A Year in Music – 2024 -Oisin Leech
by Killian Laher

How are you, what sort of year have you had?

I’m well thanks – hope you’re keeping well too. It’s been a very good year. It’s been a lot of fun touring my debut album Cold Sea here there and everywhere from Paris to Berlin to London, Barcelona, Dublin and Dingle.

What are the albums you enjoyed most this year?

I’m hooked on Bill Evans’ “Everybody Digs Bill Evans”. I also have ‘The Brae Road’ by Róisín McGrory in my car stereo on CD. I’m loving Ellie O’Neill’s songs too. I caught her live this year- superb. Aoife Nessa Frances and Irish duo Perlee too!

Is there any artist or album that defined the year for you?

I loved Nick Cave’s Dublin gig recently and his new album is powerful. He’s an artist at his absolute peak in my view.

You’ve had quite the year, with the success of Cold Sea.  How do you feel about the album now?

I love singing the Cold Sea songs every night onstage. Each song is like a film of its own and these tunes bring me on a journey of sorts. The songs change every night onstage too which I enjoy. It’s a living evolving thing. It has been a big pleasure touring with Dublin musician Graham Heaney on double bass too. Half the set has become improvised which is fun.

It’s been so cool to hear news that Cerys Matthews at BBC 6 Music chose Cold Sea as her Album Of The Year. Just wonderful – and then No More Workhorse chose the record as their Album Of The Year too! Thank you, it means a lot.

I’m speaking to you now while travelling to Spain to gig the new album. Life is good. The headline show at Whelans recently was a highlight of the year for me. Also, I’ve loved touring with Gaz Coombes and Steve Gunn, who produced Cold Sea, joined me in Liverpool for a very special gig.

Do you get to many gigs these days?

If I’m playing a festival I like to take a ramble before and after my set. I saw Bob Dylan play Edinburgh recently. He gave a masterful performance. It was very moving. Powerful show and his voice sounded as great as ever too. Wonderful band too.

Do you think it will get to the stage where the ‘big concert’ is unaffordable for most of us?

As often as I can I like to support a local venue and buy a few new releases on vinyl at the gigs.

What’s your reaction if Stairway To Heaven comes on the radio?

I haven’t heard it in a while so I’d turn it up! I love the Zep!  It was also the first guitar riff my cousins taught me in Buncrana Donegal when I was 10. I still can’t play it!

Anything interesting in the works yourself for 2025?

I’ve been invited to headline Bush Hall in London on March 20th and then tour the coast of England then I’m off to tour Europe. I’ve new material to try out besides the Cold Sea songs so I’m excited about this.