Ireland’s Steafán Hanvey Tours w/ Look Behind You!

Written by Josh Snider

Ireland’s Steafán Hanvey Tours the US with Look Behind You!
A Father and Son's Impressions of The Troubles in
Northern Ireland through Photograph and Song

As seen on NPR's Morning Edition

“Steafán Hanvey is thoughtful, intelligent and reflective about the culture and family that shaped him, as well as how it has influenced and defined his recent album, Nuclear Family.
Coburn Dukehart, NPR

Northern Irish singer-songwriter Steafán Hanvey was born during one of the bloodiest years in the Northern Irish Troubles, in Downpatrick, N. Ireland, which is not only the resting-place of St. Patrick, it is the birthplace of successful pop-rock acts such as Ash and Relish. Growing up in an artistic household – his father is an acclaimed photographer and both of his parents are traditional Irish musicians – Steafán’s exposure to all kinds of music began in utero. Citing influences from Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Soundgarden, Simon & Garfunkel to Irish folk, perhaps the most important of all was the home itself, where the young Steafán was often called upon to sing tune or two. Hanvey has created a multi-dimensional project and will tour the US this spring (dates below).


ONE PROJECT: TWO SIDES

Side 1. Nuclear Family.
Steafán’s new album Nuclear Family was released in the US and Canada (eOne) on February 26, 2013 when Steafán embarked on a three-tiered, twenty state tour of colleges, music venues, cultural centers, libraries and people's living rooms.

Side 2. Nuclear Family’s artistic corollary: Look Behind You! In tandem with the album-release, Steafán is touring a multimedia performance-lecture entitled Look Behind You! A Father and Son's Impressions of The Troubles In Northern Ireland Through Photograph and Song . Look behind You! details how a father and son (both artists) have negotiated the personal and political landscapes of Northern Ireland. Look Behind You! promotes the Yeatsian/Heaney maxim that “The End of Art is Peace”. Steafán has performed Look Behind You! at Boston College, The University of Wisconsin, The University of San Diego, Grinnell College, amongst others. He launched Nuclear Family at Club Passim in Boston, and Rockwood Music Hall in NY and has 50 dates in over 20 states behind him since March of 2013.

Steafán spoke at length with No Depression: photo essay and interview .

TOUR DATES
Feb 26 University of Waterloo Waterloo, Canada
Feb 27 University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Canada
Mar 1 Irish Cultural Institute Danbury, CT
Mar 6 Drew University
Madison, NJ
Mar 8 Mercury Lounge New York, NY
Mar 10 Spring Lake Inn Spring Lake, NJ
Mar 11 John Fisher College
Rochester, NY
Mar 12 May Memorial Church Syracuse, NY
Mar 13 Irish American Heritage Museum
Albany, NY
Mar 16 University of Nebraska* Omaha, NE
Mar 18 The Basement* Nashville, TN
May 01 The Univeristy of St Thomas
Houston, TX

Musical Performance
*Multimedia Performance for Irish American Cultural Institute

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