Dublin folk singer and songwriter Aoife Scott finishes her US tour prior to heading for Britain in April
Aoife Scott (photo by Brooke Billick)DUBLIN-BASED folk singer Aoife Scott brought her spring tour through Milwaukee in March with a heartwarming performance at Milwaukee’s Irish Cultural & Heritage Center.
Former winner of the Irish Post Music Awards - Folk Artist of the Year, Aoife Scott hails from the musical Black family of singers in Ireland and is the daughter of Mary Black.
Aoife Scott was accompanied by her co-writer and collaborator Andy Meaney, as well as by guest fiddler Joanna Hyde of the band One for the Foxes. Her set featured a combination of new music interspersed with favourites from her debut album Carry The Day and her 2020 release HomeBird.
Music is clearly part of her DNA. Scott has previously declared her family to be “annoyingly talented.” During her set, she recalled the missive from her Granny Black that everyone must learn to sing. In fact, she likened her upbringing to the von Trapp family where “they kept having babies and they all kept on singing.”
Aoife Scott’s music offers sweeping celebrations of love, family and heritage. At times, her voice sweetly lilts through the air in an almost ethereal manner, highlighted in The Growing Years. Almost like a leaf blowing through the wind.
The trio in action (photo by Brooke Billick)At other times, Aoife Scott’s voice takes on an intensity and an edge, especially with songs such as Ireland’s Hour of Need and We Know Where We Stand, about dark chapters in Ireland’s history and national struggles culminating in independence. The fierce pride of her Irish heritage shows through in the lyrics and frenetic tempo of Irish Born.
Scott’s music has a wonderful melodic quality that carries a listener along much like floating on a wave. Her music is also intensely personal, drawing on the joys and heartaches of her life. She bravely and openly addresses the issues of mental health and depression in her music, both personal and involving beloved family members. Her music and stories touch her audiences deeply seeking to increase a listener’s sense of empathy towards others.
During the set, Scott brought the audience into her life with extensive stories of her family and her upbringing. Some of her stories were bittersweet, including her family member who, while suffering from dementia, could still accompany Aoife word-for-word on a song. Her reminiscences were filled with a deep love of family and friends who have influenced her life and accompanied on her life’s path.
At times, Scott admits to a bit of anxiety in her live performances. Anxiety certainly was unnecessary before this evening’s audiences, many of whom have seen her on several occasions and welcomed her quite warmly.
Andy Meaney (photo by Brooke Billick)Andy Meaney has been an integral part of Aoife Scott’s life for many years co-writing many of her songs as well as his own, which Scott performs. His was a steady and guiding presence on stage alongside the singer. Meaney’s acoustic guitar features a second pickup increasingly common among contemporary Irish bands, positioned sideways under the two bass strings. When activated through his octo-pedal, Meaney provided an extra punch on “Wondering.”
Scott’s emotion is palpable in her music. This was shown best through Another Reason. Throughout the song and chorus, “You’re another reason for the sun to shine,” her voice embraces you as the listener, virtually holding your hand and drawing you into an intense embrace of love and affection.
Scott acknowledged that Milwaukee feels like a second home to her. As with many Irish artists, her first experiences in the US included appearances at Milwaukee Irish Fest, an annual August tradition entering its 43rd year as the world’s largest celebration of Irish music and culture. After a show the prior night in Chicago, Scott told the audience that she took a deep breath when driving across the state border into Wisconsin.
Audiences in the Britain can look forward to enjoying Aoife Scott’s music as she embarks on a tour beginning on April 17 at Temperance Bar in Leamington Spa. For more information www.aoifescott.com/shows
