Villagers, photographed in Paris by Mark Nixon
VILLAGERS fronted by Conor O’Brien shall take to the stage in the newly refurbished and beautiful interior and surroundings of the Guildhall in Derry next month. The gig, which marks the band’s first gig proper in the North West city will take place in the main hall and the date to pencil in your diary is Friday, December 13.
Of course there is a very big Donegal interest in the show as Termon’s own Tommy McLaughlin is a member of the band (pictured far right) and he has co-produced the bands two albums to date. The band’s last album {Awayland} was in fact recorded at Tommy’s studio, Attica audio, in Termon and the band also recorded some live performance videos at the studio.
Already nominated for a Mercury award in 2010 with their outstanding debut release Becoming a Jackal, Villagers were once again been nominated in the shortlist of twelve for this year 2013 Mercury music awards, which made them the first Irish act to make the list twice. The eventual winner of the award, announced last week, was James Blake. Villagers’ current single is Earthly Pleasure from their critically acclaimed Number 1 album, {Awayland}, released earlier this year.
A compelling fantasy with ‘spiky lyrics, restless rhythms and a lovely melodic chorus’, the single follows on from previous singles The Waves and Nothing Arrived.
Conor O’Brien has won numerous awards for his lyrics and music, but most noted would be the prestigious Ivor Novello award he picked up for best song musically and lyrically in 2011 for his song Becoming a Jackal.
In March Villagers played two sold-out shows in Dublin’s Olympia Theatre and more recently Conor was invited to appear at Beck’s Song Reader Live at The Barbican in London, alongside Jarvis, Franz Ferdinand, Charlotte Gainsbourg and others.
Conor performed his own sensitive version of Old Shanghai which was hailed as a standout of the evening by The Independent and also performed a duet with Beck on closing song Do We, We Do.
Villagers have had a very busy summer with appearances at Longitude, T in the Park, Latitude, Glastonbury, Lowlands, Leeds/Reading and Pukkelpop Festivals.
Certainly one of the best live bands out there at this time, this will be one of those gigs you dare not miss. Full bar facilities will be available on the night,
Tickets go on sale now through Ticketmaster and Cool Discs in Foyle Street in Derry.
For further information call Cools Discs on Tel 048 71260770 A limited number of seated balcony tickets are available at Cool Discs.