Kenan Flannery and The Will To Live (IRL)

Praised for writing “bone-breakingly beautiful” music, known for his poignant lyricism and commanding stage presence, 27 year old Dublin folk artist and storyteller Kenan Flannery has built an undeniable live reputation. He has commanded major stages across Ireland and beyond, from his last completely sold-out Dublin headline show at The Cobblestone to high-profile support slots with international heavyweights like The White Buffalo, Amanda Shrines and John R. Miller.

This new chapter with his band, Kenan Flannery & The Will to Live, Flannery's traditional storytelling takes on an atmospheric, cinematic edge. This formidable international lineup brings a new wildness to the music, featuring Anthony Croft (UK) on violin, Gravedancer (USA) on mandolin and banjo, and Copper Kelly (Ireland) bass guitar.

Together, Kenan Flannery & The Will to Live bridge the gap between traditional grit and modern folk energy, delivering a transnational roots sound that is both deeply intimate and fiercely alive. They will make their debut as a band at What's Cookin' in London on the 2nd of December!

Kenan at his core is a storyteller for the damned and broken, writing heart-wrenching songs and stories with a voice “that hits you with the intensity of a hundred Irish poets and musicians”. He mixes his upbringing of Irish folk/ballad music from the likes of The Dubliners with his love of American folk music and has been compared to the likes of John Prine, Townes Van Zandt and Blaze Foley.

In another era, I would have played square dances, been a court musician, or a circus fiddler, and loved every minute of it,” says veteran LA violinist and songwriter Chris Murphy, whose spirited and haunting original music bends genres and even centuries with ease. Chris grew up in an Irish-Italian family near New York City, surrounded by the disparate sounds of his neighbours' traditional music: Italian mandolin songs, pulsing Latin rhythms, and bracing Irish rounds. Eventually falling under the spell of late, great multi-instrumentalist David Lindley.

Since then, Chris has hypnotized crowds in more than forty US states, done extensive tours of Europe, and amassed a breathtakingly deep catalog of over 500 works. His over fifteen original albums—including 2023’s brilliant “The Road & the Stars”—boast A-list players from the Tom Waits band, Wilco, X, The Desert Rose Band, Elvis Costello, and the Buena Vista Social Club.

“To me, music is liquid,” Murphy explains thoughtfully. “I’ll twist and turn, and hammer and mold, and shape, cut, and paste the music to create a fresh experience for my audience at all costs.” https://chrismurphymusic.com

"Haunting and enchanting…a talented and innovative player traveling on the edge" Dirty Linen Magazine

"One of the best songwriters in popular music unjustly flying under the radar" NO DEPRESSION