HamsandwicH

“The Live Album” Now available on Double-Vinyl exclusively at the band’s live shows.

HamsandwicH

New Album: “The Live Album” - Double-Vinyl

Vinyl Release Release date: Dec 5th, 2024

Route 109a Recordings (Self Release), Catalog Number: rou039

Recorded Live in the 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin on Oct. 21^st, 2023.

Recorded and mixed by Darren Clarke, Mastered by Danny Kalb

Design by Colm Molloy, Cover photo by Glen Bollard

HamsandwicH: Niamh Farrell, Podge McNamee, Darcy

HamsandwicH have been one of Ireland’s most steady indie bands over the years as many music acts and trends have come and gone. Not only has HamsandwicH survived but has thrived as the band prepare to release their fifth album and their first Live album. One of Ireland’s most enthralling live acts in the last 21 years, Kells, Co. Meath band HamsandwicH are well known for their incendiary live performances which has established them as one of the top touring acts in the country. Featuring their signature calling card of Niamh Farrell's powerful yet sweet vocal, Podge McNamee's juxtaposing baritone, and Darcy’s soaring guitar riffs, if ever there was a band to feed off their audience it is HamsandwicH; melodic, hook-laden, and heart-warmingly charming.

In 2024 HamsandwicH released their first live album, and the band’s 5^th album overall, simply entitled “The Live Album”. Recorded in Dublin’s prestigious 3Olympia Theatre on October 21^st, 2023, this captured the band’s full live essence as they celebrated their 20^th anniversary. The double-live vinyl album featured a career spanning set-list featuring songs from across their four studio albums “Carry the Meek” (2008), “White Fox” (2010), “Stories From The Surface” (2015), and “Magnify” (2023).

HamsandwicH released their fourth album “Magnify” back on September 30th, 2023 and was their most critically acclaimed album to date. On “Magnify”, the band incorporated an array of fresh influences and electronic soundscapes whilst maintaining melodic motifs integral to

their idiosyncratic style. Of their latest body of work, Niamh reflects, “We’re a band who have constantly evolved over the years and this is our biggest evolution yet.” Initial steps towards this evolution were made when the trio entered the studio in Autumn 2019. Immediately HamsandwicH embraced the concept of making music for themselves, unconcerned with commercial success. “We’re always happy to push ourselves and take risks because we have to keep it interesting. Since we didn’t put pressure on ourselves to write songs for the radio, we felt that we could really do whatever we wanted. This was a really refreshing way to write music because it gave us a great sense of artistic release,” describes Darcy.

Back in April 2015 the band’s third album “Stories From The Surface” debuted straight into the number 1 spot on Ireland’s official album chart, the first time an independent and unsigned Irish act accomplished this feat. With producer Karl Odlum (who also produced “White Fox” and the band’s 2008 debut, “Carry the Meek”) at the helm again, the album was recorded throughout Dublin in 2014 in Westland Studios, Windmill Lane Studios, Bow Lane Studios as well as his own studio. Along with such a continuous thread stitched throughout the band’s existence is – as Podge has referenced – a quest to be different yet distinctive. “You want to aim for, achieve and retain these,” says Niamh, “so that people can listen to the new material and know it isn’t going to sound like previous albums, yet it’s still going to sound like HamsandwicH. You want, ideally, people to hear the song on the radio without the DJ or presenter introducing the band name, but the listener will know it’s us.”

Looking back on the band’s 2010 second album, Podge McNamee reflects “It’s good that the songs on “White Fox” are still loved; for such a short album it’s had a remarkably lengthy life, and to be honest, reworking “White Fox” through many gigs slowed down the writing for “Stories From The Surface”; in fact, we almost rewrote White Fox, and that was something we weren’t used to. Most bands will tell you that the real way to learn your material is to get out of your comfort zone and strip the songs down to the bare bones.” The “White Fox” album is featured in Irish Times’ writer Tony Clayton-Lea’s acclaimed book ‘101 Irish Records You Must Hear Before You Die’, describing it as a “masterclass in quality indie pop.”

Prior to the release of their debut album “Carry the Meek” in 2008, HamsandwicH were initially known as a singles-band with a successful run of independent and self-financed singles between 2005 to 2008 - "Sad Songs", “St. Christopher”, “Words”, “Click...Click...Boom!”, “Keepsake”, “Never Talk”, and “Broken Glass”. The “Carry the Meek” album was released in early 2008 compiling these singles plus three addition songs. Following the album’s release, the band were presented with the Hope for 2008 Meteor Award as voted for by the listeners of RTE 2FM.

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