James O'Connar talks about DCFE

I graduated from DCFE in 2007 with a diploma in sound engineering. 

After I left I went on to work with both Audrey Trainor (musical collaborator) and John McFadden (Management) who I met at DCFE.

DCFE has helped me immensely; they helped me get my first played – listed track “Mr. Moon” in 2007.

Since then I’ve performed approximately 200 gigs all over Ireland and the world including the Great Britain and America, in diverse venues such as the National Concert Hall to Kavanagh’s in Portlaoise.  I’ve opened shows for The Walls, The Waterboys - Steve Wickham, Bell X1’s – Dave Geraghty, Miss Paula Flynn, Mick Flannery and we are due to open for the4 of Us shortly. 

I recorded an album in the world famous Sun Studio, Memphis, with James Lott, who previously recorded U2 and the week before us he recorded Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) there.  This album, “After Hours” was released last October. 

Even now three years after I’ve left, DCFE continue to support me by facilitating a promotional gig in the college to promote by new single “Falling UP”.

So thanks for everything.

James O’Connor Monday 19th of April, 2010. 

Falling Up EP and tour

Released Friday 23rd of April 2010

James O’Connor with Audrey Trainor release their new EP “Falling Up” on Friday 23rd of April.  They are celebrating their release with a launch gig the night before, Thursday 22nd of April in Crawdaddy on Harcourt Street in the Pod Complex, Dublin 2.  The EP will be available; globally through itunes, amazon, nationally at downloadmusic.ie, at Falling Up tour performancesand it will be available at a number of local outlets, such as Road Records.

The EP was recorded by Aaron Cummins and Eoin Keogh at Studio 47 in Deansgrange in County Dublin.  The final production comes from Sean Bryant and Michael McManus, who recently produced a number of tracks on the top 5 hit album “I Love Festival”.  In addition to the radio/single version of Falling Up, Sean Bryant has mixed a dance and a hip hop version.  “a lot of club DJ’s kept asking Audrey and myself if we would do a dance mix, which is Sean’s background and Falling Up seemed to lend itself to this treatment” James added.

James & Audrey are currently putting the finishing touches to their new show working on staging, film and visualisations with their optical collaborators; Alan Kehoe, Pascal Kenna Trevor Byrne and John Lalor.  Alan a former Brits School expert previously collaborated with James & Audrey on their 2009 “Perception” tour which ran for seven months.

Great night of music and media is planned, so don’t miss out.  Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ie and are priced at €5.

Falling Up (New Version – Radio Edit): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMzcyOjgio0

The Bandwagon TV performance of “Falling Up”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4zWziMm3XM

The Bandwagon TV performance of “All too much”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko6U2S480Qs

The Balcony TV performance of “Out on a limb”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GByoajEpxSQ

Good Friday morning – from the After Hours album, recorded in Sun Studio, Memphis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUYclF25mqY

Forthcoming dates:

• Saturday 3rd of April – Headlining Laois Bands for Electric Picnic, Kavanagh’s, Portlaoise
• Thursday 8th of April – Acoustic session at the Dunamaise Theatre, Portlaoise
• Saturday 17th of April – The Stables, Mullingar, County Westmeath
• Sunday 18th of April – Live performance on Midlands 103FM at 10.00pm with June Carley
• Tuesday 20th of April – Falling up lunch-time performance at Dun Laoghaire College of Further Education at 1.00pm
• Wednesday 21st of April – Falling up college performance at Kylemore College, Kylemore at 3.30pm
• Thursday 22nd of April – Falling Up tour launch in Crawdaddy, Harcourt Street, Dublin 2
• Friday 23rd of April – Falling Up instore performance at Trax Records, Portloaise, Co. Laois at 1.00pm
• Saturday 24th of April – Falling Up performance and interview on the G Request Television show on DCTV at 2.00pm
• Saturday 24th of April – Falling Up instore performance at Anthem Music, Portlaoise, County Laois at 5.00pm
• Sunday 25th of April – Falling Up radio interview on LMFM at 10.00pm with Brendan Tier
• Monday 26th of April – Falling Up performance at the Spirit Store, Dundalk, Co. Louth.
• Wednesday 28th of April – Falling Up performance at the CBS, Portlaoise, County Laois
• Saturday 1st of May – Falling Up performance at Bar Habana, Portloaise, County Laois
• Thursday 13th of May - Live performance on Midlands 103FM at 10.00pm with Claire O’Brien
• Monday 24th of May – Falling Up at the Glor Sessions at 8.00pm
• Friday 28th of May – Special guests for the 4 of Us at The Thatch, Rahan, County Offaly. 
• Saturday 29th of May – Falling Up performance at The Thatch, Rahan, County Offaly.
• Saturday 19th of June – Falling Up performance and interview on Baggy Trousers on Shannonside Northern Sound
• Thursday 1st of July – Falling Up performance - Opening Dylan Fest, Moville, County Donegal
• Friday 2nd of July – Falling Up performance – Dylan Fest, Moville, County Donegal
• Friday 23rd of July – Falling Up performance in Kavanagh’s, Portlaoise, County Laois

 For Further information; John McFadden 083 3348230

James O’Connor a 24 year old musician from Laois, has been writing songs for the last number of years.  2007 marked James first appearance in the Irish charts with his playlisted track “Mr. Moon” appearing on the top 5 album “Our Space”.  

After teaming up with Audrey Trainor, a classically trained violinist and music lecturer from Omeath in County Louth , they have been performing all around Ireland, the UK and the USA with headline shows and opening for many great artists such as The Walls, The Waterboys - Steve Wickham, Bell X1’s – Dave Geraghty, Miss Paula Flynn, Mick Flannery and are due to open for the 4 of Us shortly. 

In fact while in America, they recorded a live studio album in the world famous Sun Studio with James Lott, who previously recorded U2 and the week before had recorded Robert Plant there.  This album was released last October. 

This April sees the pair release their new tour and EP of the same name Falling Up.

 “A tempting brew of alternative folk rock, with plaintive harmonica playing” – Jackie Hayden, Hotpress

“This man is going to be a star” – Mary Kavanagh, The Leinster Express

 “His voice is hewn from The Waterboy’s Mike Scott and in my humble view Paul McCarthy… It was honest and refreshing stuff and more importantly melodic… Here is where O’Connor bucks the trend as the young man displays his pop sensibilities acute ear for a great hook.  Mr. Moon, All too much and the aforementioned Falling up were just three songs that sounded familiar and got feet tapping”. – Michael Tracey, Laois Nationalist

For Further information; John McFadden 083 3348230 john_mc_fadden@yahoo.ie