cua - artist biography
cua have spent the time of lock-down continuing to record remotely and have just released their their latest album, Oh Sun Shine Down.
Jeremy Searle is a music critic who earned our respect many years ago.
When Cua played their first ever English dates, he had enjoyed the first two albums so much that he was eager to see them live.
Reviewing the gig for RNR magazine, he concluded:
“The two sets pass by much too quickly and the business done at the merchandise table is evidence of a new-favourite-band moment for many of the attendees.
“This was a show that marked the arrival in England, of a major new talent, and, hopefully there will be many more to follow.”
The morning after that gig, Warthog Promotions e-mailed us with thanks. They said: “They are outstanding. We will happily tell others to go and see them when they get the opportunity”
Since issuing their superb Songs of The Hollow album in 2017, Cua have gone on to become a band that has gathered in more praise than most from all the best sections of the media.
Jeremy Searle had earlier written at AmericanaUK: “This Irish trio stands right at the forefront of contemporary cutting-edge folk and even that description sells it a little short.”
Issuing a similar judgement for Acoustic magazine, Julian Piper had this to say: “At its finest, music should confound and amaze the listener, and this trio from Ireland have the luck – and the ability – to be one of those outfits who can pull this off.”
The trio had caused a sensation when they attracted a capacity crowd to their Celtic Connections show in Glasgow, just before the pandemic struck. It was the first event on the entire programme to become sold-out.
Then, if any confirmation of the scale of their popularity was needed, that came in 2021 when a promo video for the track, Kings and Queens attracted eighteen thousand Youtube views in the space of a few weeks.
Premiering a new promo video early in 2022, Folk Radio UK said: “If Cua are not on your radar, then they should be.”
John Davidson, Shane Booth & Ros O'Meara bring together dynamic and contrasting instrumentation and vocal arrangements. The group have an expansive acoustic soundtrack blending guitars, fiddle, bouzouki, percussion and 3 part harmony arrangements to create a world music folk styling that the group call Atlantean. Soaring melody lines, dirgy, intense a capella vocals and complex rhythmic structures will have the blood pumping through even the coldest of auditoriums. The cua live experience has been compared to the melodic intricacies of Planxty combined with the harmony skills of Crosby, Stills and Nash.
In the last few years cua have played 3 UK tours, two sold out shows at Celtic Connections, released two 15-track albums and most recently closed out Seán Rocks' Arena outside broadcast live from Dublin Castle and last week a sold out show at The Pepper Canister Church as part of Templebar Tradfest.
cua truly pride themselves on their diversity, with subtle nods to many genres, whilst keeping a folk, world, roots and traditional line throughout. All members are multi-instrumentalists and are inspired by many aspects of the musical spectrum including roots, blues, gospel, jazz fusion, traditional, bluegrass and more. Their approach to music is inspired by the history, landscape and peoples of the Atlantic areas.
cua have been recognised on a european and national level following their first two successful studio releases and are receiving national and local radio airplay in Scotland, England, Ireland, America, France, Holland, Italy, Denmark, Switzerland, Germany and the US. The group have shared the bill with Andy Irvine, The Furey’s, Hazel O’Connor, Paddy Casey and The 4 Of Us to name but a few.
“An unclassifiable band that weave together different musics into something that is their own, crackling with life, energy and spark.”
Marc Higgins - Fatea Records
www.cuamusic.com
cua have spent the time of lock-down continuing to record remotely and have just released their their latest album, Oh Sun Shine Down.
Jeremy Searle is a music critic who earned our respect many years ago.
When Cua played their first ever English dates, he had enjoyed the first two albums so much that he was eager to see them live.
Reviewing the gig for RNR magazine, he concluded:
“The two sets pass by much too quickly and the business done at the merchandise table is evidence of a new-favourite-band moment for many of the attendees.
“This was a show that marked the arrival in England, of a major new talent, and, hopefully there will be many more to follow.”
The morning after that gig, Warthog Promotions e-mailed us with thanks. They said: “They are outstanding. We will happily tell others to go and see them when they get the opportunity”
Since issuing their superb Songs of The Hollow album in 2017, Cua have gone on to become a band that has gathered in more praise than most from all the best sections of the media.
Jeremy Searle had earlier written at AmericanaUK: “This Irish trio stands right at the forefront of contemporary cutting-edge folk and even that description sells it a little short.”
Issuing a similar judgement for Acoustic magazine, Julian Piper had this to say: “At its finest, music should confound and amaze the listener, and this trio from Ireland have the luck – and the ability – to be one of those outfits who can pull this off.”
The trio had caused a sensation when they attracted a capacity crowd to their Celtic Connections show in Glasgow, just before the pandemic struck. It was the first event on the entire programme to become sold-out.
Then, if any confirmation of the scale of their popularity was needed, that came in 2021 when a promo video for the track, Kings and Queens attracted eighteen thousand Youtube views in the space of a few weeks.
Premiering a new promo video early in 2022, Folk Radio UK said: “If Cua are not on your radar, then they should be.”
John Davidson, Shane Booth & Ros O'Meara bring together dynamic and contrasting instrumentation and vocal arrangements. The group have an expansive acoustic soundtrack blending guitars, fiddle, bouzouki, percussion and 3 part harmony arrangements to create a world music folk styling that the group call Atlantean. Soaring melody lines, dirgy, intense a capella vocals and complex rhythmic structures will have the blood pumping through even the coldest of auditoriums. The cua live experience has been compared to the melodic intricacies of Planxty combined with the harmony skills of Crosby, Stills and Nash.
In the last few years cua have played 3 UK tours, two sold out shows at Celtic Connections, released two 15-track albums and most recently closed out Seán Rocks' Arena outside broadcast live from Dublin Castle and last week a sold out show at The Pepper Canister Church as part of Templebar Tradfest.
cua truly pride themselves on their diversity, with subtle nods to many genres, whilst keeping a folk, world, roots and traditional line throughout. All members are multi-instrumentalists and are inspired by many aspects of the musical spectrum including roots, blues, gospel, jazz fusion, traditional, bluegrass and more. Their approach to music is inspired by the history, landscape and peoples of the Atlantic areas.
cua have been recognised on a european and national level following their first two successful studio releases and are receiving national and local radio airplay in Scotland, England, Ireland, America, France, Holland, Italy, Denmark, Switzerland, Germany and the US. The group have shared the bill with Andy Irvine, The Furey’s, Hazel O’Connor, Paddy Casey and The 4 Of Us to name but a few.
“An unclassifiable band that weave together different musics into something that is their own, crackling with life, energy and spark.”
Marc Higgins - Fatea Records
www.cuamusic.com