Bog Bodies on tour!
Lorrha band kicking off schedule with home village gig
BOG Bodies, a new band featuring two musicians from Lorrha, are kicking off a busy touring schedule this Friday with a gig at their local, the Friars Tavern.
Describing themselves as a heavy folk outfit, Bog Bodies were formed by songwriter and archaeologist Dan Maher. He is joined by fellow Lorrha man Pio Ryan and Ciara O'Donnell from Ballina, Co Mayo, in creating a genre-bending, high-energy folk sound that is characterised by the interplay of traditional Irish instruments such as the bodhrán, flute, and tenor banjo, with guitars and drums, creating a unique blend of old and new, earthy and electric.
Combining the storytelling traditions of Irish folk with the raw intensity of rock, and a dash of world music for good measure, Bog Bodies’ songs are charged from the ancient megalithic sites of Ireland and are often political, ethereal and Celtic/Pagan in theme. The band's name is inspired by the ancient bog bodies that have been discovered in Ireland, which were preserved in peat bogs for centuries, giving them an eerie and mysterious aura. This fascination with the ancient and mystical is a recurring theme in the band's music, which is infused with the spirit of the land and the stories of its people.
Bog Bodies' alternative-folk sound has been gripping audiences at summer festivals across Ireland from Electric Picnic, Stendhall Festival, Doolin Folk, Fuinneamh Festival, Uisneach Fire Festival, to a sold-out headline slot at Templebar Tradfest.
Their debut album ‘Reclaim the Ritual’ dropped on November 1, 2022, followed up by a sold-out album launch in Whelans, Dublin, on December 21. 2023 has seen them sign with Dutch booking agent Doomstar, and Irish legacy agency MPI.
'Reclaim the Ritual' is out now and available to stream on all digital music sites, or can purchased through the band's website.
"Bog Bodies underline the depth of contemporary trad talent" - Hotpress
Magazine 2022.
A local celebration of their 'Reclaim the Ritual' album will be held at the Friars Tavern, Lorrha, this Friday, April 7, at 9.30pm.
You can also catch Bog Bodies on tour this year on Saturday, April 8, supporting Faun at Opium in Dublin; May 6 at Uisneach Fire Festival in Westmeath; May 19 at the Howth Roots and Blues Festival; June 3 at the Tangle Around Festival in Thurles; June 4 at the Éalú Le Grá Festival, Galway; June 24 at Night-Dayfest, Roscommon; July 1 at the Cairde Festival in Sligo; July 2 at the Livestock music festival, Aughrim, Co Galway; July 22 at ForestFest, Co Laois; August 5 at the Healing Spirit Festival, Cavan.