Orwells '84

Like a phoenix formed from the ashes of 2015, Orwells ’84 are a unique musical outfit based in Dundalk. With a huge variety of musical influences ranging from David Bowie, Guy Garvey and Nick Cave to the Libertines, the Arctic Monkeys and Led Zeppelin, the band have created a neo-psychedelic sound among influences from the roots of blues and rock ’n’ roll. Since their formation, they have shown a confidence in both the style and deliverance of their music, both live and while recording. 

 Their debut release, Eye for an Eye, had been anticipated by people in the Dundalk music scene for some time.

 The band have already performed in several notable venues in the North East. In November 2017, they took to the main stage in the Spirit Store in Dundalk and delivered. They have performed in Whelans several times and are currently looking to expand their roster of venues from more than just the East Coast. The band have currently set their sights on the festival stages and have high ambitions to move swiftly through the Irish music scene in 2019. 

Orwells ’84 was essentially Damien McKenna, who was joined by John Mellon (bass guitar) and Seán Byrne (lead guitar/bouzouki/backing vocals) in late 2016. The following year brought about the addition of strings and more vocals in the form of Ella Englishby (cello/harmonium/backing vocals) and Zoe Backwell (violin/backing vocals). 2018 brought about Pauric McCrum (drums) and the current Orwells lineup was complete. With such a large band, one might assume that there is simply a wall of sound. This isn’t the case with Orwells ’84, however. The band have spent countless hours crafting a unique and identifiable sound in both their songwriting and musicianship.