The Midnight Union Band:

Shane Joyce - Vocals, Harmonica, Acoustic Guitar
Peter Flynn - Piano, Mandolin, Electric Guitar, Lap Steel, Hammond
Cian Doolan - Mandolin, Electric Guitar
Brian McGrath - Bass Guitar
John Wallace - Vocals, Drums

Origins of the Union:

The musical seeds of The Union were initially planted by long time harvesters of sound, Brian McGrath, Peter Flynn and Cian Doolan who had all played in Kilkenny based Alt-Rock bands.
However they all soon realised that a mere three humans, no matter how talented, could not fully accomplish the scale and depth of sounds they all envisioned for the band. It was recruitment time and senior Unionite Brian McGrath was ready for the job.
One sunny day, bassist and recruitment guru Brian stumbled across a young, raggedy singer/songwriter who was busking and hustling a lonely Kilkenny alleyway, emulating everyone from Dylan and Springsteen to Charlie Chaplin. Brian liked what he heard and, as the story goes, he took the kid off the streets and in a single stroke procured a voice for the band and a home for Shane Joyce. Now a band equipped with strong musical and song writing skills from all members, the songs soon began to rain down but Brian's work was not yet finished. With the loss of a previous drummer it was again time for more recruiting. After a brief spell where even Cian and Peter stood in on drums they eventually found gifted young drummer, John Wallace, through literally knocking on doors and so the table was finally set for a musical midnight feast.

The Music:

With each member of the band bringing such diverse and far reaching influences and a total of 10 instruments between them it is difficult to categorise this bands sound into one particular genre. The Midnight Union Bands' music may best be described as a unique blend of Americana, Folk, Rhythm and Roots, nestled with an alt-country twist. The band's songs range from the most poetic and tender of ballads to fully fledged bustling rock tunes bursting at the seams with energy and rhythm. The Midnight Union Band is currently doing the rounds in the Irish gigging scene, with their heartfelt and energetic live performances soliciting rave reviews throughout the country from fans and critics alike. The band has finished recording their debut E.P. and plan to have it released by the end of June 2013. With a host of gigs throughout the country set for the summer season including appearances at Vantastival and Kilkenny's own Rhythm and Roots festival this is surely an Irish band to watch out for.
So watch this space. The sky is certainly the limit for this fresh and talented group of musicians.

Most Recent Accolades:

Recruited to play at the Kilkenny Rhythm and Roots and Vantastival Festival in May
Winners of the Semi Finals of The King Kong Club in The Mercantile, Dublin - Final to be held in The Village, September.