Gráda tour begins on Sunday

Thanks to John Gallent of Compass Records (see the BIB post of 21 Apr.) for news of the tour of Ireland by Gráda, which begins on Sunday. Gráda appeared on RTE's 'The view' on 13 April. The band's latest CD, Natural angle, produced by Tim O'Brien in Nashville, TN, and with Alison Brown (5-string banjo) among the supporting musicians, will be on hand. Compass Records says of the new album:

... Irish band Gráda launches headlong into the cross-genre world of new acoustic music, bridging traditional Irish and Appalachian tunes and songs with Americana songwriting. Gráda have always drawn on a melting pot of influences. Natural angle, with its Americana edge and bluegrass twang, sets their Irish melodies and styles in sharp relief. Four of the twelve tracks are American songs — although some of those have older Irish roots — and there are three original songs from the band, including, for the first time, an original song by vocalist Nicola Joyce. Gráda sought out famed bluegrass musician and singer Tim O’Brien, whom they had met at the Tønder Festival in Denmark in 2005, to produce the album... Harnessing the explosive energy of Gráda in the discipline of a Nashville studio was a challenge and a revelation, but Natural angle perfectly captures the zest of the band’s live concerts.

The full tour schedule in Ireland is as follows:

Sun. 2nd May Jim O’Connell Festival, Crossakiel, Co. Meath
Fri. 7th Dolan’s Pub, Limerick city
Wed. 12th The Pavilion Theatre, Cork city
Thurs. 13th Town Hall Theatre, Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo
Fri. 21st The Button Factory, Dublin city
Sun. 23rd The Roisin Dubh, Galway city