Back in April Aoife O’ Donovan and her trio took Cambridge for a wild ride of sweeping vocal harmonies, electric guitar texturing that was swoon worthy and storied songwriting that has made O’ Donovan one of the most respected and acclaimed in the modern day folk music realm.
What some may not have known that evening (though Aoife mentioned it a couple times from the stage) was that the show was being recording for a to be released live album titled “Man in a Neon Coat”. The intimacy that the three musicians on stage were able to create among a crowd of hundreds was awe-inspiring. With each pluck of the guitar or hushed word folks hung onto each and every word and note. It takes a special artist and a special chemistry amongst players to create that mood and this night was a truly special one. Below you can get a taste of that special feeling with a pre-release, live version of Detour Sign from that evening.
I’ve been unbelievably lucky to be touring In The Magic Hour with Anthony Da Costa and Steve Nistor,” notes Aoife. “They are two of the most talented musicians I’ve ever worked with, and recreating the songs from the studio sessions with such a stripped-down lineup was a super fun challenge. After a few months of touring, we decided that we needed to make a live album. The duet singing, the bass-free ensemble, the creativity of the drum sounds—it needed to be documented. We called in engineer extraordinaire Dave Sinko and he flew up to The Sinclair in Cambridge for a whirlwind night of music making to a packed house. We can’t wait to release these sounds into the world.”
The singer-songwriter will release Man in a Neon Coat: Live From Cambridge September 9, on Yep Roc Records. The album is now available for pre-order. A limited edition CD will be available October 1, via the Yep Roc Records web store or at an upcoming show.