Brave Giant

BY: THE EIREWAVE NEWSDECK

 

Brave Giant’s debut album entered the Official Independent Irish Album chart at No 1, and was the 2nd highest new entry in the overall album chart as published by IRMA on Friday afternoon.

The band celebrated by playing a sold-out show at Dolans Limerick on the same night and also to a packed house at Roisin Dubh in Galway on Saturday October 12th.  These were the opening dates of the band’s headline ‘White Pink + Blue tour in support of the album’s release.

The tour continues this week with Cyprus Avenue on Thursday, October 17th and Sligo Live Festival on Saturday October 19th.

On hearing the No 1 chart entry news, on behalf of the band an elated Podge (guitar and lead vocals) wrote on the band’s social media, “We don’t know where to start thanking you all, we are speechless, proud and on the verge of tears! Thank You from the bottom of our hearts everybody, you are truly the best in the world xx”

Emmett Collum (percussion), Mark Prunty (bass, guitar/vocals), Podge Gill (guitar/vocals), Ross McNerney (banjo/mandolin/keys), are Brave Giant.  A band rooted in an inherited love for trad & folk, moulded, morphed and inspired by indie & alternative influences.  Based in Longford the band released its first commercial track in April 2016, the still hugely popular Lordy Lordy.

In just three years, Brave Giant has gone from selling out two nights Upstairs at Whelans Live, Dublin to the band’s biggest headline show to date at The Olympia Theatre, Dublin on Saturday November 9th, also going to sell out. The band has also seen it’s Spotify streams grow to over three (3) million during the last year, and online video views in the same region.

Earlier this spring Emmett, Mark, Podge and Ross teamed up with one of the country’s most respected musicians and producers Gavin Glass of Orphan Recording, to record this debut long play which sees a slight change in direction for the band.  A sound Gavin (producer) affectionately refers to as… “it’s like David Guetta meets The War On Drugs”.  

All tracks were written by the band.  Peter Ashmore joined Gavin Glass on recording duties at Orphan Recording and Hellfire Studios in the picturesque Dublin mountains.  Additional production is by Brave Giant’s own Emmett Collum and the record is mastered by Stephen Ceresia at Stonyfield Mastering.

We love the artwork concept created by Mark Corry.  The subtleness of the title representation is fabulous, and if we want to over think it, is a perfect mirror in representing the personalities of these four best friends from Longford.  Polite, humble but hell they know how to bring colour to a stage, so it’s no surprise this independent band has grown its live audience so quickly together with its audience in general.

Track listing

• 1. Intro


• 2. Decorate Your Mind (single 1, July 2019 – Top 3 day 1 on release)


• 3. Lake Of Anna


• 4. Waves


• 5. Three Words


• 6. Maid Of The Sea


• 7. Wizards and Witches (next single on release September 13th)


• 8. Otherside


• 9. Saviour


• 10. Leap Of Faith


• 11. Pray


• 12. Hand Me Downs

 

Brave Giant was delighted to hold its official album launch on home ground.  The show sold out the same day it went on sale last month. 

To coincide with the release Brave Giant have hit the road, the full list of dates is below.  

• Backstage Theatre,  Longford – Sunday October 6th – Sold Out


• Dolans, Limerick – Friday October 11th  - Sold out


• Roisin Dubh, Galway – Saturday October 12th 


• Cyprus Avenue, Cork – Thursday October 17th 


• Festival Club @ Andersons Live, Sligo Live Festival – Saturday October 19th 


• Voodoo, Belfast – Saturday October 26th **


• The Stables (Smiddy’s), Mullingar – Sunday October 27th *


• The Hub, Kilkenny – Friday November 1st (with The Coronas) – Sold out


• The Hub, Kilkenny - Sunday November 3rd (with The Coronas) – Sold Out


• Olympia Theatre, Dublin – Saturday November 9th (very limited tickets remain from ticketmaster.ie)

This summer, the four-piece were delighted to be part of the festival line up at #DDFIO (Dubai Duty Free Irish Open) festival in Lahinch, gave a storming top-three billing performance at Kaleidoscope Festival in June, and likewise in August on the main stage at Indiependence Festival 2019, and kicked off 2019 festival season on June 1st with Day Tripper Festival in Waterford alongside Gavin James, Hudson Taylor and Saarloos. 

Live highlights from last year include sharing a stage with Hozier, Walking on Cars, two further sold-out headline shows in Dublin at The Button Factory and opening band’s live record in London with three sell-out headline shows. 

Since releasing its first commercial track in 2016 (‘Lordy Lordy’), Brave Giant has sold-out all its headline shows in Dublin and numerous across the country together with having a string of top 5 singles including The Time I Met The Devil and two number one’s with Way To Love and Somebody’s Someone.  Opening for Picture This on the final night of the band’s five-night Olympia run in 2017 will always be very special.  Not shy to festival season either, in the three years to date some of the band’s summer festival performances include Longitude, Sea Sessions, and Electric Picnic.  Indeed in 2018, over 5,000 people turned out to see the band live in their home county at the Longford Town Festival. NOW for the next chapter.