Headfirst Editor's Pick
"Jools-approved County Donegal wunderkind Muireann Bradley breathes fresh life into the Americana songbook! Her understated acoustic reproductions of interwar blues, ragtime & country are carried by dextrous finger-picking, lilting vocals, and a masterful knowledge of roots tradition… Bradley’s a shining star in a new generation of folksters for sure."
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A gig held at Strange Brew on Tuesday 3rd December. The event starts at 19:00.
Ear Trumpet Presents: Muirean Bradley, Standing Show at Strange Brew (with some unreserved seats), 10-12 Fairfax St, BS1 3DB - Ages 14+ (Under 18's to be accompanied by a responsible adult)
Doors 7:00pm, Show 8:00pm
Muireann Bradley is a 17 year old folk and blues guitarist and singer from Ballybofey in County Donegal. She specializes in performing acoustic fingerpicking country, piedmont, and ragtime blues styles from the 1920s, 30s and 40s as well as later folk, country and Americana.
Her influences include Blind Blake, Rev Gary Davis, Memphis Minnie, Elizabeth Cotten, Mississippi John Hurt, Stefan Grossman, Ari Eisinger, John Fahey and Roy Bookbinder.
Her father started teaching her guitar when she was nine and then in 2020, she received an offer from Josh Rosenthal of Tompkins Square Records to record an album after he saw her on youtube. In December 2023 this album “I kept these old Blues” was released to rave reviews.
Before the end of 2023 Muireann had played a live session on Highland Radio which went viral and recieved a standing ovation when she performed on Jools Holland’s annual New Year’s Eve Hootenanny.
In 2024 she did live sessions for Cerys Matthews’ BBC Radio 2 Blues Show, the Stephen McCauley show on BBC Radio Ulster and Ray Cuddihy’s Mise Sessions on RTE Radio 1. She also performed live on The Late Late Show and filmed sessions for Other Voices Anam in Ormond Castle and Acoustic Guitar Magazine.
“I Kept These Old Blues” reached number 1 on the Amazon download chart U.K. and got into the top 10 on the ITunes chart UK and broke into the Amazon New Folk Music Chart in the U.S. Not bad for a debut album in a genre now considered pretty uncommercial.
Hard copies of her album have been selling out everywhere leading to a second pressing with a third now on the way.
Muireann’s performances online have been viewed over 2 million times and her Irish and U.K. gigs have sold out.
Joely June
Fresh folk meets indie pop, Joely June is a soft gut punch of soaring melodies, gritty slide guitar and ear worm hooks that’ll engulf you like a warm hug. Formally known just as Joely, Autumn 2023 marks the start of an exciting new era for this soulful songwriter with the release of her new singles Time & Space, End-All & Cool, which made it onto Spotify’s editorial playlists New Music Friday, Proper Belters & Fresh Finds. Joely and her band celebrated the re-brand by going on a tour of the south UK, including a sold out hometown show.
Before her highly anticipated relaunch, she made two Main Stage appearances at Truck Festival in 2022 and 2023, hit over 50,000 all-time streams on Spotify and was frequently championed by BBC Introducing.
Joely's music belongs in the modern folk world, breathing fresh air into the genre. Her passion lies at the core of honest and meaningful songwriting, telling a powerful story with each song. With her soul purpose being connecting with people through her music, you can be sure there's no song without substance or sincerity in the world of Joely June.
eartrumpet
Entry requirements: 14+, any under 18s accompanied by 21+ adult 1:1 ratio
Doors 7:00pm, Show 8:00pm
Muireann Bradley is a 17 year old folk and blues guitarist and singer from Ballybofey in County Donegal. She specializes in performing acoustic fingerpicking country, piedmont, and ragtime blues styles from the 1920s, 30s and 40s as well as later folk, country and Americana.
Her influences include Blind Blake, Rev Gary Davis, Memphis Minnie, Elizabeth Cotten, Mississippi John Hurt, Stefan Grossman, Ari Eisinger, John Fahey and Roy Bookbinder.
Her father started teaching her guitar when she was nine and then in 2020, she received an offer from Josh Rosenthal of Tompkins Square Records to record an album after he saw her on youtube. In December 2023 this album “I kept these old Blues” was released to rave reviews.
Before the end of 2023 Muireann had played a live session on Highland Radio which went viral and recieved a standing ovation when she performed on Jools Holland’s annual New Year’s Eve Hootenanny.
In 2024 she did live sessions for Cerys Matthews’ BBC Radio 2 Blues Show, the Stephen McCauley show on BBC Radio Ulster and Ray Cuddihy’s Mise Sessions on RTE Radio 1. She also performed live on The Late Late Show and filmed sessions for Other Voices Anam in Ormond Castle and Acoustic Guitar Magazine.
“I Kept These Old Blues” reached number 1 on the Amazon download chart U.K. and got into the top 10 on the ITunes chart UK and broke into the Amazon New Folk Music Chart in the U.S. Not bad for a debut album in a genre now considered pretty uncommercial.
Hard copies of her album have been selling out everywhere leading to a second pressing with a third now on the way.
Muireann’s performances online have been viewed over 2 million times and her Irish and U.K. gigs have sold out.
Joely June
Fresh folk meets indie pop, Joely June is a soft gut punch of soaring melodies, gritty slide guitar and ear worm hooks that’ll engulf you like a warm hug. Formally known just as Joely, Autumn 2023 marks the start of an exciting new era for this soulful songwriter with the release of her new singles Time & Space, End-All & Cool, which made it onto Spotify’s editorial playlists New Music Friday, Proper Belters & Fresh Finds. Joely and her band celebrated the re-brand by going on a tour of the south UK, including a sold out hometown show.
Before her highly anticipated relaunch, she made two Main Stage appearances at Truck Festival in 2022 and 2023, hit over 50,000 all-time streams on Spotify and was frequently championed by BBC Introducing.
Joely's music belongs in the modern folk world, breathing fresh air into the genre. Her passion lies at the core of honest and meaningful songwriting, telling a powerful story with each song. With her soul purpose being connecting with people through her music, you can be sure there's no song without substance or sincerity in the world of Joely June.
eartrumpet
Entry requirements: 14+, any under 18s accompanied by 21+ adult 1:1 ratio
Other folk gigs
