Category: Gigs
Dublin Album Launch – ‘The Offering’
Click HERE for tickets to Clara Rose Album Launch @ The Underground, Dublin
Clara Rose is set to release her second studio album, ‘The Offering’ on 17th February 2018. It is a collection of 10 songs that bring the listener on a journey through folk rock, blues, funk, soul and contemporary folk. There are 9 original tracks penned by Clara Rose and Big Momma Thornton’s ‘Ball and Chain’ get’s the Clara Rose treatment as the penultimate track.
The album was produced and recorded by Gavin Glass in Orphan Recordings over 7 days of peace, joy and sweet music. It features stellar performances from The Clara Rose Band (Sean Beatty, Tony McManus & Michael Black) aided by the musical professor Gavin Glass and guest appearances from vocalists Elizabeth Monahan, Claire McLaughlin and Paula Higgins. We were lucky enough to attain the talents of legendary brass section Michael Buckley & Ronan Dooney who make three tracks gleam with soul and violinist Cathy McEvoy adding to the rootsy folk elements of the work.
Clara Rose has been writing and performing for over 10 years – her acclaimed debut ‘A Portfolio’ (2010) brought her onto the scene and she hasn’t relented! Her live E.P ‘Queen of the Late Night Radio’ (2012) ignited a collaboration with harmonica player/song writer Don Baker and she went on to appear on his album ‘My Songs, My Friends’ with a host of other Irish artists (including Brian Kennedy, Sinead 0’ Connor and Eleanor McEvoy), this collaboration developed into a nationwide tour and release of their album ‘Baker Rose’ (2016).
Her 4th release to date, ‘The Offering’ album will be launched in two venues:
Dublin: ‘The Underground’ (64 Dame Street) 17th February, 8pm.
Monaghan: ‘The Market House’ (Market Street) 24th February. 7.30pm.
Opening Act in ‘The Underground’ will be Colm Skwirbat – you can can check him out opening for An Tua Nua CLICK HERE – Colm Skwirbat ‘Too Much Alcohol’
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Clara Rose – Announces Summer Dates
The Clara Rose Band will hit the road this summer – we are playing some of our favourite venues and blues festivals with details to be announced – hope to catch you on the trail!
Also in BIG news Clara Rose will support one of U.S.A’s finest songwriters Chris Smither in Dublin’s premier music venue Whelan’s on Sunday June 4th. Don’t miss this special show!
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Baker Rose – New Album NOW AVAILABLE!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Proud to announce the release of my new collaborative album with Don Baker called ‘Baker Rose’. We are so proud of this album and hope that you all love it as much as we do!
You can buy the album by clicking this link:
<a href=”http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bakerrose2″ target=”cdbaby” style=”display:inline-block;background:url(http://CDBaby.name/b/a/bakerrose2.jpg) 18px 2px no-repeat, url(http://content.cdbaby.com/img/links/link-artwork-cart-dark-buy-now.png) 0px 0px no-repeat;background-size:175px, 211px;height:233px;width:211px;” title=”Baker Rose: Baker Rose” alt=”Baker Rose: Baker Rose” ></a>
Don’t forget to join us on our nationwide Irish tour at a venue near you this year!
BAKER ROSE ALBUM TOUR
“Baker Rose” (Don Baker & Clara Rose) are set to release their new album in April 2016 and embark on an extensive nationwide tour – catch us at a venue near YOU!
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Blues on the Summer Breeze… Part 1…
Summer 2015 has come and gone: and what a summer it was!
May and June saw the Baker/Rose tour in full flight with shows in some of Ireland’s most beautiful arts centres. We traveled the length and breadth of Ireland in Don’s trusty Volkswagen Estate and discussed life… love… metaphysics… and MUSIC. The venues that hosted us were: Wexford Arts Centre, Balor Arts Centre, Sirius Arts Centre, Wesport Arts Centre. We were treated so well by all the venue managers, staff, sound engineers in these venues and they are truly wonderful supporters of the arts in Ireland. Support your local arts centre!
I ticked off a few boxes of ‘dreams’ this summer also with performances in London and in the famous ‘Music Triangle’ in the U.S.A…’The Blues Kitchen, Camden run a weekly Blues Jam on Sunday evenings – you sign up and then get to perform with their sizzling house band! I got up and jammed with them and had a ball – we churned out standards ‘Honky Tonk Woman’ and ‘Johnny B. Goode’ and had the whole bar rockin’ – such fun!
With London under my belt it was time to tackle the Everest of Blues: New Orleans – Memphis – Nashville. This was my pilgrimage! In New Orleans I met the The Danny Alexander Blues Band and ended up jamming with them at their weekly Blues Jam. I was honoured to play with these people – I got to sing some of my favourites with this cookin’ band, “I’d Rather Go Blind’, ‘Hard to Handle’ and ‘Love Me Like a Man’. I know it’s a cliche but it was actually a dream come true… and here’s proof… check out my Cheshire Cat grin in this pic! :
We trundled up through the state of Mississipi, whizzing by the iconic cotton fields, the never-ending churches… you could touch the moisture in the air and you could hear the music of the past… The Mississipi Blues Trail… Highway 51… I was home! We stopped off in the famous Clarksdale – did Robert Johnson REALLY sell his soul to the devil? Here? Well, it’s as good a place as any… we got caught in a rainstorm while trying to leave Morgan Freeman’s Blues Club so I made my mark on those walls (they gave me a pen!):
I danced my way through Memphis and the only singing done was as I stood in the queues of tourists visiting hallowed sites such as Elvis’ ‘Graceland’ and sang into THAT famous microphone at ‘Sun Studios’…
Next Stop: NASHVILLE (to be continued in next post…..)
