Joshua Burnside
Northern Ireland Music Prize winner
Shares video for “A Man Of High Renown”
Singer-songwriter Joshua Burnside follows up his Northern Ireland Music Prize winning debut album Ephrata, with a brand new EP entitled All Round The Light Said, which is out now. Updating Irish folk music for the 21st century, Burnside is one of the first artists to blend traditional Irish and Ulster Scots folk sounds whilst weaving elements of world music, experimental rock, pop, Americana and electronica to create a sound that is wholly unique and modern yet firmly rooted in tradition.
The All Round The Light Said EP features four new songs. In lead-single “A Man Of High Renown”, he blends a joyous waltz complete with air organs and accordions with often violent and disturbing imagery, dealing with the shame of sins committed in childhood. The track was shared via Folk Radio.
The video for “A Man Of High Renown” was filmed in various prominant locations in Belfast, varying from the very modern (such as Titanic Quarter), to treelined streets (close to Van Morrisons’ famous Cyprus Avenue) , the buoys (outside Belfast Art College), the Crescent Arts Centre (where it begins), and a mixture of rural and urban locations. This was to create a patchwork of locations that fitted with the concept of Joshua’s music being reflective of Twenty First Century Ireland where the old and the very new collide in equal measure.
Quote from video director David Moody – “When planning the visuals for Man of High Renown we wanted to ensure we not only represented the song accurately, but also Joshua’s style. The mix of urban and rural landscapes, alongside the modern and classical choreography, reflect what Joshua is doing with his music. We wanted the video to feel like a journey; the viewer starts off with Joshua as he prepares to play, and alongside the dancers you get to explore these massively juxtaposed locations. The piece ends and you feel almost like you have transcended time as you explored all of these Irish vistas.”
Following the release of Ephrata Joshua Burnside has had a busy year clocking up four million plays on Spotify, with two sell out London shows, appearances at International festivals including Reeperbahn and The Great Escape. He performed for Folk Alliance and the British Music Embassy at SXSW 2018, where he was chosen by NPR as one of the festival highlights – “Burnside’s sound surges with real force… an intoxicating bundle of frayed nerves and woozy intensity.” He also played a 6 Music Fringe event during the recent BBC Big Weekend.
Whilst he creates songs that are understated yet passionate and heartfelt, he is not afraid to tackle difficult subject matter. On the back of winning the Northern Irish Music prize and his controversial political track calling for peace “Red and White Blues” (which he was stopped from playing during a live session for local a BBC station as it name checks the DUP), he was invited to play for President Bill Clinton at Belfast City Hall at a private event to mark 20 years of the Good Friday Agreement on 10 March 2018.
2. REarranged
3. Northern Winds
4. Paul
5. A Man Of High Renown
10.07 / GLASGOW – NICE N SLEAZY
12.07 / CARRICK-ON-SHANNON Festival
19.07 / DUNDALK – THE SPIRIT STORE
20.07 / PORTRUSH – COASTER FESTIVAL
22.07 / CULDAFF – MCGRORY’S PUB – Earagal Arts Festival
24.07 / LONDON – PAPER DRESS VINTAGE
28.07 / HILLSBOROUGH – SUNFLOWERFEST
29.07 / WICKLOW – KNOCKANSTOCKAN Festival
11.08 / LIMAVADY – STENDHAL FESTIVAL
17.08 / TRIM – ANOTHER LOVE STORY FESTIVAL
08.09 / MOIRA – MOIRA CALING
20.09 / CLIFDEN – CLIFDEN ARTS FESTIVAL
21.09 / CLONAKILTY – CLONAKILTY GUITAR FESTIVAL
22.09 / CLONAKILTY – CLONAKILTY GUITAR FESTIVAL
22/11 / LONDON – The Waiting Room – London Folk and Roots Festival
14/02 /Montreal – Folk Alliance Festival
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