A4 Sounds presents: Bitch Falcon, Cal Folger Day and Rivers & Crows

A4 Sounds are super excited and extra delighted to present the first of our quarterly fundraiser gigs for 2015, once more returning to the cosy confines of the inimitable Bleecker Street Cafe Bar on Saturday 28th February.

The lineup includes A4 Sounds’ studio member and all-round hyper-talented Cal Folger Day, whose second release, Adornament, is just out on Reeks of Effort records, as well as the rising stars of Dublin’s live scene, the inimitably named grunge / rock / noise outfit Bitch Falcon. Joining them for a special Dublin show are Rivers and Crows, an awesome alternative folk collective hailing from the wild west of Galway. This promises to be an unforgettable night, with an eclectic mix of music and shovel-loads of craic.

RIVERS & CROWS

Rivers and Crows are an alternative folk collective hailing from the wild west of Galway. Rich harmonies, beautifully arranged strings, haunting melodies all combine to make their original earthy acoustic sound with stories that captivate the audience and linger in their imagination. Begun as a duo in May 2012 by Emma Lohan (vocals, guitar, accordion, bell and other noisy things) and Stephanie Swaton (vocals and fiddle), they are now joined by Beibhinn O’Connor on cello and Eoghan McGinley on guitar. Their mesmerising live act has wowed audiences from Galway to the Electric Picnic over the last couple of years, this rare Dublin gig should be an unforgettable delight.

“Emma Lohan and Stephanie Swanton’s sounds comes with beautifully ghostly swirls and elegant, sweet harmonies underneath the bonnet.” The Irish Times, February 2014.

“’Rivers & Crows’ brought beauty and charm to my night with glowing folk sounds” 2 U I Bestow Music Blog, August 2013.

“An amazingly haunting and beautifully arranged duo” Town House Battle of the Bands, Galway, October, 2012.

CAL FOLGER DAY

An American songwriter and performer now based in Dublin – where she’s incidentally an A4 Sounds studio member –  Cal performed her first original songs as a student in the U.K. In 2012 she was a member of Rayvon Browne, a “charming, torchy, lo-fi” (LucidCulture) project with songwriter Morgan Heringer and bassist Joel Kruzic. For two years she hosted the weekly open stage at A Gathering of the Tribes on the Lower East Side. She produces chapbooks and has been a featured artist at the Dublin, Brooklyn, and DC zine fests. She recently directed a 12-person orchestra and chorus to perform 6 Children’s Choruses by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók.

Her second official release is Adornament, is just out, on Reeks of Effort records (UK, digital/cassette).
Like her debut, Drom-d’reau (2013), the rudiments of Adornament were recorded on an 8-track in Woodstock, NY. Those analog frameworks were then frankensteined to vocal takes captured in Brooklyn and Dublin. Forest Walker Christenson in Columbus, Ohio put everything together. The sound is both direct and lush, with violins, drum machines, guitars, wurlitzer, big and little voices.

The single “Homez-a-Place” (check it out below!) was released as a video and has garnered some kind words from the internet, such as “minimalist masterstroke” (The Thin Air) and “a genuine psych-folk gem” (Pancakes & Whiskey).

BITCH FALCON

In the short time they’ve been together, Bitch Falcon have played Electric Picnic, been asked to record a Press Record session (their fastest growing video since they began), selected out of many to be the subject of a Press Record documentary (currently being shot), one of 12 bands asked to take part in the new TV mini-series being released next year called The Parlour Sessions and have developed  a strong following via word of mouth, particularly in Dublin. The band have just released their first track, Wolfstooth which has been well received online through high profile blogs such as Nialler 9, GoldenPlec and The Last Mixed Tape.In January 2015, Bitch Falcon were highlighted by State Magazine as one of their State Faces of 2015 and GoldenPlec selected them as one of their Plec Picks for 2015.

The band have just played their first headline show in Galway in January to a packed house upstairs in Roisin Dubh and are one of a small number of bands out of 800 to secure funding from Guinness to record which has just been completed with Marc Carolan (Muse/The Cure/Snow Patrol). To date they have been asked to support established international acts like The ZZZ’s and Torche who will be stopping off in Ireland on their European tour in May 2015.