WATCH: Limerick band Dylan Flynn and the Dead Poets release debut album

AMID lively chatter and pints of the black stuff, Dylan Flynn and the Dead Poets’ vocalist is “anxiously excited” about the upcoming tour that will celebrate the release of a debut album catered for “twentysomethings living in a country that completely ignores them.”

 “I don't usually get nervous, I think I’ve gotten used to it at this point. But I suppose the fact that this tour is to promote our debut album, it feels like there’s a bit more pressure to try to prove ourselves, and show ‘this is us, this is what we can do’,” says Dylan before taking a sip of his Guinness.

After meeting in college, saxophonist Chris Britton, drummer Evan Forde, guitarist Keegan Forde, bass player Emmett Ryan, and frontman Dylan Flynn, collided to “delve into themes of loss, relationships and mental health.”

Influenced by the likes of Radiohead, The 1975 and The War on Drugs, the quintet blend elements of jangle-pop and alt-rock.

This Friday, on March 10, the Limerick city poets are releasing their debut album, how are you feeling today? on which they touch on many themes, including the cost of living and the housing crisis.

According to the frontman, this first album is the statement they imagined it could be, as they explore the issues faced by twentysomethings in Ireland.

“I’ve always wanted our first album to be a statement. And, I think this album really feels like the most cohesive body of work that we've ever put out.

“It can feel daunting at times to grow up and wonder if we’ll be able to afford a house, or if we’ll have a job next year.

I feel like the songs will reassure people and be like, ‘don't worry, you're not by yourself in this. Everyone else is in the same boat, we’ll get through it’,” he smiles.

Picture: Jamie Moore

Titled ‘nowhere to live,’ the eighth track on the album, states that “there’s nowhere to live” and that “people are lost, and they’re giving in.”

Speaking of their latest release, Dylan explains: “After college, a lot of us spent a year trying to find places to live in Limerick and found it really hard. Eventually, we found a place, but it was really expensive - there were no other options.”

The frontman regrets seeing everyone move to Australia or Canada. Soon, the band will be missing one dead poet as their bass player, Emmett Ryan, is also be moving abroad – but not once the tour is over.

“It really felt like a topic we needed to write about,” he confesses. “Limerick has such a thriving music scene and such good culture, it’s a shame that people have to leave. It’s not getting any better, and there’s a complete lack of awareness from the government.

"It feels like we’re living in a country that is completely ignoring this generation. And now this generation is just ignoring that government and leaving.” he says.

Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets’ debut album is a collection of memories and snippets of the last few years.

Over the summer, the band started recording in their Limerick studio space on William Street.

“We demoed out all the songs, then we contacted Mike Gavin, who was one of our lecturers in LIT, and we decided to bring him on as a co-producer,” the singer explains.

Speaking of his writing process, Dylan comments: “The best lyrics that come out of people is when they say something they want to say, no matter what others are going to think about it. Whether it’d be controversial, too personal, as long as it’s open and honest.”

From Limerick to Cork to Belfast, the poets will tour across Ireland and the UK to promote their debut album – and the final stop will be in London.

Speaking of performing in London, Dylan notes: "Once they start to make it big in Ireland, a lot of artists move to London.

“Even though we’ve no intentions of moving to London, it still feels like a big deal to go over there and make an impact, and I suppose prove ourselves to the industry over there.”

No matter where they perform, Limerick will always hold a special place.

“Playing the Warehouse just feels really special,” he notes. “We've always remembered going to so many gigs and seeing all these bands from Limerick come through that we aspired to be growing up, and then we finally got to step on that stage and do it ourselves.”

He insists: “I don't take it for granted, it does feel really special to me, and especially when so many people come out to see us.”

Once he’s on stage, the vocalist gets “into the zone.” But, sometimes, magic happens.

“Every now and then you might catch someone who's really interested and you kind of lock onto them, and it feels like you're nearly performing for them - and that feeling is great,” he says.

Dylan Flynn and the Dead Poets will perform in Dolans on April 7. Their debut album, 'how are you feeling today?' is out today, on all platforms.