Spotlight Artist: The High Kings

Today’s Spotlight Artists are The High Kings. Having already completed a hugely successful Irish tour, they are playing some US shows in advance of the US release of their new album, “Memory Lane”, which debuted at No. 5 in the Irish charts and quickly achieved platinum status. The album features classics such as Fields of Athenry, Star of the County Down and Leaving of Liverpool. It will be released in the US early next year.

The High Kings
Finbarr Clancy – Guitar.
Brian Dunphy – Guitar, Bodhran, Stomp box and Shakers.
Martin Furey – Banjo, bouzouki, Low Whistles/Whistles and Shakers.
Darren Holden – Piano, Accordion and mandolin.

The High Kings visit NYC for one show only:
Thursday, August 19, 2010
The High Kings:
Martin Furey, Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy and Darren Holden
$20 admission
doors open at 7pm
show time 8pm
at:
Connolly’s Klub 45
Third Floor
121 W. 45th St.
(between 6th & 7th Ave.)
New York, NY
(212) 597-5126
ConnollysPubandRestaurant.com

Ticket Giveaway:
We are giving away two tickets to this show to one lucky MurphGuide reader. Enter to win at: [ticket promo is over]

Thanks to our friend Anita Daly of Daly Communication for providing the tickets, and for introducing us to Finbarr Clancy of The High Kings, who was kind enough to answer our questions:

How long have you been performing together?
Since September 2007.

How many times have you performed in NYC?
We’ve performed in New York once before when we opened up for Celtic woman in Radio city music hall about a year and a half ago.

Past lives (i.e., previous bands, your early years, etc.):
My early years musically were spent with my dad Bobby Clancy attending Saturday night ballad session nights in local country pubs around my home town of Carrick-on-suir, County Tipperary, Ireland. Then I decided to try something different, so along with my cousin Colm “Collie” Power and friend David “Doc” Doherty, we formed the Rock group “Chicken Soup” with me on bass, Doc on drums and Collie on electric guitar. We wrote a lot of original material and also did covers. We sent about three demo tapes to record companies but, alas, never got signed so we called it a day.

Favorite venues to play:
In the States, Radio City so far, but I’d love to play Carnegie Hall. In Ireland, the new Grand Canal Theatre, but I’d love to play the O2.

Musical influences:
Clancy Brothers, The Fureys, The Beatles, Neil Young, Dylan to name but a few.

Blatant self-promotion: What would you like to plug?
The High Kings new album”Memory Lane“. It’s awesome!

Linkage:
TheHighKings.com
The High Kings (wikipedia)
Finbar Clancy (myspace)
DarrenHolden.com
Brian Dunphy (myspace)
Martin Furey (myspace)
The High Kings (Facebook)
The High Kings on Twitter: @TheHighKings
There’s also lots of great music on Youtube.
Free download of “Step it Out Mary”

Where can we buy your music?
Our first album “The High Kings” is available in all good music stores, our second album “Memory Lane” is only available in the States on-line thru itunes but is being launched there February 2011.

Tell us a story about performing live in NYC.
One of my proudest moments as a musician is seeing The High Kings advertised in huge letters at Radio City Music Hall. Also seeing us advertised on the jumbotron in Times Square.

Any advice to someone just starting out?
Have a plan B.

Can you recommend any other acts we should feature on MurphGuide?
Danu. Their website is danu.net

Thank you Finbarr!
And since MurphGuide is a big fan of Irish pubs, we will leave you with a video of “The Irish Pub” by The High Kings: