Luka Bloom received a warm welcome at the Mall Arts Centre, Youghal on Saturday, March 20th 2010, along with special guests Jack O’ Rourke and Niall McCarthy, as part of the Sacred Root music projects. Report:  Bobby Whyte | Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

Supporting him on the night were Jack O’Rourke, who performed his own compositions on piano with Jack Hussey and Niall O’Connor on guitars, as well as Niall McCarthy who delivered an inspiring acoustic set on guitar and bagpipes.

Currently finishing an 11-date Irish tour, Luka Bloom performed  songs taken off his latest album ‘Dreams in America’ as well as treating the audience to select songs from his vast repertoire.

Luka showcased his inimitable style of guitar playing with a blistering set of classics as well as new music which reflect his interest in World music. Having suffered from tendonitis, Luka adopted a heavy, fast strumming style which gave his music a rich texture about it.

The concerts, which had previously taken place at St. Mary’s Collegiate Church, have been temporarily re-located to the Mall Arts Centre, another local venue in the town. Previous Sacred Root concerts which took place in the church included Mick Flannery and Kate Walsh, Liam O Maoinlai, singer/songwriter Declan O’Rourke and Dublin-group Kíla. The unique concerts are acclaimed for their haunting atmosphere and unique ambience, accredited to the church’s 500 year old acoustic system.

For more information, visit Sacred Root (www.sacred-root.com) or contact Bobby Lee on 087 9957102.

Upcoming Sacred Root gigs include Freddie White on the 30th of April, with Dervish and Mary Coughlan scheduled for later dates.

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The Luka Bloom concert is relocated to The Mall Arts Centre, Youghal.

20th of March doors at 8.30.

Tickets at Scotts treasure shop 137 north main street Youghal.
Call 087 9957102 for info

In order to avoid the pressure of being related to Christy Moore, Bloom adopted his pseudonym. “Luka” is taken from the title of Suzanne Vega’s song “Luka” about child abuse and “Bloom” refers to the main character in James Joyce’s Ulysses. Bloom is, however, very forthcoming about being Christy’s brother and does not hide behind his stage name.

Music style

Luka Bloom’s style of guitar playing is very distinctive. In his early career as Barry Moore, Bloom used a fingerpicking style. However, tendinitis in his hands forced him to adopt a heavy, fast strumming style which is the one he still uses and is often credited with his success. He usually plays in the DADGAD tuning and plays his electric acoustic guitar through a bass amplifier and chorus pedal to produce a warm, haunting tone. In more recent years he has performed his sets entirely with a Spanish guitar with softer strings than his steel-strung electric acoustics: this has mellowed his tone somewhat. It is possible his change in guitar choice is related to his tendinitis (see also Albums below).

History and touring

He began his career in the United States playing small clubs in Washington DC and later in New York City. He was a frequent performer in New York’s Greenwich Village at the Red Lion, where he played with Eileen Ivers backing him on fiddle, during his “Irishman in Chinatown” tour. (Ivers would also appear on the Riverside album.) His guitars were often introduced by name at gigs.

He toured America frequently through the 1990s, although his contemporary touring schedules take him mostly to Europe.
Albums

His early albums showcased his frenetic strumming style, including “Delirious” the debut track on Riverside, and his penchant for thoughtful cover songs, an affinity that he maintains even in more recent work. Bloom had previously covered LL Cool J’s I Need Love and Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling In Love on the album The Acoustic Motorbike.

Released in 2000, Keeper of the Flame was an album of cover versions,featuring renditions of ABBA’s Dancing Queen, Bob Marley’s Natural Mystic and the Hunters and Collectors’ Throw Your Arms Around Me among others.

Bloom’s 2004 acoustic mini-album, Before Sleep Comes, was recorded while he was recovering from tendinitis. Bloom stated that the purpose of the album was “to help bring you closer to sleep, our sometimes elusive night-friend.”

Bloom released his album Innocence in 2005. Some of the songs feature a new found interest in Eastern European gypsy music and other World music. The album features a more classical guitar and the resonant plucking associated with that style of instrument. In his previous work, he relied on steel-stringed guitars that created his distinctive style.

In 2007 he released Tribe, a collaboration with County Clare musician Simon O Reilly, with O Reilly composing the music and sending the recordings to Bloom for him to complete with lyrics and singing.

A DVD entitled “The Man is Alive” was released on 20 February 2008. It features concerts filmed in Dublin and at his home in Kildare, a question and answer session with fans, the documentary “My Name is Luka” and a CD of music culled from the two performances.

“Eleven Songs” was released in September 2008, featuring an expanded ensemble of instrumentation, giving the album a distinct sound within his catalogue.