Photography by Richard Dumas

George Ward

Freelance journalist and online editor for CLUNK. Can be found out and about in Bristol, finding cheap records or having a pint on King Street.

Dublin folk group Lankum announce new live album and drop the unreleased single ‘The Rocky Road To Dublin’

Following the release of their highly successful Mercury Prize-nominated album, ‘False Lankum’, Irish folk group Lankum today announce their new project ‘Live In Dublin’. The live album was recorded over three sold-out nights at Dublin’s iconic Vicar Street.

Spanning over their whole career, the tracklist includes tracks from last year’s album, as well as older deep cuts and even some unreleased materials. One of these, ‘The Rocky Road To Dublin’, has been dropped as a single alongside the announcement.

Lankum’s take on the traditional Irish tune ‘The Rocky Road To Dublin’ is a droney, sinister and gorgeous performance. Atop of this sinister drone, every member is utilised, with traditional folk harmonies passionately belted. Few bands are as successful at building tension in such a subtle but effective way and this track is no exception. The atmosphere is foggy, ominous and textured.

We wish we could have been in Vicar Street but, if this first taste is anything to go by, ‘Live In Dublin’ will be about as close as you can get to seeing the magic of Lankum unfold in front of you.

‘Live In Dublin’ is out on 21st June via Rough Trade Records.

Listen to ‘The Rocky Road To Dublin’ here:


Catch Lankum at the following:

Primavera Sound Festival, Barcelona – 1st June

Primavera Sound Festival, Porto – 6th June

In The Meadows, Dublin – 8th June

Glastonbury Festival – 29th June

Roskilde Festival, Roskilde – 6th July

Latitude Festival, Henham Park – 28th July

The Downs w/ Massive Attack, Bristol – 25th August

End Of The Road Festival, Larmer Tree Gardens – 30th August

Store Vega, Copenhagen – 7th September

Ancienne Belgique, Brussels – 14th September

Archa+, Prague – 20th September

Theater des Westens, Berlin – 23rd September

Sala Apolo, Barcelona – 28th September

Eventim Apollo, London – 26th October

Nalen Stora Salen, Stockholm – 2nd November



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