which dropped in the 6 months following his release, securing his status as a major player in the UK rap game.
His 2015 debut album, ‘The End Of The Beginning’, celebrated the next stage of his career, developing Skrapz’ reputation of a great rapper into that of a great songwriter as he hones his unique blend of hard bars and vivid storytelling; balancing street credibility with honesty and vulnerability, never scared to share how he really feels. Without preaching to his audience, he writes stories to inspire self-belief in his younger fans, and set an example to listeners closer to his age.
As he approaches the follow up to that album, Skrapz is primed to be more successful than ever. The UK Rap sound that he’s been involved in for almost a decade is now at the biggest its ever been; it’s attracting worldwide attention, and its creators no longer need to pander to making traditional radio hits in order to enjoy success.

Venue: The Loft Doors: 7pm - 10.30pm Admission: €14.50 Buy Tickets Now!

Tuesday 15th May - Ye Vagabonds & The Murphy Beds

Ye Vagabonds and The Murphy Beds. The ‘bonds’ and the ‘beds’ – two duos bonded and bedded in song. Brothers of the road (with a sea between) meeting for the first time. Long time admirers of each others work, both duos share a fondness for tight string arrangements and close-harmony duet singing – but first, always, a love of the song, whether timeless ballads (of the old and new world) or their own compositions. A new chapter in the journey begins with this much-anticipated collaboration.
The Murphy Beds.
The Murphy Beds present traditional and original folk songs with close harmonies and deft instrumental arrangements on bouzouki, guitar, and mandolin. Jefferson Hamer and Eamon O’Leary have toured and collaborated with artists across the folk spectrum including Beth Orton, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Anais Mitchell, and Sam Amidon.

Their great feat turns out to be taking what’s best of the classic Irish folk revival without falling into any of its clichés. The resulting album bears repeated listening from start to finish, with ten beautiful, crystalline songs.’ –Huffington Post

Ye Vagabonds

Buoyed by the success of their debut EP Rose & Briar in 2015, and continuing support from respected musicians like Lisa Hannigan, Roy Harper and Glen Hansard; brothers Brían and Diarmuid Mac Gloinn, who form Ye Vagabonds, released their highly anticipated debut album in 2017, on their own label: Inglenook Records.

Expect harmony rich folk music, influenced by Irish traditional music, Appalachian singing, and the 1960’s folk revival. Ye Vagabonds’ album is comprised of ten mellow tracks weaved with thoughtful lyrics, thickly layered with strings and droning harmonium.

‘What’s remarkable about this collection is the richness of their original repertoire: songs written with a lyrical density and a contradictory melodic lightness of being that render them timeless….’ – The Irish Times

‘They remind me of my first days at ‘Les Cousins’ in Soho in 1965… Ye Vagabonds are a modern expression of a tradition that is truly robust and important to these islands’ – Roy Harper

Venue: The Loft Doors: 7.30pm - 11pm Admission: €14 Buy Tickets Now!

Friday 18th May - Berri Txarrak

Rara avis absoluta, los navarros Berri Txarrak han conseguido consolidarse como una de las bandas de rock esenciales del panorama musical estatal saltándose todas las barreras idiomáticas que, a priori, se levantan cuando decides desarrollar tu carrera con textos en euskera.

Han tenido que batallar mucho, claro, pero acaban de celebrar su veinte aniversario por todo el mundo, culminando con llenazo en La Riviera madrileña. Y ahora emprenden un nuevo capítulo en su prolífica carrera con la reciente publicación de ‘Infrasoinuak’, su noveno disco de estudio, que les devolverá a la carretera durante todo 2018 con una gira que arrancará en Asia y Australia.

Porque Gorka Urbizu, Galder Izagirre y David González están en un momento dulce, recogiendo los frutos de tantos lustros de entrega y dedicación a sus canciones. En vivo son, además, infalibles, tal y como demuestra que en 2015 ganaran el Premio Fest a Mejor Directo Internacional. En Rock Sin Subtítulos™ tendremos el placer de recibirles con los brazos abiertos cuando visiten con nosotros Dublín y Londres, a mediados de mayo.

Venue: The Loft Doors: 7pm - 10pm Admission: €16.35 Buy Tickets Now!

Saturday 19th May - Ian Moss

Respected as one of Australia’s iconic musicians, Ian Moss delivers an unforgettable sound – not only as a telling soloist on guitar but especially with his silken voice, ringing with clarity and resonating with pure soul. While primarily recognised as an axeman of tenacity and sweet melodic sensibility, Ian’s distinctive vocal is the essential signature of his soulful, bluesy muse – as it has been since his first tentative foray into music during the early 1970s.

