City show from Folk-rock outfit Hermitage Green
Hermitage Green, who perform folk with a rock/pop tinge, will play the city’s Róisín Dubh next Friday, December 19.
The quintet formed three years ago over a few pints in the back room of The Curragower Bar in Limerick City. These informal jam sessions caught the ear of lead singer Barry Murphy’s brother, who runs the bar.
“There was a soccer match across the road in Thomond Park,” recalls Barry, who also plays bass. “There were people there who had a bar out in Adare, and they asked us to come out and play.”
From then on, Hermitage Green found themselves in demand in Limerick – at one point they were playing six nights a week in different venues.
“That whole folk scene blew open when Mumford & Sons and the likes of those bands came around,” says Barry. “That, in hand with the recession – bars seemed to be competing with each other a lot more; pubs in Limerick that never had live music decided they needed it to get people in. There was a demand for that kind of music, not big sound systems. Just acoustic, folky kind of stuff.”
That acoustic folky stuff, much of it original material, has led to tours of Europe, America and Australia for Hermitage Green, as well appearances at Electric Picnic and a regular slot on the RTÉ TV sports show, Second Captains.
Doors for this gig are 8pm, tickets €16/€14 members.