This song just kills me, night after night. I’m on tour with The Milk Carton Kids right now. We just pulled into World Cafe Live in Philly. 9 more days left. Couldn’t be having a better time.  

Happy New Year! I opened for Punch Brothers in NYC the other night and decided to throw this little gem into my set…

Flora Recording, Portland. Makin’ a record.

It’s Labor Day. Does this really mean that we can’t wear white anymore? 

I’m back in NYC after a 3 week trip.  It started with a tour of the Midwest (Bayfield, Milwaukee, Chicago, Rock Island, and Minneapolis) and ended with a teaching stint at Valley of the Moon Fiddle Camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I’d been hearing about Milwaukee Irish Fest for years, and it was, indeed, all it was supposed to be.  Here’s a video of us on the Tipperary Stage, taken right after I’d been heckled for not being “from Ireland.”  Whatever, my name is 80% vowels.  

At Valley of the Moon, I directed 10 little girls and a few grown men in a “Goddess Play.”  I forgot to bring my faerie wings home, BUT I’ll be prancing about like a singing pegasus tomorrow night at Rockwood.  Come listen.  

Tuesday, September 4
AODB at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2
with Charlie Rose on steel, Ryan Scott on guitar, Jake Silver on bass, Robin MacMillan on drums
196 Allen Street, NYC
8:30pm, FREE

This will be a good night on the LES- Sonya Kitchell plays right after us on Stage 2, and next door, Crooked Still comrade Brittany Haas plays with Lauren Rioux at 9, followed by Michael Daves at 10.   

Speaking of Michael Daves, he’s put together an incredible event later this month that I am honored to be a part of.  This concert, featuring Thile & Daves, Noam Pikelny, Chris Eldridge, Kristin Andreassen, The Calamity Janes, Andy Statman, etc, will benefit the Old First Reformed Church in Park Slope. Click here for details, and mark your calendars: September 23 at the Bell House.

One more exciting bit of news.  Trumpet guru Dave Douglas has made a new album of called “Be Still.”  I’m singing on 6 tunes, and the quintet sounds amazing.   The record comes out on September 25th, but you can pre-order here, or come see us at 92Y Tribeca on September 19th.

I’ll be playing a bunch of shows around the Northeast this month before heading to Portland, OR, to begin recording my solo album.  Stay tuned.  

-Aoife

ps: just holler if you don’t want these missives anymore.  

It’s almost the longest day of the year!

I’ve just returned to Brooklyn after a 5 day jaunt around the Northeast, playing some of my favorite rooms with the AODB for the first time.  There were some crazy moments, like when we played the Bonnie Raitt classic Love Letter at the Brighton Music Hall.  After the show, my pal Mark Simos came up to me and was like, “Let me introduce you to Bonnie Hayes, who WROTE that song!”  SHE WAS AT OUR SHOW!  Jake hugged her.  Wish I’d gotten a picture.  

Want to come hear some music on Tuesday night?  I’m playing a free show at Rockwood 2, accompanied by Jake Silver on bass, Charlie Rose on pedal steel, Ryan Scott on electric guitar, and Robin MacMillan on drums.  8:30pm, and then at 10pm we can all go see Michael Daves next door.  196 Allen Street, NYC.

Hey, on the 4th of July, come to Madison Square Park for some music.  I’ll be singing with Noam Pikelny and friends, and can’t wait to hear the Sweetback Sisters!

I suggest listening to Rubber Soul and Revolver back to back as often as possible.  

xo, Aoife

(lemme know if you don’t want these notes anymore)

Here’s a picture of the Hudson River during our set at Clearwater this weekend.  

Photo by Kari Groff

Greetings from the windy banks of the Gowanus Canal.

It’s been a crazy April!  I performed TWICE on A Prairie Home Companion, singing both times with my friend Heather Masse, and got to meet singing heroes like Emmylou and Renee.  Incredible.  Spent a few days in Nashville, jumped up on stage with Punch Brothers, sang with Jesca Hoop on WFUV in the Bronx, recorded harmony vocals on projects by Lissa Schneckenburger and Emy Phelps, and in between it all, baked some chocolate chunk cookies which I garnished with flakes of sea salt.  Yum.  

I’m joining my dear friends Mike & Ruthy for a show on Sunday night at Joe’s Pub.  We’ll both be accompanied by Jacob Silver (bass) and Robin MacMillan (drums), and Ryan Scott will play tasty electric guitar for my portion of the set.  I’ve got a few new gems I’m planning to play, and we’d love to see you there.  

Details:  

Sunday, April 29th
Joe’s Pub
Mike&Ruthy (with Aoife opening)
9pm, $15
tickets HERE

Have you guys checked out the Van Morrison Pandora station?  It’s pretty amazing.  Also, LISTEN IMMEDIATELY to the latest Radiolab short- it’s called Crossroads.  Mindblowing.  

Enjoy spring, folks.  

I love guitars.  Spent last week up at Humble Abode Studios with Lissa Schneckenburger and Mike Merenda, working on Lissa’s upcoming album of covers.  Beautiful. 

If you want to hear what we came up with last weekend on A Prairie Home Companion, visit www.prairiehome.org for streaming audio.  Heather Masse and I sang some traditionals and originals, a Welch/Rawlings song with Punch Brothers, and became Renee Fleming’s backup singers for two tunes.  I’ll be back on the show this weekend, so get your radios ready.  

A few weeks ago, my dear friend Sarah Jarosz came to NYC.  I jumped up on stage to join her for a Joanna Newsom cover.  Check it out.

Hey folks.  

I’ve just returned from an adventure on the road with Punch Brothers.  My one woman band was the opening act for their recent North American tour, and we had a grand time.  Check out this video of us performing “Here and Heaven” in Chicago, and this video of my new song “Beekeeper” in Portland.  I pressed up a 5 song compact disc called “Peachstone EP” to sell on this run, and while it will remain offline, you can get it at my live shows for the next little while.  

I’m back in Brooklyn now.  Got to sit in with Sarah Jarosz at Joe’s Pub the other night, got to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in style with TWO birthday parties, got to unpack my suitcase for a few days before heading out again…  BUT before that, I’m playing a full band show at Rockwood 2!  My soulsister Kristin Andreassen is playing the set before me, so please come down at 7pm for beautiful songs and a great tequila list.  

Monday, March 19
Aoife’s Band (with J.Silver-R.Scott-R.MacMillan-C.Rose)
Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 2
196 Allen Street, NYC
8:00pm, FREE
(Kristin at 7pm, don’t miss it)

From Brooklyn, I’ll travel across the Atlantic to the Isle of Skye to take part in the Celtic Connections Big Top Festival.  Scotland, I’ve missed you.  Charlie is coming with me to break hearts with his pedal steel, and we can’t wait to connect with The Deadly Gentlemen, Rosanne Cash, The Civil Wars, and Mike McGoldrick, among others.  Our set is on Friday, March 23, just in case you guys happen to be in the area.  

Currently listening obsessively to the new Anais Mitchell record, just finished Another Roadside Attraction by Tom Robbins, flipping out over Christina Courtin’s new music video, and loved this NYT piece that Betsy Plum showed me.  

AO’D