YOU’D think that after 20 years in the business, the butterflies would have well and truly flown for an established artist like Mick Flannery.
Not so, says the singer-songwriter, who will be performing at Live at the Marquee on Friday June 21st.
‘I am a little bit nervous about performing at such a huge venue. I’m used to performing in much more intimate venues. I did play the Marquee a long time ago with John Spillane in 2009 and that was great. I’m nervous but I’m really looking forward to it. And it is always lovely to play a home gig.’
Flannery will be further comforted performing in the marquee with Susan O’Neill, who he worked with on the critically acclaimed album In The Game. ‘I forgot how much I enjoyed it,’ he says of the experience of performing again with Susan.
Flannery has strong links to West Cork, and the title track of his album Goodtime Charlie had its accompanying video filmed here, filmed in Clonakilty Distillery by Christopher Luke, while other parts of the video featuring Mick performing live were recorded in Connollys of Leap.
‘West Cork, there’s nowhere like it. There’s something special about the atmosphere. I’ve played in places like Levis, Connolly’s, DeBarras. They are three of my favourite venues, and they all have a family heritage. It’s a special place.’
Flannery’s voice captures strength and vulnerability. Listening can feel like a personal experience.
Flannery himself went through an emotional rollercoaster over the past 12 months.
His father David, a renowned academic and mathematician, died in August 2023 – ‘I haven’t written about it yet,’ says Mick – and just a month later his eighth album Goodtime Charlie was released.
A tour to promote the album followed, which took him to the US, and he is back there this week performing live ahead of his gig in Cork. Flannery will also get a chance to work on the adaptation of his own work.
‘I’ve been working on a musical, Evening Train. It’s being performed in the Green Room 42 in Times Square, New York,’ he told The Southern Star. The musical is based on his 2007 debut album, and was first performed in a special show as part of the at the Midsummer festival in Cork five years ago. It is heading across the Atlantic this summer, with the final touches being put on the show.
‘When you go back to things you always change and want to make them better. I’m happy where it is at the moment.’
Flannery was due to perform at the famed South by Southwest SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas in March, but pulled out along with many other Irish artists as part of a protest over the arts festival’s sponsorship by the US army.
‘I don’t regret it but I do have mixed feelings,’ said Mick. ‘I was lucky and in a privileged position but some artists it would have meant much more to them to get the opportunity to play there, and the actions of me and others like me put pressure on them not to. So I do have mixed feelings.’
Mick Flannery and Susan O’Neill perform at Live at the Marquee on Friday, June 21st. See ticketmaster.ie
