HAPPY NEW YEAR

As I sit here writing this message it’s fair to say that this time last year, I did not think that we would still be in the throes of Covid 19, but this, sadly, is where we still find ourselves, with numbers yesterday here in Ireland reaching a record high.

Having said that – the solitude and lack of travel has meant that it’s been a wonderful year for me creatively. I have never before had this kind of time and space to really focus on writing and recording, and that really has been a joy to me.

The new album “Gimme Some Wine” is one of the projects I’m most proud of and I’ve been particularly moved with the amazing messages I’ve received in relation to my latest single “South Anne Street”. I’m massively grateful for the amount of radio play it received here in Ireland and for all of you who requested it and gave it such fantastic support.

The restrictions made me all the more grateful for the very few concerts I managed to play this year. The extraordinarily wonderful experience that was “BETTER NORMAL” the skiffle/New Orleans/Dublin style show that streamed for a month in September with a brilliant crew of Jess Kavanagh, Pauline Scanlon and 22 brilliantly talented musicians and singers was definitely a high light of the year, I sincerely hope we get to do it again sometime.

The other dates that I managed to perform in the brief period when restrictions lifted a little were the German tour dates in November. It was so great to be playing in front of such fantastic live audiences, the atmosphere was incredible and no kidding, I’m looking forward to the German dates next October already.

Looking to the future, I’m doing a really extensive tour all around Ireland from February- April and I’m so looking forward to getting back out on the highways and byways, small towns, big towns and playing the songs from the new album.

I’m also very excited to be doing the recently announced “A Woman’s Heart Orchestrated” with Wallis Bird, Maura O’Connell and the RTE Concert Orchestra in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin on Sunday 8th May 2022.

If you keep an eye on the website the facebook page or my Twitter or Instagram feed (all below) it’ll keep you up to date on all the other things that are going on.

Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

I’d also be grateful if you followed me on Spotify. Just click on this link, and when you get to my page, press the FOLLOW button.

https://open.spotify.com/artist/50SDcJ4wO9jS355IoJc7O9

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for the new year. This can be a funny time of year for many, so if you’re feeling a little down after all the stuff we’ve come through, light a candle, put on some music and know that better days are ahead.

I’d also like to extend my love and thoughts for those of you who have suffered a loss this year. The pandemic has made the loss of a loved one even more difficult than usual. When I light my candles tonight, you will be in my thoughts.

And on the subject of candle lighting… – I’m getting ready for my annual New Year’s Eve ritual, a candle lit scented bath with a few glasses of Champagne. The ONLY way to see in the new year, I have a feeling that this one will be a good one.

Onwards and Upwards,
x
Eleanor

The new album Gimme Some Wine is available on all digital platforms world wide.

Physical CDs can be purchased at this Golden Discs link

they are an independent Irish Retailer who will post the CD to anywhere in the world.

IRISH TOUR DATES

Fri. 18th Feb     dlr Mill Theatre, Dundrum

Sat. 26th Feb     The Dock, Carrick-on Shannon  SOLD OUT

Fri. 4th March     Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge SOLD OUT

Sat. 5th March    Townhall Theatre Cavan  

Tues. 8th March   International Woman’s Day – Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray

Thur. 10th March      The Source Arts Centre, Thurles

Fri 11th March   Dolan’s Limerick

Sat. 12th March    St John’s Arts Centre, Listowel, Co Kerry 

Fri. 18th March       St Augustines Church, Derry

Sat. 19th March     Seamus Heaney HomePlace, Bellaghy

Thurs. 24th March  Hawk’s Well Theatre, Sligo

Sat. 26th March     Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny

Fri. 1st April       Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely

Sat. 2nd April    Sea Church, Ballycotton

Fri. 8th  April    Coastguard Cultural Centre, Tramore

Sat. 9th April     The Venue Theatre, Ratoath

Sat. 30th April     Ballina Arts Centre, Ballina

GIMME SOME WINE TOUR – ENGLAND 2019

Here are the dates for the Gimme Some Wine Tour 2019 in England – see tour dates for full details

Thursday, 4 April Alexanders, Chester

Friday, 5 April Gullivers, Manchester

Saturday, 6 April Village Hall, Alstonefield

Sunday, 7 April Chapel Arts Centre Bath

Monday, 8 April Slaughtered Lamb, London

Tuesday, 9 April Joiners, Southampton

Thursday, 11 April The Met, Bury Friday

Friday, 12 April Gala, Durham

Sunday, 14 April Greystones, Sheffield

Monday, 15 April Kitchen Garden Café, Birmingham 

Tuesday, 16 April Marrs Bar, Worcester

PROSECCO SOCIALIST

‘SONGS FROM BEHIND BARS’
Label: Gypsy Chicken Box Records
Release date: April 13th 2018

Prosecco Socialist, the new project from The Beautiful South’s David Rotheray, Irish singer songwriter Eleanor McEvoy and Hull living legend Mike Greaves, are to release their debut album ‘Songs From Behind Bars’ on April 13th 2018.

Losing the drive to compose, 2013s ‘Answer Ballads’ promised to be David Rotheray’s final foray into music, as he announced his retirement. As the years went by, David chose to make a lifelong dream come true, and he opened The Peoples Republic pub in his home town of Hull.

Surprisingly to David, songs started to take shape in his mind as the patrons of The Peoples Republic began divulging fantastical stories of their lives. David had placed himself in the listeners corner, as he explains, “Everybody has met the resident delusional storyteller in their local pub. When you’re the barman it’s different though – you get a more intense version with extra chapters. I don’t know whether it’s because they think you’re an idiot, or because they figure you’re getting paid to stand and listen.”

Energised once more, David picked up the guitar, and after throwing the idea out of getting a group together with his long-time friends Eleanor McEvoy and Mike Greaves, they concluded that the best way to output his newfound creativity was to illustrate the bounty of stories being told to him from behind the bar.

Musically, the style of the album is close to what David describes as Country and Western, a style heavily influenced by the playing of Mike Greaves. Mike is a bit of a local celebrity in his hometown of Hull and is described by David as, “a wonderful singer and writer in the country idiom, loved across Hull for decades but mostly unknown anywhere else. This is my first time working with Mike. His voice is wonderfully lived in, it has a gravelly texture to it and is compellingly louche.”

Whilst he was a first choice for David, Mike was not without his apprehensions, as he explains, “My only concern was keeping it within my style if I was to sing on the record, but the melodies
came fast when the words spoke to me. The chance to sing them as duets with Eleanor was irresistible and it proved to be a lot of fun and very rewarding. Occasionally challenging when I found I wasn’t as good as I thought I was.”

David and Eleanor had been a long-time collaborator, having penned songs and performing together for many years. Her appearance on the album felt natural, as David is a self-professed fan and great admirer. Luckily Eleanor felt the same way, “I’ve been working with Dave on many songs and projects over the years. The experience (and it’s always an experience) has each time been a most fruitful creative surprise whether quirky, unusual, different, late night and/or all of the above. I’ve been a solo one girl stage show for a good while now, in fact, it’s a good while since I’ve been in a band or in a position where I can be fired.”

Track listing
1. The Man Who Faked His Own Life
2. This Dog’s Just For Christmas (Not For Life)
3. Fowers On The Stream
4. Tijuana Nights
5. That’s Just For The Tourists
6. The Night May Still Be Young (But I Am Not)
7. City Of Culture
8. Silver Pennies
9. Queen Of The Afternoon
10. When You’re Lonesome Too