The Guggenheim Grotto Performing at the Railroad Playhouse

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Following a winter consumed by writing and recording new songs for their upcoming album, Dublin alt-folk duo The Guggenheim Grotto will return to the road this month playing headlining dates along the East Coast and into the Midwest. The band continues to promote the release of its third album, The Universe Is Laughing, but is showcasing plenty of new material as well.

The follow-up to 2009’s critically acclaimed Happy The Man, The Universe Is Laughing didn’t take long to catch the attention of critics far and wide, receiving praise from outlets like American Songwriter, LA Weekly, AOL Spinner, Venus Zine and being chosen for a Paste CD sampler. The band’s summer residencies were declared a huge success as word spread bringing new fans to pack rooms. And on the last night in Los Angeles, The Guggenheim Grotto’s story came full circle when Nic Harcourt, one of the band’s earliest champions, filmed the performance for his new show Live Buzz. The band’s success continued into the fall of 2010 when it was invited to play 20 dates on a national tour with Ingrid Michaelson.

Released on United for Opportunity, the album is a lyrical journey through life’s beautiful mysteries with equal amounts melancholy and jubilance. Largely written and recorded in hotels and living rooms while crossing this wide country on tour, it sees Kevin May and Mick Lynch further develop themes of self-discovery and enlightenment while maintaining their signature mix of timeless alt-folk, soaring melodies and emotionally intelligent lyrics with a hint of electro-pop.

The Guggenheim Grotto emerged in 2005 to critical acclaim in Ireland with its debut album …Waltzing Alone when the first single “Told You So” reached No. 12 on the Irish National Airplay Charts. Later, the band found success abroad much in part to early champions like David Dye at WXPN in Philadelphia, XM Radio’s “The Loft” and Nic Harcourt at KCRW in Los Angeles. Both previous releases have made it to No. 1 on the iTunes Folk Chart and seen placements in major primetime TV programs like Brothers and Sisters and One Tree Hill. The band’s sophomore record, 2009’s Happy The Man, saw the band tour with They Might Be Giants and Ani DiFranco, and received tremendous support from Triple A radio, warm embraces at press, and a YouTube featured video for the first single, “Her Beautiful Ideas,” that garnered over 160,000 views in just a few days.

One Comment

  • I am so excited about The Guggenheim Grotto is coming back to the Railroad Playhouse in Newburgh! I came last year and plan to attend this year too. Beyond the fact that I love their voices, their lyrics and melodic sensibiltiy, they are extremely engaging as they share humorous stories throughout their set.