Combine boyish, engaging charm and killer good looks with a knack for telling a compelling story in song, and the result is Eoin Harrington, says his website of his musical style. I first met Eoin when he performed on stage at TEDxBerkeley this past February SOLO, without his band, and he was impressive without the bells, whistles, bass, drums and violins, yet he managed to pull it off at Zellerbach Hall with close to 1,300 people.
Teamed up with Alex Newburgh on guitar, Alan Hertz, Daria Johnson on drums, Angeline Saris on Bass and Emily Palen and Dick Bright on violin and you have a winning band, all of which like to have a lot of fun on stage. (Note there are additional musicians who performed with him for his new CD release which can be found on the CD itself — you can also visit his Facebook page.)
The band has a lot of passion which matches well with Eoin’s Irish charm and free spirited style on stage, all of which has the girls ooohing and ahhing from the floor during a live performance. I recently saw him play at his new release party at Yoshi’s Jazz Club in San Francisco which was also his birthday btw: April 22, 2011. The new CD is entitled CONFESS, which is also the first song on side one, my favorite of the 11 tracks.
A classically-trained pianist, apparently his vocals have been described as “reminiscent of Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, James Blunt or “a grittier Elton John.” He did in fact do a version of Elton John’s Rocket Man, and it was in fact a little ‘grittier,’ and I’ll add, a whole lotta fun. As a pianist myself, that piece ‘ain’t easy to play’ so let’s just say he did an incredible job with it considering it’s hard to pull off any of John’s originals better than the man himself.
Throughout the night, Eoin moved seamlessly between his guitar and piano, a gorgeous black grand piano positioned stage left. My only regret was not sitting closer as I wanted to see the sweat on their faces and the energy that went into the strumming and jamming, particularly the two violin players which added a sophisticated dimension to many of the pieces.
Not only was their playing entertaining and just f-g good but the two personalities of the players were so different that it added “fun and zest” to the sets. (a young vivacious red head in jeans matched with an older bald man with long legs and a little boy bounce to his walk….and did I mentioned that his violin was a glistening shiny white that stood out like a bright red Easter egg among a batch of soft pastels?)
Back to their music: my other favorites on his new CD would have to be Whatever I want to Say and Before I Fall. Non-originals were woven into the concert as were pieces from previous albums although they managed to cover all his new songs over the course of an hour and a half show. His encore? He tastefully played and sang a solo of Hallelujah on piano and immediately after headed to the lobby to sign CDs.
Was the bash a success? I’d definitely say so. The line seemed to never end, which was a surprise given that San Francisco is such an early city, despite the fact that locals don’t really think so. I always want to take them by the hand and bring them into a virtual reality scene of a night out in Paris or Rio and remind them just how conservative of a city we all live in here on the west coast…
Other songs on newly released CONFESS include: I Love It, Maybe, Now or Never, Speak Your Mind, Help, I’m Sorry, Hear Me Love and New Year’s Day. His previous CD STORY consists of 14 songs about love, longing, defiance and heartbreak. Standout tracks include “Move Along,” about an impossible relationship, the anthemic “Already Done” and the spirited “Play Your Piano,” as well as “No Way, No How,” a testament to exactly that — not taking it anymore.
A master storyteller, the sexy Irish transplant has also opened for artists such as Alanis Morrisette, Switchfoot, Paddy Casey and Back Door Slam, among others. Should you buy the CD? Hell yeah; what are you waiting for? Check out his site for more information including a list of upcoming concerts.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
