In March 2018, The Gloaming played seven sold-out shows at Dublin’s National Concert Hall. To mark the occasion, they released Live at the NCH, a live album recorded at the venue which has become their home from home.
In recent years, The Gloaming have truly become a live force to be reckoned with. The annual NCH residencies have each sold out quicker than the previous one and faster than new shows can be added. Away from home, their international touring schedule has been equally impressive, including such notable nights out as the Ceiliúradh at London’s Royal Albert Hall (a celebration of the Irish president’s first-ever state visit to Britain), Sydney’s Opera House, New York’s Lincoln Center, Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, Mexico City’s Teatro de la Ciudad, and Philharmonie de Paris.
To put Live at the NCH together Thomas Bartlett, the band’s producer, sifted through two years of performances and settled on six tracks: ‘The Booley House’, ‘Cucanandy’, ‘The Sailor’s Bonnet’, ‘The Pilgrim’s Song’, ‘The Rolling Wave’ and ‘Fáinleog’. Using the studio recordings only as points of departure, these performances stretch out and roam in unexpected new directions, incorporating new tunes and rearranging old ones, filled with the excitement and delight of five master musicians coming together as one.
The Gloaming concert experience consistently raises the roof and leaves audiences breathless. This band of trailblazers take contemporary Irish music into hitherto unchartered waters, enhancing the traditional rich, melancholic tones with modern hues of jazz, contemporary classical, chamber, post rock and experimental music.
The six lengthy tracks here encapsulate all that is terrific about The Gloaming. The finest jewel in the encrusted crown, however, is the closing 18-minute track, 'Fáinleog', which infuses constituent sonic parts into a unit that is, quite simply, divine.
★★★★★ The Sunday Business Post (Ireland)
The six tracks are stretched in the way that they like to do live (as we learned in Australia in 2014), and transported to places beyond the scope of the original tune.
★★★★★ The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
What is so impressive about this release is the level of immersive intimacy that the quintet achieves in a live setting. Only the audience appreciation at the end of each track reminds you that they aren't playing just for you.
Folk Radio UK
The Gloaming creates the kind of musical experience that Radiohead dream about creating. Hypnotic, slightly spooky, melancholic at times, but always with flashes of tender beauty.
The Irish Independent (Ireland)
They are such instinctivemusicians the tunes invariably flourish in a farmore vibrant fashion than they do in the stu-dio. And for anybody who hasn’t encoun-tered them before, this should be a jaw-drop-ping introduction.
Folk Roots (UK)
Live at the NCH is pure muzikale magie.
★★★★★ Written In Music (The Netherlands)
...There are musicians playing here who are playing games! Everything is perfectly balanced, perfectly staged.
★★★★★ Folkmagazin (Germany)
...Over a duration of thirteen and a half minutes without noteworthy breaks increases from the distinguished sampling of a tense lurking in rousing rage, is such a delightful experience - you want to scream. And be sure to be there live next time.
★★★★★ Jazzthetik (Germany)
Irish-American The Gloaming comes after two excellent studio albums with Live at the NCH with six songs from those studio albums, mostly extended. The group members master the poetic texts from the past with a mixture of old and modern Irish folk, jazz and classical music.
★★★★ Heaven Magazine (The Netherlands)
Listen
Credits
Iarla Ó Lionáird (Vocals) Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh (Hardanger d’Amore) Dennis Cahill (Guitar) Martin Hayes (Fiddle) Thomas Bartlett (Piano)
Produced by Thomas Bartlett & The Gloaming Mixed by Patrick Dillett Live Sound by Matt Purcell Recorded by Phil Hayes & Andy Knightly at The National Concert Hall, Dublin, Ireland Mastered by UE Nastasi at Sterling Sound Photography by Hugh McCabe (front) & Rich Gilligan (inside)
The Gloaming dwells at the musical crossroads, enhancing traditional Irish music’s rich, melancholic tones with modern hues of jazz, contemporary classical and experimental music as they redefine what Irish music can be. This, their second album, was recorded at Real World studios during an inspired week in December 2015.
The Gloaming carves new paths connecting the rich Irish folk tradition and the New York contemporary music scene. From haunting sean-nós songs to raucous folk explosions, they make music that is both ancient and utterly new: respecting traditions whilst bringing an unconventional energy into the mix.
