From my earliest days of attending The Zodiac Sessions, the acoustic music night that happens in Bruxelles in Dublin every Wednesday, one of the songs that stayed with me from those nights was the song, Edinburgh by Dublin singer/songwriter, Aoife Carton.

Edinburgh stood out as a wonderfully crafted love song that succeeds as taking the listener on a tour of different places around the continent of Europe, while using them as a metaphor for the message of how setting can often make all the difference in romantic relationships – or at least in your perception of them. Songwriting of the highest order, and on 5 April 2019 it was finally released for the world to enjoy.

Sunday, 14 April 2019, saw Carton take to the stage of the Dublin city music venue The Grand Social to launch the single. Ably backed on the night with a fantastic band, consisting of Amy Naessens and Orlaith Ní Bhriain (backing vocals), Jack Hussey (guitar) Anton Shovlin (drums), Conor Lyons (bass), and Eoin Butterfield (keys), Aoife Carton treated the audience to a wonderfully heartfelt and engaging hour of music.

There was pleasantly supportive field in the room for the whole night as the room was packed out with family and close friends of the Dublin singer/songwriter, and as a result every song was treated with utmost respect. The instrumentation on show, as well as the gorgeous harmonies between Carton, Naessens, and Ní Bhriain, was pitch perfect throughout adding to the sense that we were in the presence of a musicianship who was beginning to develop a sound of her very own. It will be fascinating to see where she takes it in the coming years.

Credit must also go to the two support acts on the night who helped to expertly set the scene on the night.

First up, was Dublin singer/songwriter, RUNAH (or Tara May off stage), whose haunting and atmospheric set held the audience in attendance thoroughly engaged from start to finish. The Dublin performer was endlessly charismatic also on stage, constantly apologising for apparently have a sore voice and telling fun and interesting stories about her songs, and it will be worth paying attention to where her career goes from here.

Galway singer/songwriter, Sinéad Ann was next to play a beautiful set before Carton took to the stage. Again, the audience in attendance were left captivated by another performance for an accomplished and personable performer.

All the proceeds from the night were donated to the great work being done by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, with over €600 being raised. A wonderful conclusion to a wonderful night that saw another very accomplished songwriter on the Irish music scene take another confident step forward.

MK

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The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre can be contacted on the phone number 1800778888 or at this link for anyone who might need their help.