Portlaoise in September

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A new platform for emerging Irish music is launching in the heart of the Midlands. Grass Roots Sessions at Kavanaghs Bar & Venue, Portlaoise is a fresh, three-month series of live gigs dedicated to showcasing original music by some of the region’s most promising bands and artists. With a focus on homegrown, self-written material, Grass Roots Sessions will bring together acts from Laois, Offaly, Carlow, Kilkenny, Kildare, and Westmeath, offering them a professional stage and a chance to connect with new audiences. Each event will feature three original bands or artists, performing all-original music—raw, real, and rooted in the local scene. The nights are curated by Brian and Finn O’Mahoney and will be compered by well-known DJ and documentary maker Ann Marie Kelly, who will also be filming the gigs as part of an ongoing project to document and support original Irish music. In a unique move to support these artists beyond the live performance, three songs per act will be professionally filmed and recorded using a multi-camera setup, alongside mixed and mastered audio from the show. The goal: to provide each performer with a high-quality live video asset to help secure future bookings and festival slots. “We want to give bands and artists something to take away with them that can be beneficial for getting future gigs from venues and promoters.” said venue owner PJ Kavanagh.  Organiser Brian O’Mahoney continues: “The first thing a festival looks for is a video of the act playing to see can they actually do it live. Kavanaghs has always been a great venue for supporting new live music and they have excellent PA and lighting in-house—so it’s an ideal venue for this project and we hope the shows will be supported by the public.” The sessions aim to build a stronger grassroots network, encourage cross-county collaboration, and provide a high-quality platform for performers who often struggle to find live opportunities for original work. “Ireland has always had a wealth of talent and the Midlands has always been a part of that. Unfortunately, it’s getting harder for bands playing original music to get to play to an audience. Our hope is that bands bring some of their own fans—and stay to support the other bands on the bill.” Grass Roots Sessions kicks off on Thursday August 7th and at Kavanaghs Bar & Venue—long considered one of the Midlands' best-loved hubs for live, independent music.  This project is part of The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport 'Night-Time Economy Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme 2025. Grass Roots Sessions Dates. AUGUST: Thursday August 7th, Thursday August 21st. SEPTEMBER: Thursday 4th, Thursday 18th OCTOBER: Thursday 2nd. For more information, contact:  Brian O’Mahoney  Tel: 085 7158518 Email: grassrootssessions@gmail.com Backline  Drums Drum kit provided.  Drummers bring breakables (Cymbals, Hi-Hats, Snare – Kick Drum Pedal) Amps: Bass Amp: 1 x Ampeg BA-115 Guitar Amps 1 x Blackstar HT Club 40 Nice clean Fender/Style on Channel 1 + Nice Marshall tone on Channel 2 1 x Marshall Origin Combo: Plexi sounding amp – not ideal for sparkling cleans but perfect for rock tones Sound Line/Checks Due to quick changeover of bands, the gig will run similar to a festival slot. Only one band will do a full soundcheck (mainly to get the drums and vocal mics going) Other bands will be line/check only. If you want to bring your own guitar amps, it is possible but can only be set up during the 20 minute changeover time between bands. Video Recording: We are capturing three full songs from each band. The songs recorded will be from your third song in and must run consecutively. This is to give you a chance to settle in to the gig and for the tech crew to get organised. Bring some People: To get the best out of your live video, we encourage each band to bring along some supporters. The aim of these sessions is to foster networking and help artists connect with each other’s fan bases. With that in mind, we kindly ask that bands and their guests stay to support all the acts on the bill. If each band could bring 10–20 people and encourage them to stick around for the full night, it would make a big difference for everyone involved. Payment: Each gig costs a minimum of €2,000 to run. This covers video cameras and operators, lighting and sound engineers, marketing, and door staff on the night. In addition, there are several days of work involved in editing the video and mixing and mastering the audio. While we’re not in a position to pay each act a fee on the night, we believe the value of receiving three professionally recorded live tracks is a fair exchange—something that can genuinely help bands secure more gigs and future opportunities. Travel Expenses: to a maximum of €80 per band. This will be paid by bank transfer only upon receipt of an invoice. Guest List: Each band member will get a +1. Admission for public is €10 and tickets are available from www.kavanaghsportlaoise.com What we need from bands; • 1 x high resolution photo (300dpi) • Short Biography: 250 words to introduce the band/act and let people know  what you are about. • Band Logo (Preferably .png transparent file. This is for the large video screen backdrop) • A good quality MP3 of one of your strongest tracks. Ann Marie will play this on her Road Café show and we will also use it for promos on socials. • Stage Plan: Give us a detailed breakdown of your setup, Di’s/Mics needed etc.

