Lunasa

Live in Kyoto captures the energy and inspired playing that typically infuses a Lúnasa gig, with the sparkling sound of their unique combination of instruments, and the added freshness of great tunes that are not so familiar.

Nonesuch has announced Natalie Merchant’s first album of new songs in nearly a decade. Keep Your Courage is to be released on 14 April 2023. The album features a number of collaborations including one with award winning Irish music band Lúnasa.

The line-up on ‘I Am of Ireland’, reads like a who’s who of the mainly Irish but also Irish American and British folk music world. There’s plenty of enjoyable music here and if it guides you back to Yeats’ poetry, well, that’s a worthwhile bonus.

Armagh will be alive from 15 to 18 November with the sounds of reeds, chanters and drones from all over the world as it celebrates the 25th anniversary of the William Kennedy Piping Festival. It will feature an incredible lineup.

Dave McNally reviews the latest offering from top-flight Irish traditional band Lúnasa who are currently touring with Natalie Merchant. Along the way, band member Ed Boyd fills in some background about the album which features Natalie along with Tim O’Brien, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Eric Bibb. A fitting, celebratory, must-listen album.

From now and into the New Year there are some great Folk and Americana acts lined up at London’s Kings Place including Talisk, Melrose Quartet, Molsky’s Mountain Drifters, Julie Fowlis, Lúnasa and The Albion Christmas Band.

We re-join Lúnasa for the final part of their guest tour blog as they complete their 12-date UK Tour. Accommodation antics, farewells and full-houses. What a tour!

As Ireland’s premier traditional acoustic band Lúnasa head out on their latest UK tour they share their experiences with Folk Radio UK in an exclusive guest tour blog.

Neil shares more highlights from Celtic Connections when he joined a capacity crowd at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall to see Lúnasa, Session A9 and Maru Tarang.

Kyle Carey’s debut album ‘Monongah’ is a gentle delight which brings fresh rewards on each repeat playing. If she can maintain this standard, Carey deserves to be held in the highest esteem.

★★★★★ With Idir, At First Light have presented a hugely enjoyable collection of tunes and songs that will be treasured by listeners!

This is not the easiest of albums to review, because it’s near-perfect – and a string of superlatives is not very exciting after a paragraph or two, is it? But bear with me – you know that moment – as a player, as a listener, as a random passer-by – when a session suddenly takes flight? That gear change that can only happen when every musician is playing at the …