MacD on Music: I was so much older then, I’m Yunga than that now

Next Thursday, Sandino’s plays host to a fundraiser for a cause close to many people’s hearts, the Foyle Hospice.

As a result, this week, I’m going to keep the intro short and sweet, mainly because I’m talking to four brilliant groups/artists, but also because I’ve only got so many words per column. Anyway, here we go:

Fake Friends

Fake Friends are a “four piece indie pop band from Derry” who “regularly gig around NI and release their own original music, which has been featured on BBC NI Across The Line, Dig With It, Chordblossom and Indiebuddie, amongst others.” They are made up of Neasa Brady (vocals), Matthew Lynch (guitar), Éadaoin O’Kane (bass) and Oliver Moore (drums). 

Does the Hospice hold any personal significance for you?

The Foyle Hospice is an amazing cause and we hope this event raises a lot of money for them. Some of us in the band have personal experience of the support and care given to loved ones with cancer. Not only do the staff give the best care to patients, but also the support they provide families during these challenging times is invaluable. 

What do you think of the other acts on the bill?

The music scene across the North West has so much great talent at the moment and we’re so excited to be on a bill with some of these amazing acts! It should be a great night of music. 

Arn

Next up is Arn. (AKA Aaron Coleman). Arn., originally from Letterkenny, has a “penchant for writing infectious pop hooks and his borderless aesthetic is challenging any preconceived notions of what it means to be an artist from rural Ireland.”

In his own words: “My surroundings informed what I’m doing now, because I didn’t want to do country. I didn’t want my music to be a direct association of where I’m from. It was the things that weren’t from where I’m from that moulded my taste of music.”

Does the Hospice hold any personal significance for you?

The father of one of my best friends went to the Hospice. He had a very long battle with Cancer and spent some time there. 

The Hospice is a vital resource. To have a place that eases the lives of patients and their families is so important.

What do you think of the other acts on the bill?

I’ve been fortunate to perform alongside all of the acts. They’re all bangin’. Being from Letterkenny, I was unsure how I’d perform in Derry but they’ve all welcomed me with open arms. Everyone’s so nice!!

TRAMP

Now, on to TRAMP. Regular readers will know all about them, but for those unfamiliar, they are a “happy four piece” made up of Siânna Lafferty (vocals/guitar) Fionbarr Doran (guitar), Ellie McFadden (bass) and Steamy-Ciaran McCay (drums) who have, to date, released two excellent singles and have, in the past year, played alongside such acts as Cherym and Parker.

Does the Hospice hold any personal significance for you?

We have our own admiration for peole who work in organisations like Foyle Hospice, particularly with one of our members having help from Donegal Hospice with their care of a parent this time last year as well. So if we can get together to raise some funds to help these folks change lives and bring people comfort, it's the least we can do. 

What do you think of the other acts on the bill?

We're looking forward to seeing Yunga for the first time live, and hats off to them for putting this whole thing together! We know and love Arn.-our Fionnbarr has played guitar for him a few times before and his performance is always a cracking good time. And of course, we're looking forward to seeing Fake Friends' live show and hearing their 2022 single 'Loosing Feelings' live on a stage. 

Yunga

And finally, we come to Yunga, the instigators of this event. Yunga are Kian Lampert (Guitar, Vocals), Tiernan McHugh (Bass), Joshua Peoples (Drums) and Conor OHara (Guitar, Backing Vocals). The name comes from the truth Jüngs (Yunga) is the German word for Guys. Just 4 guys who like to make a racket.

Does the Hospice hold any personal significance for you?

The Charity Gig for the Foyle Hospice means a lot to our band as it’s in memory of Tiernans mum Cathy , who passed away in the Hospice on the 12th February 2020. It’s always been in the back of our brains to organise a fundraiser for the Hospice and why not do it doing something we know best? The things the Foyle Hospice do for this City is above and beyond and personally we don’t think they get all the credit they deserve! We have decided to host a raffle at the gig to raise as much funds as possible.

What do you think of the other acts on the bill?

When we decided to put on this gig , we couldn’t think three more talented artists in the scene to help us raise funds. And from the get go they were all so eager to play for us. Fake Friends, Arn and Tramp . Fake Friends for one have been a band that we look up to , we have been following them since the start and we just knew we had to get to hear them on the bill. They are our best mates why would we not?

A night of music from Arn, Tramp, Fake Friends and ourselves it’s definitely a lineup not to be reckoned with.

The fantastic four mentioned above can all be found on Instagram: @fakefriendsband, @oh.arn, @thisistramp and @yungaband

Now, onto other business. The above gig takes place this Thursday, but this Wednesday, half the lineup (TRAMP and Fake Friends) are playing Cultúrlann along with Emily McCormick, in what’s sure to be another great gig.