DKOS Tues 1st Feb 2022
Jan Harper /. Joe McMahon. /. Etain / Antz Thomas / Dignity Row. /
Jan Harper Tues 1st Feb 2022
My name is Jan Harper and I live in Dunoon. I have been playing guitar since 2011 thanks to my husband. He handed me a guitar and gave me some chords to practice while he went to sea. He worked away for two weeks at a time and would return in anticipation at my progress. I worked hard and learned to enjoy practising by picking up chords from my favourite artists frequently discovering that I only needed to know 3 or 4 chords to play a decent version of the songs that I had grown up with, a real revelation and in some ways dispersing the myth that it would be impossible to learn.
I discovered that my best friend Linda and I could harmonise together when we were at a retreat and we quickly formed a duo called Angels Share where we played at Gig in the Green and various venues around Dunoon and Greenock, often alongside ‘The Wherries’ which was great fun.
Shelagh McKay Jones introduced me to lots of other avenues of music including collaborations with James Grant and SUS songwriters, and I have played in 3 of the SUS series.
I have my own radio show on Dunoon Community Radio 97.4 FM called ‘DRAM With Jan’ where I have local musicians and artists come along and play live and share their influences and musical journey. Until the pandemic restricted our gatherings, I also ran my local acoustic sessions group. I am learning to play the fiddle, it’s a beautiful instrument and this helps with my music theory, and I love playing Scottish traditional tunes.
My influences include Joan Armatrading, Mary Gauthier, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, David Bowie and Gillian Welch but I am equally in awe of so many local artists and musicians who have encouraged and inspired me to continue on this musical journey.
Joe McMahon Tues 1st Feb 2022
Joe McMahon is a storyteller whose style has been compared to the late Warren Zevon. He makesregular appearances for the Songwriters Uncovered Series in Inverclyde and has appeared on stage twice with James Grant for the Broomhill Stories Project.Songs from his album, ‘A DAY TO REMEMBER’, have received airplay on BBC Radio Scotland, Celtic Music Radio and numerous online stations.He also has tracks on various songwriter compilations albums and has appeared on the DKOS previously.
He has played venues from Aberdeen to Hamburg, Germany and at various Scottish music festivals, as well as doing live radio sessions. During the lockdowns he has been keeping his hand in by regularly contributing sets to various online streaming gigs.
He has been working on new material recently for a forthcoming second album
Étáin Tues 1st Feb 2022
Étáin began writing at an early age, inspired by her childhood spent in Ireland by the Lake Isle of Inisfree. She quickly developed a distinctive songwriting style that delivers cinematic imagery in an intimate and conversational tone. Reworking traditional Irish instruments into the contemporary indie-folk genre, Étáin layers ethereal vocal melodies with vibrating acoustic accompaniments; grounding her work in the place from which she hails while maintaining a universal and international appeal.
Étáin’s award-winning debut EP Sacred Renditions was released in 2017. In November 2021, she launched her sophomore EP In The Kitchen with her debut single due for release this spring.
“Divine” – Jim Gellatly
“With a delivery that’s bursting with sincerity, it’s hard to not become entangled within her rich tapestry of gorgeous imagery and the minutiae of her life” – Minm.
“Étáin formed such a steadfast musical ethos, centred in storytelling and a disarming flow of vulnerability“ – Eve Murtagh, Trinity News.
Ant Thomas Tues 1st Feb 2022
Singer/songwriter Ant Thomaz is unstoppable. Based in Glasgow, Scotland. He begun writing lyrics at the age of twelve. A self-taught musician, his rapid-fire vocal instrument depicts songs about unity & peace.
Thomaz has been able to generate a buzz about his music without a major label or representation, having performed solo and with bands DOPESICKFLY and currently UNION OF KNIVES.
Thomaz Loves a good collaboration. find him with DJ TODD TERRY “Magic”
band NIMBUS SEXTET “Lily White”, “Klara”,. Singer HELEN MARNIE (LADYTRON) “A Tall Tale” also with Shaka Loves You, Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5. Colours Classical. Diffusion.
Opening for Texas, Roy Ayers, ‘Big Country’, Shaun Ryder’s Black Grape, ‘Kool & The Gang’ and ‘Nicky Siano’ (Studio 54), Akua Naru & Raleigh Ritchie ‘Sugar Hill Gang’ & Colonel Mustard & Djion 5
Dignity Row Tues 1st Feb 2022
Dignity Row is a Glasgow based band formed in Late 2020. The core band is Jamie Campbell covering song writing, keyboards and vocals, Dario Palazzo on Guitars, Gavin Patterson on Drums/Sound Engineering, Hermie Longalong on Saxophone and Julian Pombo on Bass Guitar.
Lead vocals are split between Jamie and a number of other featured vocalists including Christopher Campbell, Emma Gabarda, Catherine Ann Tierney and Hannah Foth.
The songs are a fusion of folk, soul, indi and pop styles aiming to cover a wide tapestry of music and emotions. They draw inspiration from personal life experience and memories, relationships and love, core life values, and staying positive throughout the rollercoaster ride of life.
Jamie was offered a recording deal/publishing deal with Polygram at age 21 with a band called Cliché, but decided not to pursue this offer. He then played in a number of popular Indie bands including Kick Reaction and Big Sur, supporting Wet Wet Wet, Deacon Blue, Robert Cray, and The Levellers throughout the UK.
Dignity Row are working on their first album, being recorded at STUDIO 1790 in Cumbernauld (near Glasgow). 7 original songs have been released so far on all the major streaming platforms, and getting great feedback and airplay on local and international radio stations. There will be further interim releases of song before then on Spotify and Itunes, etc.
Their first live gig is scheduled for February 5th in Room2 in Glasgow!