Ian Moss returns to the Northern Hemisphere for the third time following a SOLD OUT London performance in 2017 and in May 2018 will play shows in London, Glasgow, Wolverhampton and will play Manchester, Dublin, Berlin and Hamburg for the first time.

Born and raised in Alice Springs, Ian started playing guitar in local teenage bands but moved to Adelaide after failing one of his high school years, planning to repeat in the big city. Fate intervened when he answered an advertisement for a guitarist in a shop window in 1973, joining the band that was to become a legend in Australia and that made such an undeniable impact that they are now etched in the Australian music psyche forever. That band was Cold Chisel.

Moss has released five incredible and dynamic studio albums – The #1 and multi-platinum, Matchbook, Worlds Away, Petrolhead, Let’s all Get Together and Soul on West 53rd.

Venue: The Loft Doors: 7.30pm - 11pm Admission: €17.50 Buy Tickets Now!

Monday 21st May - Wild Child

Hot on the heels of releasing their brand new album titled Expectations, Wild Child have announced a date for The Grand Social, Dublin on 21st May 2018. Wild Child won’t settle. For seven years now the Austin-based ensemble has carried its infectious blend of indie-pop and infectious melodies across the international music scene, charting viral hits and wrapping their arms around a diverse and dedicated fan base. But earlier this year when the band set out to make their fourth studio album, they found they had their hands full: After half a decade of maturation, the group had grown beyond its traditional writing and recording process.

“We had too many ideas for how we wanted to make this record” says Kelsey Wilson, the group’s lead vocalist and violinist. She shrugs. “So we said, ‘Why not just do all of them?’”

The group realized this offered an exciting opportunity to make a kind of record bands rarely get right: To take a new, multispectral approach to writing and recording that went beyond simply trying to engineer success. The band made a list of their favorite musicians who were also great producers in their own right — choosing ones they thought would shine a new and unique light on specific compositions — and then Wild Child set about chasing their album from studio to studio all over the world, never saying no to an idea.

The result — the band’s fourth album, Expectations — is Wild Child’s most creative, colorful and intellectually engaging album to date. Wild Child shaped their last record, Fools, in the shadows of more than one failed love, and Expectations, as the title suggests, is a continuation of that personal experience into an awakening. Wilson and Beggins, whose voices fit each other as naturally as any family act, pushed their boundaries as writers, drawing freely from the stories they’ve lived as well as the artists around the world that have inspired their growth.

The result is a theater of possibilities, with arrangements that reflect the range of tastes of the producers, from scruffy lo-fi tape hiss, to smoothed out precision-cut electronic pop sounds. The more you listen to Expectations, the more the many worlds of this project begin to cohere around you. After all, one of the great joys of traveling the world is discovering surprising connections: A skyscraper in Barcelona reminds you of a spire in the Utah desert; the Northern Lights in the Norwegian sky look like an oil slick on the Philadelphia pavement. Expectations, an album which can by turns be bitter, wistful, angry, and flirtatious, is rich with these surprising rhymes across the record.

Venue: The Loft Doors: 8pm - 11pm Admission: €15 Buy Tickets Now!

Tuesday 22nd May - Peach Pit

Canadian indie-rock quartet Peach Pit bring their live show to the Grand Social, Dublin on 22nd May 2018. Peach Pit was brought to life in 2016 with the release of their now coveted debut EP, “Sweet F.A” (F.A. meaning “fuck all”, after lead singer Neil Smith’s love for the lazy life). Originating in Vancouver, the group formed when high school pals, Smith and Chris Vanderkooy, decided to collaborate on a musical project. Peter Wilton and Mikey Pascuzzi joined them on bass and drums creating their “chewed bubblegum pop” sound.

The group melds teenage angst with bummer summer vibes that have them sounding somewhere between Mac Demarco and Homeshake. With their laid-back sound and lush lead vocals, their songs tell stories of backstabbing best friends and dying end of summer romances.

The group quickly developed a dedicated local fan base through their energetic live shows. In February 2017, a YouTube channel sent their self-titled track, “Peach Pit” viral after discovering it on their Bandcamp. The group quickly started to amass an international following and booking requests to play worldwide.

Peach Pit’s quirky online posts and campy Ned Flanders-esque uniforms have ignited a highly engaged fanbase.

Venue: The Loft Doors: 8pm - 11pm Admission: €15