Latest news with #Biird
Irish Times
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Biird at Vicar Street review: Consummate musicians deliver radical trad for the TikTok generation
Biird Vicar Street, Dublin ★★★★☆ 'We represent the best of Ireland,' says Lisa Canny, harpist, banjo player and frontwoman of the 11-strong trad girl group Biird. At a sold-out Vicar Street on Saturday night, their easy confidence is intoxicating as this huge group of musicians dressed to the nines play some hair-raising trad. The girl group formed in September 2023, when they were invited to perform at one of Annie Macmanus's literary nights at London Irish Centre. A little over a year and a half later, having already played around the corner earlier in the day, at Guinness's Lovely Days Live festival, they're performing to more than 1,000 people with not so much as a single released. It's a sight to behold. 'What I loved about the girl-band thing growing up is that it was a group of girls who looked like they were having the time of their lives, doing the best things of girlhood well into their adulthood, dressing up and playing tunes,' Canny says. READ MORE The concept behind Biird is a combination of consummate musicians and clever marketing for the TikTok generation: it's cool, it's slick and it's young – as demonstrated by a highlight of the gig, the group's reimagining of Gypsy Woman, the house track by Crystal Waters. The la-da-dees of its chorus are not dissimilar to the nas of lilting. The band also deliver several sultry lilts in a set list punctuated with Irish-dancing accompaniments from performers as gorgeous and styled as the band. At one point Canny turns to the crowd and says that Biird visualise a new type of Irish music, with 'none of this paddywhackery and green rivers'. Certainly, between the international success of Lankum and the emergence of bands that are rethinking what it means to play the fiddle, such as The Scratch, they're part of the radical rebrand of trad. The only things lacking tonight are original songs. Biird play the three tunes that they've written themselves, but none of these has been released yet. If this is the kind of crowd the group can pull, and the energy they can create, based on nothing more than posters and word of mouth, what could they achieve with an album? This is a huge production from start to finish, and not only because of the 11 players on stage. Biird have proved the concept: make trad accessible to a new audience and it will come. The crowd at Vicar Street is young and stylish, a distinctly more urban and hipster listener. There's something admirably ballsy about Biird's unabashed ambition, a trait that is distinctly un-Irish, even if their music is as Irish as bread and butter.
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Girlfriends behind rap group Kneecap revealed as one of Ireland's 'most sought-after singers' and a drama school director - amid calls for band to be axed from Glastonbury over pro-Hamas and 'kill your local MP' chants
The Irish rappers causing outrage for on-stage support towards terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah and calls for fans to kill MPs have their own backing band of loving partners behind them. Contentious hip-hop group Kneecap provoked condemnation in Parliament this week over video footage of their concerts that is now being probed by police - as well as calls for them to be axed from this year's Glastonbury Festival. The uproar has drawn more attention than ever before to the trio, whose individual members go by the pseudonyms Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara and DJ Próvaí. The trio - with respective real names of Naoise Ó Cairealláin, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaid and J. J. Ó Dochartaigh - have taken to social media to claim there was 'a co-ordinated smear campaign' after their shows previously ' called out' the conflict in Gaza. They also feature in a self-made and self-titled film about themselves, released last August to positive reviews and picking up awards at ceremonies since. But lesser seen amid the latest controversy are the partners behind them amid the backlash - although they have been sharing publicly some signs of support. It was only at the IFTA Awards in Dublin in February this year that the trio posed on the red carpet alongside their partners, their first high-profile appearances together. Móglaí Bap beamed alongside professional singer Niamh Hinchy, while Mo Chara was beside Sinead Nic Colaim and DJ Próvaí was accompanied by Aine O'Hanlon. Niamh also performs under the name of Nino and has featured on tracks by a music group called Biird as well as her duo named Absolute Lilt. She appears to be the most prolific online sharer of the Kneecap members' partners, with plenty of pictures and videos shared on her public Instagram page - as well as Facebook and YouTube accounts, linking to her singing performances. The other two women, however, have kept social