The Kate Brennan Harding Music Podcast Kate Brennan Harding

This week we chat with Niamh Regan who's debut album Hemet was nominated for the Choice Music Prize Album of the year and the RTE Folk Awards album of the year. Niamh talks about embarking on her first big tour, her hopes for her musical future and much more. 

Also included on the podcast are tracks from HamsandwicH, Sinead O'Brien, Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra, Maria Sommerville, Pastiche and a few from Niamh Regan.

Here's the playlist from the episode. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4WQvD9aJY7uYTKdd865ops?si=5f7a437f789245ea

Series Two of The Kate Brennan Harding music podcast is here. Kate returns this series armed with a mountain of gorgeous Irish music and guests. 

In this episode, Kate is joined by Cork musician Jack O'Rourke to talk about the release of his new album 'Wild Place'. 

There is a celebration of Irish music released over the last few months. Plus Jack O'Rourke has created a special playlist as a side treat from the show. You can access that here. 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0H4jjuQQVnQFKf4IiWOooB?si=408ba79b9cbc4e7b

Artists featured are Jack O'Rourke, Houseplants, Dark Tropics, CMAT, Niamh Regan, Ciara O'Neill, and a band that are incredibly exciting New Dad. 

Please share this podcast far and wide. 

We are travelling to Belfast next week to record the podcast live from Outburst Arts Festival with special guests in front of a LIVE AUDIENCE!! 

Kate is joined this week by festival producers Maria Schweppe and Naoise Nunn to chat about the vast project that is Brightening Air, which starts on June 11th. 

Some of the work for Brightening Air being produced this year include:


A light ballet floating down the River Shannon on a 15 metre vessel through 9 counties, covering 204km and accompanied by a newly created soundscape by David Kitt. The spectacle will be visible from up to 7 km away and will continue over a period of 8 days.
In a series of five unique experiences - a spontaneous performance will be created in real-time in the from of filmed interviews, video projections, music and choreography presented live in Dublin. The performance will also be shown at handball alleys across 5 counties during the magic hour of dusk. Allowing audiences to experience contemporary art in an airy & safe environment.
Cork Midsummer Festival, in partnership with The Everyman will present Art Gifts. Twenty professional artists working in different disciplines and living across Cork City will deliver 10 minute Art Gifts in front of the recipients house. The project is looking to target the older generation who may have been in isolation for a sustained period of time. They will get a live personal performance at their doorstep, evoking hope and anticipation to what the future has in store.
The Ark will put children’s experience centre-stage in What Did I Miss? A new play by Shaun Dunne. Partnering with 6th class groups encouraging each child to write and deliver their own ‘graduation speech’. Audio recordings of these speeches will be collected and edited together into a soundscape by sound designer Jack Cawley  The digital recording will be collated and edited to form part of the performance of What Did I Miss?

You can support the podcast at Patreon Kate Brennan Harding 

This week Tom Coll drummer with Grammy nominated Fontaines DC, Mayo man, trad music lover has the chats with Kate. The band have been recording their third album but we can't say too much about that! Tom has a deep love of trad music and couldn't find any on vinyl so he has created a compilation album featuring artists he loves both new and old. He tells Kate all about what inspired him to produce this record and when we can expect to be able to purchase it. 

Kate also features a feast of music from The Altered Hours, The Crayon Set, Laura Mvula, Durand Jones & The Indications, Fontaines DC, Molly Burman, The Mary Wallopers, Dervish, Ye Vagabonds and some band from Manchester called Oasis. 

This week a patreon has been launched to help support the creation of this podcast. There is no obligation to sign up but if you do have a fiver or a tenner to spare per month, this would be amazing! 

As usual the playlists are available in full on Spotify under Kate Brennan Harding. 

This week alongside a plethora of tunes, Kate virtually meets exciting new artist Fears who's debut album will be out on the 7th May 2021. They chat about life, creating, loss and giving yourself the chance to become mentally well. 

Tunes included feature a 16 year old Dubliner called Ollie White who's debut album was written, recorded and released between Pancake Tuesday and Friday 23rd April. It is a remarkable sound created using an old iPhone and headphones placed inside his guitar. I feel he is an exciting prospect. 

I've amazing music from Roisin Murphy, wasP feat Deaf Joe, How I Became A Wave, Dani Larkin, Garbage, HousePlants, Loah, Everyone You Know, Rvstless, Lavengro, Twin Diver Cat Dowling and Lost in your Mind. 

There's a small mix of tunes at the end to inspire dancing and our newer freedoms from pandemic restrictions. 

Please follow and subscribe to the podcast. Also you can follow me on twitter @KateBHdj and the full playlist for each episode is on Spotify under  Kate Brennan Harding. 

In this episode, Kate meets (virtually) rising alt-pop sensation Orla Gartland. Orla has been making music since she was 13 and is about to release her debut album later this year. Orla joins Kate from London and they chat about the importance of female visibility in music, writing pop tracks for K Pop boy band BTS, and finding her creative identity. 

There is music from David Keenan, Tolu MaKay, Villagers, Biig Piig, Peter Doran, The X Collective, Smoothboi Ezra, Fears, Walk then Dance, Juice Newton, The Altered Hours, and Kojaque. 

Kate's track of the week is David Keenan with Peter O'Toole's Drinking Stories. 

Please share the podcast and follow on Spotify. Patreon coming soon!