By Dionne Meehan
LETTERKENNY’S Gabriel Blake is set to make his debut alongside his band The Murder Capital in The Regional Cultural Centre.
Coming off the back of a stunning set at this year’s Glastonbury Festival, tonight at 8pm, Gabriel will take his band mates back to where his music career began.
The Dublin-based post-punk group are known for exploring the darker side of society, utilising rumbling dread and the cathartic elements of post-punk as their tools.
Meeting five years ago, the band has gone from strength to strength ever since.
Making their live return in 2022, the band has performed at the likes of Primavera Sound, VYV Festival and Solidays, as well as opening for Pearl Jam at British Summer Time.
Speaking to the Donegal News ahead of tonight’s gig, Gabriel said ever since The Murder Capital got together they always wanted to do a show in Letterkenny.
“I am thankful we finally managed to make it work,” he said.
Reminiscing, Gabriel recalled the first time he knew he wanted to be a musician.
“When I was in Transition Year we had a module with Declan McClafferty in the Regional Cultural Centre.
“That was one of the times I just knew I really wanted to be a musician and choose music as a career.
“Jeremy Howard, the manager of the RCC, in his own quiet way got behind me throughout my whole progression as an artist.
“Jeremy has always had that steadfast support and he is really good at guiding you in the right way without being intrusive,” he said.
With this being The Murder Capital’s first time performing in Letterkenny, Gabriel said his band mates are excited for the performance.
“The rest of the band is excited to come to Letterkenny.
“They’ve heard me talk about it for so long, they are excited to see what all the hype is about,” he said.
However, this gig is just a warm up for what the band has ahead of them on Friday.
Following their gig in Letterkenny, The Murder Capital will make their way to the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht to Dunlewey where they will be performing alongside the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in a live hour-long show presented by Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh.
Gabriel, who is the bands bass guitarist, said they are honoured to have been asked to appear on the show.
“Somebody that we have been really lucky to meet in the music industry is a woman called Aoife Woodlock.
“She has booked us for ‘Other Voices’ in Dingle before and she was the one that asked us this time as well.
“We feel really honoured that she asked us, especially because we will be performing in Donegal,” he said.
Appearing on the Tommy Tiernan Show earlier in the year, The Murder Capital are no strangers when it comes to a TV performance.
However, one thing they haven’t ticked off their bucket lists yet is performing alongside an orchestra.
“This will be the first time we have ever played with an orchestra, it is really exciting,” Gabriel said.
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