Following the success of their recent tribute to Shane MacGowan, the Sharon Shannon Big Band will play at Monroe’s Live on Thursday, December 18, with a new production celebrating Ireland’s song tradition.
This spectacular night of music begins at 8pm.
At the centre of the big band is Sharon Shannon, whose career has rocketed for over three decades, moving with ease between traditional music and wider, contemporary forms.
Best known for her work on the button accordion, she first came to national attention in the late 1980s as a member of Arcady before joining The Waterboys; touring internationally and recording ‘Room to Roam’ with the band.
Her 1991 debut solo album went on to become the best-selling traditional Irish music album ever released in this country, setting the tone for a body of work that has continued over the years.
Joined by her big band, the arrangements lean into a modern, rhythm-driven sound while remaining rooted in tradition. It is a broad music spectrum that reflects the ways Irish music continues to grow.
Joining her on stage are some of the biggest names in the industry, including Mundy, Camille O’Sullivan, and Cait O’Riordan, along with musicians Alan Connor, Richie Buckley, and Gerry O’Connor.
For Mundy, whose career began busking and open-mic nights in the early 1990s, the connection with Sharon began with their live recording of ‘Galway Girl’ by Steve Earle - a version which became the most downloaded track in Ireland in 2007.
Since the release of his debut album Jelly Legs in 1996, Mundy has remained a consistent presence on the Irish charts, with a touring history that includes support slots with Bob Dylan, Neil Young and REM.
As an artist, Camille O’Sullivan’s work is shaped as much by theatre as by song. Born in London to a French mother and Irish father, and raised in Cork, she is known for her dramatic interpretations of artists such as Nick Cave, Jacques Brel, Tom Waits and David Bowie.
Her work has taken her from the Sydney Opera House to London’s Royal Festival Hall and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and she remains one of the most distinctive vocal performers working in Ireland today.
Former Pogues bassist Cait O’Riordan brings a formidable pedigree to the line-up.
This show is built around the collective strength of the ensemble and the material itself. It will stir your soul, lift your spirits, and maybe even bring a tear to your eye.
The programme draws from a wide range of Irish song including ballads of love and heartache, emigration and longing, resilience and rebellion, and moments of celebration drawn from reels and jigs.
Traditional material is treated with care, while more familiar songs are reframed through new arrangements.
The sound of the band is contemporary, fluid and rhythm-led, reflecting how Irish music continues to live in the present rather than the past. It is this balance, between tradition and modern interpretation, which has long defined Sharon Shannon’s work.
Tickets €39.50 from www.monroes.ie
