News

Greetings
On my way home from a magical start to the year in Glasgow with the great Danny Thompson. I've been listening to Danny's music for 35 years and finally got to sing with him on Saturday. He put together a show to celebrate the life and songs of his mate John Martyn; and to allow other singers share in the fun and the lovefest that was the Fruitmarket on Saturday night.

My old buddy Ollie Jennings from Galway emailed me and asked me to put the Sawdoctors forthcoming tour in Australia on my website. Happy to do so; Ollie is a giant of a man and The Sawdoctors are a great band who are a hell of a lot of fun.  Byron Bay in March, am I envious?....

By the way, Ollie gave me my first gig in Galway in 1977 in Leisureland. I was the opening act for Kate and Anna McGarrigle.  What a night; and how sad to lose Kate so young. 'Some say the heart is just like a wheel.....'
Luka


The Saw Doctors - Australian Tour - March 2010

Thursday March 4
PERTH, FLY BY NIGHT
1 Holdsworth Street
Freemantle WA 6959
Box Office: 9430 5976
http://www.flybynight.org


Saturday March 6
Sunday March 7
PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL
NEAR GEELONG, VICTORIA
http://www.portfairyfolkfestival.com


Tuesday March 9
TASMANIA, REPUBLIC BAR
299 Elizabeth St
Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Box Office: 6234 6954
http://www.republicbar.com


Thursday March 11
MELBOURNE, CORNER HOTEL
57 Swan Street
Richmond 3121
Box Office: 9427 9198
http://www.cornerhotel.com


Friday March 12
FERNTREE, GULLY HOTEL
1132 Burwood Hwy,
Ferntree Gully, VIC 3156
Box Office: 9758 6544
http://www.ferntreegullyhotel.com.au


Sunday March 14,
CANBERRA, SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB
Top of The Cross Auditorium
92-96 Corinna Street
Woden, ACT 2606
Info: 6283 7200
Box Office: 6283 7289
http://www.cscc.com.au


Tuesday March 16
SYDNEY, MEAN FIDDLER
Cnr Commerical and Windsor Road
Rouse Hill, Sydney 2155
Box Office: 9629 4811
http://www.meanfiddler.com.au


Wednesday March 17
SYDNEY, METRO THEATRE
624 George Street
Sydney 2000
Box Office: 9550 3666
Ticketek: 132 849
http://www.ticketek.com.au


Friday March 19
BRISBANE, THE HI-FI
125 Boundary Street
West End, QLD 4104
Box Office: 1 300 843 4434
http://www.thehifi.com.au

Saturday March 20
BYRON BAY,
BANGALOW BOWLING CLUB
Byron Street, Bangalow
NSW 2479
Box Office: 6687 1265

http://www.sawdoctors.com
http://www.facebook.com/sawdoctors

'Button Factory County Sessions' celebrates the magical music tradition of County Kildare
Tuesday 12th January 2010
Hosted by Luka Bloom

Featuring
Frankie Lane (Dobro & Vocals)
Dabheoc & Andrew Rynne (Whistles & Vocals)
Mícheál, Enda & Eithne Ní Chatháin (Fiddles/Sean-nós dancing & singing)
Tom Touhy (Vocals) - The Honda 50
Noel Heavey - Vocals
Christy Moore - Vocals
Ann Egan- Poems

Venue: Button Factory, Temple Bar, Dublin
Doors: 8pm
Show starts: 9pm
Tickets: €17.50
Available on-line www.tickets.ie

Greetings one and all,
What a strange, wonderful, sad and beautiful year it has been.  Ciaran MacMathuna, Liam Clancy, John Martyn......just three huge names which roll off the tongue.  Names belonging to men who are no longer with us, men who in different ways have had a huge impact on my life in music and song.
Rest in Peace to all the heroes no longer with us in body. Your spirits live on with us, and we are better people for having shared life here with you.

As I look back over this year, I'm a bit gobsmacked by the number of shows I've played in 2009, and how much fun they all were; how different they were.
It really is tough to select shows which stand out for me this year. The first (of 2) show in Byron Bay in Australia, The Stone Mountain Arts Centre in Brownsfield Maine, The City Winery in New York, AB in Brussels, the old church in Ottersum in Holland, the tent in Dzogchen Beara, Ryston in Newbridge, the old mill near Bern, the courthouse in Tinahely..........If I am forced to select a stand-out moment for me this year, it would be singing for the first time with an orchestra, in the National Concert Hall in  Dublin. This was an immense privilege, and I was thrilled at how well the songs translated both in the room and most of all, with these incredible musicians. We are all very keen to repeat this experience, and somehow, we will.
But to be able to keep doing this, writing and singing for and with people, in different parts of the world, is just fantastic. So I find great moments in every gig; this makes it hard to choose one.
Anyway, again, thanks to everyone who made these gigs happen; to everyone who played with me; and most of all, to the people who came, and who sang the songs with me.

I heard four particularly beautiful records this year, by Melody Gardot, Julie Feeney, Sting, and most of all, Elbow. For the first time in years, I've become a fan. I love everything about Elbow; their experience, their commitment, their playing, and most of all, their great songs and amazing singer Guy. I met them in AB Brussels before I ever heard them. So when the music hit me it was in a very satisfying and personal way. Maybe I'll get to do a show with them someday. You never know.....

I didn't read much this year, but I am currently loving John
O'Donoghues first book of poems just rereleased, and I've just started Colum McCann's award winning novel 'Let the great world spin'.
Nor did I see many movies, but I found The Anvil story hilarious and very moving.
And Waveriders was touching as well; a movie telling the history of surfing from an Irish perspective. Lovely.
So many people in the world, on so many creative journeys. Its good to be here at this wild time in human history.

At the end of the year, I am putting finishing touches to a record which will be released in March.
Now it is time for sleep, winter walks, visits to friends, turf fires,
songs.....but mostly sleep.
Thank you so much to all the people who worked with me in 2009.
Thank you so much to all the people who came to the many shows in 2009.
Thank you so much to all the people who bought records in 2009. It helps me keep the music flowing.
Thank you so much to all the people who contacted the website to say hello.
Everything will be new in 2010.
Until then, I wish you all the peace and love and happiness you
deserve in this, and all seasons.
Luka

News in today that Luka has been nominated in two categories for an Irish Music Award 2009

Top Solo Performer in Concert (US, IRE, EU, UK)

Top Solo Performer in a Pub Venue (US, IRE, EU, UK)

http://www.irishmusicawards.com/

YES!!

LukaTeam

 

I've always wanted to write songs for film, and last year I got an opportunity.
Frauke Thielecke, a Hamburg-based film maker asked me to write a song for her beautiful short film 'EVENING SONG".  I wrote a song called Hanging On for the film, and below is the list of awards the film has won in the past year.
It's all good!
Luka

Studio Hamburg Young Talent Award "best shortfilm", Hamburg/Germany 2009
      
Grand Prize of the Jury / U-Frame Festival, Porto/Portugal 2009

Silver Medal / Brno Sixteen Filmfestival, Brno/Czech Republic 2009
      
Audience Award "Golden Moon" / Filmkunstfest M-V, Schwerin/Germany 2009

Best Performance: Heinz W. Krückeberg, Busho-Budapest Short Film Festival/Hungary 2009

Best Acting Award “Alexis Damianos”: Heinz W. Krückeberg, Naoussa International Film Festival/Greece 2009