Blues on the Summer Breeze… Part 2…
NASHVILLE!
What a town – ‘Nashvegas’ is what the local’s are calling it these days as it really does have that party atmosphere. I got very close to the Country Music Hall of Fame – I could feel a tingling in my bones as I stood in that room!
Then it was donning our gladrags and onto a night in the ‘Grand Ole Opry’ to see Ricky Skaggs and a host of other country artists. So exciting to be in this amazing venue!
I took my own turn performing in Nashville (it would have been rude not too!). I hired a guitar for $40 and signed up to a Songwriters Night at the Commodore Bar & Grill. What a thrill to hear the performers at this night.. some wonderful songwriters. I sang my most ‘Nashvilley song’: ‘Broken Woman Blues’ and got a brilliant reception! I was chuffed and it was such a buzz! It was brilliant to have my best friend/cousin/P.R/P.A/Photographer with me there through it all (Meadhbh!)
You can watch a video of my performance by following this link – I’m the third performer in the video – 6.33mins in –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTT9ItLdamM
So that was the U.S.A – it treated me mighty fine!
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And don’t worry folks – the Irish Blues Scene treated me ‘shockin well’ this summer…
June was the brilliant Limavady Blues Festival
My sterling band played 2 stormer sets in ‘The Depot’ bar and ‘Douglas Bar’ over the weekend – great crowds and great responses all round so a job well done by The Clara Rose Band! Thanks to the committee for this lovely shot:
The 7 Hills Blues Festival Armaghhad me back this year but this time with my band in the cosy Hole in the Wall Pub, with it’s very own parrot who sported a spot on Armagh accent! Here’s a shot of me from the gig – I’m not looking down at the lyrics I promise!
To top off such an AMAZING summer of experiences to a soundtrack of Blues I came HOME to the drumlins of County Monaghan to play the legendary Harvest Time Blues Festival Monaghan
The Clara Rose Band played 3 high energy shows on the Blues Trail… Terry’s Bar… McKenna’s Brewery and The Shamrock Bar. We had them on their knees by the end of the weekend! ‘I Sing The Blues’ – Clara Rose @ Harvest Time Blues
These were amazing shows with such great audiences.
I met such cool people and it was the perfect way to end my Summer of Blues…. Summer 2015!
See y’all down the trail… Clara Rose x
Baker Rose Tour Updates
Myself and Don have been on the road now for a few weeks and we are having a ball!
‘The High Tide Club’ in Castletownbere on 14th March was probably the single-most furthest place I’ve ever driven for a gig but it was also the single-most beautiful place for a gig. Georgina treated us so well and it was brilliant to play surrounded by the pleasing aesthetics of Sarah Walker’s art in her gallery. It was a great start to our tour!
Next stop was the ‘Mermaid Arts Centre’ in Bray on 28th March. The sound at this gig was by Eoin and I have to say this is what stood out for me.. it was a real pleasure to sing and play here – especially with the sublime Kevin Malone on drums. I’ve included a video of us performing ‘Hesitation Blues’ on the night – this gives a flavour of ‘the craic’ on the night in question! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDpXwmfO5hc
The 3rd gig was in The Kenyon Bar in Nenagh on 2nd April. This is one of those ‘hidden gems’ of venues we have dotted around Ireland. Our host/soundman on the night was Brendan – a big fan of Don and the blues. The audience here were enraptured for the night and treated to an amazing ‘Dons Train’ from the man himself:
We finished the night off in true Rock and Roll style with a cuppa tea!
Next stop is The Civic Theatre in Tallaght next Friday 10th April – tickets can be bought from here: http://www.civictheatre.ie/whats-on/don-baker/
For a full list of gigs go to my gigs page: https://www.clararosemusic.com/gigs/
Looking forward to sharing more memories… both of life on the road and musical as the Baker Rose tour continues!
‘Songwriters in the Round’
Next Thursday 9th April I’m performing at a very special night – the kind of thing songwriters love… it’s called ‘Songwriters in the Round’ and there are 3 songwriters who play 6 songs each and share the story of the song.
The songwriters performing at this one are myself, Gar Tiernan and Liam O’ Maonlai.
The gig is in the ‘Hole in the Wall’, High St., Kilkenny at 8..30pm and its €10 admission.
Really looking forward to singing at this special night!
New Song ‘Tightrope Walkers’
I recently performed to a packed, steamy audience in the coolest venue in Dublin in March, ‘Abner Browns Barbershop’ – Rathmines. There’s really nothing like it when you perform to an audience like this – they listen, they holler and they LOVE the music!
I also had the pleasure of performing with my great friend and amazing vocalist Paula Higgins for the first time. The magic was captured in this gorgeous video by Razor Cuts Productions to my new song, ‘Tightrope Walkers’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL3Z5ftgI4Y
I hope you like the new song – looking forward to recording it later this year!
Don Baker & Clara Rose Collaboration – 2015
2015 will be a big year for Clara Rose & Don Baker as they embark on recording an album together. They are currently working in the studio finishing a collaborative album that is due for release later in the year. The album is a mixture of original songs by Don Baker and Clara Rose – it is shaping up nicely!
From March onwards they will tour the album in various venues nationwide – see the ‘gig listings‘ for details. Their show promises to be an intimate exponent of their songwriting styles and musical rapport.
See Clara Rose & Don Baker in action – their latest music video where Clara performs Don’s powerful song “Never Let You Down”.