IRISH American supergroup The Olllam, acclaimed for their inventive musical arrangements blending traditional, rock and jazz sounds, are set to play their biggest Irish show to date in the brand new Mandela Hall.
Belfast TradFest organisers say The Olllam plus Clare Sands on Friday 28 July, 2023, one of just four shows in Ireland will be one not to be missed.
The Olllam’s inventive musical compositions and arrangements have been earning them sold out shows across Europe and the US as well as awards including a RTE Radio 1 Folk Award 2022 Best Folk Group.
Their debut album, now considered a cult-classic (the winner of the 2012 Indie Acoustic Music Award for Best Instrumental Album), is lush with trance-like melodies, stunning instrumental virtuosity and a magical marriage of tradition and technology.
The group were formed in 2012 as a collaboration between legendary Andersonstown piper John McSherry (Lúnasa, At First Light, Ulaid), fellow piper/whistler and Grammy-nominated producer Tyler Duncan (Carly Rae Jepsen, Theo Katzman, Scary Pockets) and Michel Shimmin (May Erlewine, Joshua Davis, Millish).
Recently signed up full member Joe Dart, voted ‘hottest bassist on the planet’ by Musicradar, is well known for his signature bass work with the funky and furious US band Vulfpeck.
Looking forward to the olllam at Mandela Hall Belfast, Dónal O'Connor Artistic Director of Belfast TradFest said the group's style "places the listener somewhere between Radiohead and Planxty".
"Their unique, melodic and progressive sound combined with a cult-like following of ‘Rockers’ and ‘Trad Heads’ will make this the not to be missed gig of 2023 in Belfast.”
Tickets for the gig are available from the TradFest website.