media profile pages private - though were seen beside their partners at that Dublin film prize showcase earlier this year. The band collected four IFTA awards at the February event at which they appeared alongside their partners - while rubbing shoulders with celebrities such as Sharon Horgan, Cillian Murphy, Chris O'Dowd. Saoirse Ronan and Andrew Scott. They were celebrated for the comedy movie loosely based on their own lives, which has also won prizes at the Sundance Film Festival and the BAFTAs. Meanwhile, Móglaí Bap's girlfriend Niamh Hinchy has won acclaim of her own for her musical achievements. The Instagram account for the band Biird calls her 'one of the most sought after vocalists in the country, having collaborated and recorded with numerous reputable artists nationally and internationally since teenagehood'. Their tribute goes on to say: 'Born in Limerick into a household filled with music, singing and harmonies, her love of it stemmed from a young age. Kneecap rapper Mo Chara, real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaid, is pictured with his partner Sinead McCallum at the IFTA Awards 2025 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre in February this year 'A harmony fiend, Niamh can (and will) add a harmony line to any sound that passes her ear, be it uilleann pipes, heated arguments or fire alarms.' She also performs alongside Biird band member Lisa as a duo called Absolute Lilt. Niamh herself was quoted as saying: 'My involvement in music has never failed to land me in crazy scenarios amongst the most creative & inspiring people.' She has recently been posting pictures on Instagram from a trip to Bali alongside friends including her Kneecap partner Móglaí Bap - as well as photos alongside chart-topping British singer Ed Sheeran. Meanwhile, DJ Próvaí's partner Ms Nic Colaim works as a events manager at West Belfast-based language, arts and culture centre Cultúrlann Mc Adam Ó Fiaich. She is quoted on its website as saying: 'I began working with the Cultúrlann as a volunteer in 2018 until starting a part time post with Aisling Óg. 'I then started working as Youth Officer in 2019 and I now manage a varied education programme in Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich between Irish language classes, yoga classes and music classes. 'Along with running youth events and family days, I am director of Aisling Óg, Cultúrlann's drama school where we promote all aspects of the arts.' DJ Próvaí previously worked as a teacher - and said on the red carpet at the February event that he and his partner were keen to pass on Irish language learning to the child he described as 'my wee daughter'. He told website VIP there: 'It's good that you can do other stuff with the Irish language other than teaching. I tried it and it didn't work. 'We're standing on the shoulders of giants, of the people who came before us, who gave us the opportunities to learn Irish. 'Now I'm able to pass it on to my wee daughter - and it's brilliant that other people get to do it as well.' Kneecap's newly-enhanced public profile come after they were condemned over a rant at a live gig in which they appeared to urge fans to kill their local MPs. Bereaved relatives of murdered politicians Jo Cox and Sir David Amess have been leading the criticism. The Belfast trio, with an army of luvvie celebrity fans, are facing mounting pressure over a concert in which one of them suggested 'the only good Tory is a dead Tory'. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Taoiseach Micheal Martin have been among the critics of the group, which has also come under fire for voicing support for Palestinian terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah at Coachella. And Labour MP David Taylor has written to Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis and his family, urging them to take the rappers off the bill for the festival this June. They are due to perform on the Saturday of the event, alongside acts including Charli XCX, Neil Young and Raye - having previously performed a set there last year. And Sir David Amess's daughter has now also been calling for the Glastonbury organisers to drop the band from the bill. She said: 'For them to get up on stage in front of millions of people - who knows what they're going to say? It could be very, very dangerous.' Sir David, 69, was stabbed to death by Ali Harbi Ali at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on October 15 2021. The MP, a father of five, had been holding a surgery in his Southend West constituency when he was attacked by Ali, who was sentenced to a whole-life prison term for the murder in 2022. In his letter to Glastonbury organisers, Hemel Hempstead MP Mr Taylor wrote that if reports of the remarks were true 'the group's actions and statements go beyond the realm of legitimate political expression and into the dangerous territory of inciting violence and promoting extremism'. Tory shadow minister Mark Francois raised a point of order in