Mini festival kickstarts the season at Offaly venue

A one day mini festival to kick start festival season will take place in John Lee’s Bar & Venue, Church Street, Tullamore on March 26th, doors open 1pm, tickets €20 from www.leesbar.ie.

This event is a rescheduled event part funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht , Sport and Media. Headlining the Market will be Power of Dreams from Walkinstown who are currently on a mini Irish tour promoting their current album Auslander. Always a favourite when they played the Harriers in Tullamore back in its heyday its great to have them return to play Tullamore after more than 15 years.

Their first album, Immigrants, Emigrants and Me, was released in 1990, receiving glowing reviews worldwide The band then embarked on a world tour as a supporting act for the Mission. The follow-up album, 2 Hell With Common Sense, was released two years later with a more powerful sound, aided by additional guitarist, Ian Olney.

In 2020, Power of Dreams released two new singles, "America"/"Across the Shannon",[17][18] and "Hurricane",[19] to promote forthcoming album Aüslander. In July 2021, Aüslander, their first album in 27 years was released. The gig in Tullamore is the final Irish appearance on this tour for the band.

Junior Brother from outside Killarney but has connections in Offaly is returning with his full band to play in Lee’s after previously performing here at Aprespalooza.  He was named as one of RTÉ's Rising Irish Stars of 2018,[6] and as one of The Irish Times' "Irish music contenders ready to break through in 2019".

His first album, Pull The Right Rope, was nominated for the Choice Music Prize.[7] In a 4-star review for The Irish Times, music journalist Tony Clayton-Lea wrote: "...the tales told here are full of wide-eyed wonders and keen observations. Between the clatter of one and clarity of the other, Junior Brother’s songs are the real deal."[8] Music website The Last Mixed Tape wrote of the album: "An album of pure expression, Pull The Right Rope is a masterclass in the sheer joy of creation."[9] In March 2019 he appeared on The Tommy Tiernan Show,[10] and in April 2020 on Other Voices

Dubh Lee, aka Niamh Dooley hails from Killeigh and the world was really starting to open up for her when covid hit and live music stopped. During lockdown she was busy recording and writing songs and tracks such as Carousal have gotten her noticed so this summer should see Niamh’s career resume as live music returns, known for her entertaining live performances and guitar playing ability.

Hubert Murray lives in Tullamore and was one of the acts that had to reschedule their gig in Lee’s in December when restrictions tightened and early closing of venues was announced.

"Irish raconteur, Hubert Murray, has a voice bursting from the soul. His songs feature lost loves, inner demons, compulsive liars & day dreamers. His sound bows a head to the masters of melody and word such as; Van Morrison, Jeff Buckley and Bukowski".   Eoin Martin who has organised The Music Market as an occasional night in Lee’s for years is well connected on the Dublin music scene where he moved to live a few years back but always enjoyed returning home and bringing down musicians to play in is local and so now he returns to perform and mc the proceedings.

Performers will play across 3 stages so a real festival vibe is ensured.

Also performing on the day will be Darren Brown, Griff Delaney, Adrian Fox, Dj Silentface, Tina Kennedy, Craig Walker and in the lounge on Saturday night The Finn Brothers from Laois will bring their lively set of banjo and guitar led ballads to life.