Canadian band launch 'Bluegrass Concert Series' in Tallaght

The Paperboys, from Vancouver, Canada

From RUA RED, the South Dublin Arts Centre in Tallaght, Dublin 24:

RUA RED is pleased to announce the launch of its Bluegrass Concert Series for 2009. Four acts will play in the centre’s intimate performance space as part of the series, which will run bi-monthly from May.

The Paperboys will be the first band to play, at 7.30 p.m. on Saturday 2 May. Their music, which is described as ‘Guinness with a tequila chaser’, has impressed audiences worldwide and earned them a number of awards and nominations. Their concert at RUA RED will also mark the start of their own tour of Ireland and the UK.

'There is a large and enthusiastic audience for bluegrass music', says centre director Karen Phillips. 'We hope that we can make this a regular part of our programming, bringing both established and emerging artists to South Dublin.'

RUA RED’s 70-seater performance space offers a unique chance to experience some of the world’s finest bluegrass acts in an intimate venue. The next concert in the series will be with bluesy guitarist Brooks Williams on Saturday 18 July.

Tickets for the Paperboys are €12 and on sale now through RUA RED’s box office (e-mail; +353 (0)1 451 5860) and online via the website. For more information please contact Carolyn Jones: +353 (0)1 451 5860; e-mail.

BIB editor's note: Don't expect the Paperboys to be in any meaningful sense a bluegrass band. Although they played in the Park at last year's Omagh festival, their website and MySpace site make it quite clear that they are not and don't claim to be. Using brass, drums, percussion, flute, piano, and jarana as well as guitars, banjo, fiddle, and bass, they are a folk-rock band who draw on a wide range of musical influences, including Celtic music and bluegrass. Some of their material would work well with a bluegrass treatment.

Their own schedule shows the following dates in Ireland, all with a start time of 8.00 p.m. From 9 May they play a further eight dates in England.

2 May: Rua Red Theatre, Tallaght, Dublin 24
3 May: The Danny Boy Festival, Limavady, Co. Londonderry
5 May: The Errigle Inn, Belfast
6 May: The Bronte Arts Centre, Rathfriland, Co. Down
7 May: The Bronte Arts Centre, Rathfriland, Co. Down