Liam Bradley- Pi-a Pi-a Piano,
Damian McKee- Accordion (and vocals- Ha!),
Sean Og Graham- Accordion and Guitar and pretending to play lots of other things, including grade 8 triangle,
Niamh Dunne- Fiddle and Vocals,
Eamon Murray- Bodhran and all things noisy.
...the most exciting new traditional band to emerge from Ireland this century”
WALL STREET JOURNAL
Wall Street Journal dubs them “the most exciting new traditional band to emerge from Ireland this century.” Irish Music Magazine writes “In Beoga, the Irish music world found another prodigy… madcap genius, master craftsmen.”
Their distinctive sound is described by New York’s Irish Echo as “a heady, virtually head-spinning sonic blend, stamping Beoga as perhaps the most audacious Irish band rooted in trad today.” The Irish American News lauds the “energy, drive, intelligent creativity, wit and real musicianship” declaring, “this is the freshest take on the tradition,” and the Boston Globe ranks Beoga “as innovative as Celtic music mavericks Solas and Lunasa,” In short, Beoga have become one of the most popular and influential ensembles in modern Irish music.
Beoga (Irish word for ‘lively’) are based in County Antrim, in the north of Ireland. The bedrock of their sound lies firmly within the Irish tradition. However, they are not afraid to incorporate other genres’ nuances into their music. From bluesy riffs to Astor Piazzola-style jazz, to a raunchy New Orleans jamboree vibe, their music always returns to a wonderfully bouncy traditional sound. The result is traditional, with a huge sense of fun and adventure and it all works - wonderfully well. The Irish Times states, “Individually talented and collectively inspired, (Beoga) speak a language called music with a fluency beloved of the best multi-linguists.”
Beoga is world music, made in Ireland and the release of Beoga’s 2009 album ‘The Incident’ has seen the supergroup continue to blaze a pioneering trail, rewarding fans with their fresh creative energy and seducing a diverse array of music lovers. The string of accolades from the music industry say it best, “Beoga are at the forefront of the Irish new wave,” Irish Music Magazine concludes. “Simply thrilling, an auditory high-wire act without a net,” writes Irish Philadelphia. “Riveting,” says the Wall Street Journal.
The band was drawn together in 2002 after ‘jamming’ in a ferocious session at the All-Ireland Fleadh. From the beginning Beoga was endowed with massive musical talent, featuring the twin dueling accordians of Damian McKee and multi-instrumentalist Seán Óg Graham, pianist Liam Bradley and four times All-Ireland bodhrán champion Eamon Murray. In 2005, the lineup was complete, with the addition of Niamh Dunne, one of Ireland’s premier young talents, on vocals and fiddle.
In 2004, the band released their ground-breaking debut album 'a lovely madness', to critical and popular acclaim in Ireland, Europe and America. The repertoire of fresh self-penned tunes and inventive arrangements earned the album 9/10 in Ireland’s Hot Press music magazine and was one of the Top Trad/Folk Albums of the year. Irish Music Magazine declared Beoga to be a “phenomenon” and the group were nominated for the 2005 best traditional newcomer’s award. “This rhythm-oriented contemporary reworking of heritage is unbeatable,” wrote Philadelphia City Paper.
The group’s second release, entitled ‘Mischief’, firmly catapulted Beoga into the upper stratum of trad bands from Ireland today. Receiving excellent reviews across the board, including a phenomenal 9.5/10 rating from Hot Press, ‘Mischief’ was deemed one of the top folk albums of 2007 at the Live Ireland Music Awards, the German Music Awards, and received honours in many notable publications including the Boston Globe, The Irish Echo, Dirty Linen Magazine, Folk Alley and Hot Press magazine. The Chicago American Times enthused, “This is a major major band to be reckoned with… super vocals, a terrific staccato beat to the rhythm, with a real sense of style and wit.”
A series of TV and radio appearances followed fast and furious for the band, gaining notoriety for its charismatic rapport with audiences and the highly inventive, energetic performances. In September 2007, Beoga performed live with the BBC Orchestra to a television audience of millions as part of the prestigious ‘Last night of the Proms’. Major Celtic and Folk festival highlights have included Boston ICONS festival, North Texas Irish Festival, Kansas City, Milwaukee Irish Fest, Tonder, Dranouter, Open House festival in Belfast, Temple Bar Trad Fest in Dublin, the World Fleadh, Germany’s Irish Folk Festival tour, the Irish Unplugged tour of Holland, the Guinness Christmas Austria tour, Cambridge Folk Festival and Glasgow’s Celtic Connections. In March 2009, during their final performance at Houston International Festival, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee honoured Beoga with the Dr. Paul Zanowiak Award for Best New Artist, presenting a certificate of Congressional Recognition from the US House of Representatives.
With their unique blend of inventive arrangements, virtuosi instrumental talents and beautiful vocals, Beoga’s popularity continues to flourish as they captivate audiences on a global scale.
Yesssir, this would be a very receptive place for your music! not to mention, there are better brass players here! If you want, I can look into booking something for you. I am a grad assistant at the University of Utah, and I actually have a little bit of say in the groups that we bring here...so let me know what ya think
I was pleasantly surprised to see you around in Cologne's Philharmonie last week, though I had to look twice, if it's really beoga standing around in the crowd.
Talking to Eamon was great, hope you really won't tell anyone about that embarrassing mistake (still can't understand how I could mix that up...)
Also hope, I didn't annoy you too much, jabbering nervously around.
Anyways, hope to see you around near Cologne again soon, by IFF next year at the latest (Eamon told me, you're going to come :p).
Heya! Hope you're all having a great summer. Any chance of you guys coming back to Chicago sometime in the near future? Would love to hear you again and maybe share some more tunes!
We "Die Folksamen" want to invite you to have a second look on our site.
We upgraded our site design to match better with what we are and do.
In addition we uploaded new songs for you to enjoy.
Wojna Wetsow (Battle of the winds), Maries Wedding and Graj Ludki (a self composed Sorbian song). We also now provide you with the improved version of Aurore Sand.
Feel free to drop by and leave a comment if you like
Thank you for accepting my request. I only recently discovered you on RTE The Reel Deel. Would love to see you 'live'. Any plans to visit Dublin in the next year, or should I start making travel plans?
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 2 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (please see my blog): WALKABOUT WITH MY PEN
Once drove an old sedan, up north, From a place in Sydney to Cairns; Then to Kuranda I went forth, By train, to look without set plans.
I browsed through the trendy market, With fresh fruits of tropical kind; Walked to the creek through lush thicket - Nature’s hand giving peace of mind.
I dined in a scenic cafe; Then, outside, as I wrote for yen, Some passing Kooris called-out: “Hey, You go walkabout with your pen.”
Request or question, I don’t know - Assured voices, elderly men. That’s now several years ago, And I’ve seen the world - with my pen.
Online Now!
