The Guggenheim Grotto

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Guggenheim Grotto


Img_capt = Kevin May, Shane Power, and Mick Lynch of The Guggenheim Grotto
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Dublin, Ireland
Genre = Folk-pop
Years_active = 2003 - present
Label = UFO Music
URL = [http://www.guggenheimgrotto.com/ www.guggenheimgrotto.com]
Current_members = Kevin May, Mick Lynch, Shane Power

The Guggenheim Grotto is a folk-pop band from Dublin, Ireland. Their sound is heavily influenced by artists such as Leonard Cohen, Simon and Garfunkel, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Talking Heads, and Marvin Gaye.

Line-up

* Kevin May - vocals, guitar, keyboards
* Mick Lynch - vocals, guitar, bass, viola
* Shane Power - drums, cajón, keyboards, percussion, melodica

History

Kevin May and Mick Lynch began playing together on the Dublin songwriter circuit, which spawned artists such as Damien Rice, in 2003. They recorded the five-track "A Lifetime in Heat (album)" EP in Kevin's flat, and approached Shane Power for some production work on the recorded tracks, a collaboration that resulted in Shane eventually becoming a member of the band leading into the recording of their first full-length album, "...Waltzing Alone".

In addition to their established fan base in Ireland, they have been gaining fans in the United States due to promotion by radio personalities such as David Dye of WXPN, Nic Harcourt of KCRW, and Kate Bradley of The Loft, as well as an appearance at South by Southwest in 2006 and tours of the States in Fall 2006 and early 2007.

They won the 2007 Independent Music Award for folk/singer-songwriter for their song "A Lifetime in Heat" [http://www.independentmusicawards.com/pages/jukebox2007.asp] [http://www.ufomusic.com/news_detail.php?id=169] , and "Philosophia" was featured as the iTunes Single of the Week for the week of April 16th, 2007.

Discography

EPs

Self-released:
* "A Lifetime in Heat" (2004)
* "Tigers" (September 2008)On the UFO Music label:
* "Told You So" (January 2007)

LPs

Self-released:
* "...Waltzing Alone" ("Irish release") (9 September 2005)
* "...Happy The Man" ("Irish release") (5 September 2008)On the UFO Music label:
* "...Waltzing Alone" ("U.S./Canada release") (26 September 2006)

External links

* [http://www.guggenheimgrotto.com Official Website]
* [http://www.ufomusic.com/artist/index.php?artist_id=158 UFO Music Guggenheim Grotto page]
* [http://www.marinij.com/liberatore/ci_4594019 Review of "...Waltzing Alone" from the Marin Independent Journal]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6455974 Live appearance on the NPR-affiliate WXPN's "World Cafe"]
* [http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/mb/mb060103guggenheim_grotto Live appearance on KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic"]
* [http://www.pastecultureclub.com/2006-12-05.htm Interview on Paste Culture Club podcast]
* [http://www.wnur.org/lit/shows/Spring2006/kevinmay.php Interview of lead singer and principal songwriter Kevin May on WNUR's "The Lit Show"]