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Event Information

A new platform for emerging Irish music is launching in the heart of the Midlands. Grass Roots Sessions at Kavanaghs Bar & Venue, Portlaoise is a fresh, three-month series of live gigs dedicated to showcasing original music by some of the region’s most promising bands and artists. With a focus on homegrown, self-written material, Grass Roots Sessions will bring together acts from Laois, Offaly, Carlow, Kilkenny, Kildare, and Westmeath, offering them a professional stage and a chance to connect with new audiences. Each event will feature three original bands or artists, performing all-original music—raw, real, and rooted in the local scene. The nights are curated by Brian and Finn O’Mahoney and will be compered by well-known DJ and documentary maker Ann Marie Kelly, who will also be filming the gigs as part of an ongoing project to document and support original Irish music. In a unique move to support these artists beyond the live performance, three songs per act will be professionally filmed and recorded using a multi-camera setup, alongside mixed and mastered audio from the show. The goal: to provide each performer with a high-quality live video asset to help secure future bookings and festival slots. “We want to give bands and artists something to take away with them that can be beneficial for getting future gigs from venues and promoters.” said venue owner PJ Kavanagh.  Organiser Brian O’Mahoney continues: “The first thing a festival looks for is a video of the act playing to see can they actually do it live. Kavanaghs has always been a great venue for supporting new live music and they have excellent PA and lighting in-house—so it’s an ideal venue for this project and we hope the shows will be supported by the public.” The sessions aim to build a stronger grassroots network, encourage cross-county collaboration, and provide a high-quality platform for performers who often struggle to find live opportunities for original work. “Ireland has always had a wealth of talent and the Midlands has always been a part of that. Unfortunately, it’s getting harder for bands playing original music to get to play to an audience. Our hope is that bands bring some of their own fans—and stay to support the other bands on the bill.” Grass Roots Sessions kicks off on Thursday August 7th and at Kavanaghs Bar & Venue—long considered one of the Midlands' best-loved hubs for live, independent music.  This project is part of The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport 'Night-Time Economy Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme 2025. Grass Roots Sessions Dates. AUGUST: Thursday August 7th, Thursday August 21st. SEPTEMBER: Thursday 4th, Thursday 18th OCTOBER: Thursday 2nd. For more information, contact:  Brian O’Mahoney  Tel: 085 7158518 Email: grassrootssessions@gmail.com Backline  Drums Drum kit provided.  Drummers bring breakables (Cymbals, Hi-Hats, Snare – Kick Drum Pedal) Amps: Bass Amp: 1 x Ampeg BA-115 Guitar Amps 1 x Blackstar HT Club 40 Nice clean Fender/Style on Channel 1 + Nice Marshall tone on Channel 2 1 x Marshall Origin Combo: Plexi sounding amp – not ideal for sparkling cleans but perfect for rock tones Sound Line/Checks Due to quick changeover of bands, the gig will run similar to a festival slot. Only one band will do a full soundcheck (mainly to get the drums and vocal mics going) Other bands will be line/check only. If you want to bring your own guitar amps, it is possible but can only be set up during the 20 minute changeover time between bands. Video Recording: We are capturing three full songs from each band. The songs recorded will be from your third song in and must run consecutively. This is to give you a chance to settle in to the gig and for the tech crew to get organised. Bring some People: To get the best out of your live video, we encourage each band to bring along some supporters. The aim of these sessions is to foster networking and help artists connect with each other’s fan bases. With that in mind, we kindly ask that bands and their guests stay to support all the acts on the bill. If each band could bring 10–20 people and encourage them to stick around for the full night, it would make a big difference for everyone involved. Payment: Each gig costs a minimum of €2,000 to run. This covers video cameras and operators, lighting and sound engineers, marketing, and door staff on the night. In addition, there are several days of work involved in editing the video and mixing and mastering the audio. While we’re not in a position to pay each act a fee on the night, we believe the value of receiving three professionally recorded live tracks is a fair exchange—something that can genuinely help bands secure more gigs and future opportunities. Travel Expenses: to a maximum of €80 per band. This will be paid by bank transfer only upon receipt of an invoice. Guest List: Each band member will get a +1. Admission for public is €10 and tickets are available from www.kavanaghsportlaoise.com What we need from bands; • 1 x high resolution photo (300dpi) • Short Biography: 250 words to introduce the band/act and let people know  what you are about. • Band Logo (Preferably .png transparent file. This is for the large video screen backdrop) • A good quality MP3 of one of your strongest tracks. Ann Marie will play this on her Road Café show and we will also use it for promos on socials. • Stage Plan: Give us a detailed breakdown of your setup, Di’s/Mics needed etc.

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Introducing Deerpark – Portlaoise’s New Indie Rock Powerhouse Portlaoise, Ireland – [Date] – A new force in Irish indie rock is emerging from the heart of the Midlands. Deerpark, a dynamic three-piece band blending raw energy, anthemic melodies, and a sharp lyrical edge, is set to make their live debut on April 4th at Kavanagh’s Bar, Portlaoise. Led by Oran O’Reilly (vocals, guitar, keyboards), with Dara Comerford (drums, Nova Static, The Fanzines) and Aidan O’Reilly (bass, The Valves), Deerpark delivers a sound that is both fresh and familiar, inspired by the likes of Fontaines D.C., Sam Fender, WunderHorse, U2, Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys, Supergrass, Coldplay, Keane, and Weezer. With a mix of soaring choruses, intricate guitar work, and punchy rhythms, Deerpark promises a masterclass in indie rock for their debut show. Expect an electrifying performance filled with passion, grit, and a setlist that will leave audiences wanting more. Catch their debut live performance on April 4th at Kavanagh’s Bar, Portlaoise.

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