the House of Commons yesterday to say it would be 'unconscionable' if Kneecap were to perform at Glastonbury. The band has come under fire for apparent support towards Palestinian terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah at the recent Coachella festival in the US (pictured) He urged Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to also write to festival bosses to say 'that this House does not think it is appropriate that Kneecap should be allowed to appear at least until the investigation is completed'. The Prime Minister's official spokesman has called the group's lyrics 'completely unacceptable'. Asked about Kneecap's on-stage remarks which were caught on camera and shared online, he said: 'It is obviously completely unacceptable and he completely rejects those views and condemns them in the strongest possible terms.' He added: 'We do not think that individuals expressing those views should be receiving future government funding.' Asked whether he agreed with Ms Amess's call for the band to apologise, he replied: 'Of course, those remarks were completely unacceptable. 'And calls for violence towards anyone, including MPs, is clearly completely unacceptable.' Counter-terrorism officers are assessing the footage as well as video from another gig which seemed to show a band member shouting 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah' at a performance at the Kentish Town Forum, and a Hezbollah flag being displayed. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are banned in the UK and it is a crime to express support for them. Labour MP David Taylor wrote to Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis, urging him to take the rappers off the bill for the festival in June. On Sunday, a Met Police spokesman said: 'We were made aware of a video on April 22, believed to be from an event in November 2024, and it has been referred to the counter terrorism internet referral unit for assessment and to determine whether any further police investigation may be required. 'We have also been made aware of another video believed to be from an event in November 2023.' He also said the force 'are assessing both to determine whether further police investigation is required'. The counter terrorism internet referral unit (CTIRU) is a national counter terrorism policing unit based within the Met's Counter Terrorism Command which is dedicated to identifying terrorist and extremist material online. Following former The X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne calling for Kneecap's US work visas to be revoked over their support for Palestine amid the Gaza war at US festival Coachella, the band was dropped by its now-former sponsor and booking agent Independent Artist Group. The visas held by the band members are understood to no longer be valid and they are in the process of securing a new sponsor ahead of its sell-out October tour in North America. At Coachella, Kneecap displayed messages which read slogans such as 'Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people'. They also said: 'It is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes' and 'F*** Israel. Free Palestine'. On Tuesday, Osbourne called the images at Coachella 'projections of anti-Israel messages and hate speech'. The music manager and wife of Black Sabbath star Ozzy Osbourne wrote on X: 'As someone of both Irish Catholic on my mother's side and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage on her father's side and extensive experience in the music industry, I understand the complexities involved. 'I urge you to join me in advocating for the revocation of Kneecap's work visa.' Kneecap's manager Daniel Lambert has told of the band receiving 'severe' death threats after Coachella. And in a statement posted on Instagram, the group said they 'reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual'. The post read: 'Kneecap's message has always been - and remains - one of love, inclusion, and hope. 'This is why our music resonates across generations, countries, classes and cultures and has brought hundreds of thousands of people to our gigs. No smear campaign will change that.' They said they have 'never supported' Hamas or Hezbollah. Kneecap have been dropped from the Eden Sessions, a series of concerts held at the Eden Project in Cornwall this summer (a previous event there is pictured) And the group apologised to the families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox - saying: 'We never intended to cause you hurt.' Eden Sessions, a series of concerts held at the Eden Project, Cornwall this summer, announced on Tuesday Kneecap were dropped from this July's festival there. Organisers wrote on X, formerly Twitter: 'Eden Sessions Limited announced today that the Kneecap show scheduled for 4 July 2025 is cancelled. 'Ticket purchasers will be contacted directly and refunded. Refunds will commence from Weds 30 April 2025 against the original payment cards used. Please allow six working days.'
