The Blizzards
Encyclopedia
The Blizzards are an Irish
band from Mullingar
in County Westmeath
. They were formed by Niall Breslin
(vocals) in late 2004, and also feature Dec Murphy (drums), Justin Ryan, Anthony Doran (bass) and Aidan Lynch (keyboards). They have achieved multiple platinum record sales and have won numerous awards.
Their debut single, the self-released "First Girl to Leave Town", entered the Irish Singles Chart
at number 11 in 2005. The band were then signed to Universal Music Ireland
, and soon had two top ten singles in Ireland with "Trouble" and "Fantasy". Their debut album, A Public Display of Affection, was released in October 2006. The album achieved platinum status in Ireland, with sales of 15,000.
The band's second album Domino Effect was released in 2008. The band entered the Irish Singles Chart
at number two and spawned four singles, the top three track "Trust Me, I'm A Doctor
" plus "The Reason", "Postcards" and "Buy It Sell It". In 2009, they signed a UK record deal with Island Records which will see the release of Domino Effect there.
The band perform annually at Oxegen
, have headlined Indie-pendence
and also supported Oasis
at Slane Concert
in June 2009. Other bands they have supported include Kaiser Chiefs
, The Prodigy
and AC/DC
during their Black Ice World Tour
. A headline show at the Olympia Theatre
, Dublin on December 12, 2009 was their last before they went on hiatus.
in 2005. In July of that year, the band performed at Oxegen 2005
. The following year the band signed a recording contract with Universal Music Ireland
with the band's second single "Trouble" reaching number six in the Irish Singles Chart in spring 2006. The single stayed in the top forty for four weeks. Follow-up singles "Miss Fantasia Preaches" and "War of Words" were released in August and October 2006 respectively. In July the following year, The Blizzards performed at Oxegen 2006
, moving up the billing to perform on the NME stage on this occasion.
. Although critical responses to the album were generally positive, the album remained in the top fifty for only three weeks. However, the band's growing popularity saw the album re-enter the charts in early 2007. A Public Display of Affection reached number 21 in the Irish Albums Chart and remained in the top fifty for 18 weeks from January to June 2007. Two further singles, "Fantasy" and "On the Right Track" were released in 2007 before a Main Stage appearance at Oxegen 2007
.
" released in July. The single, alongside other new and old material as well as a cover of Sam Sparro
's "Black and Gold
", was performed during their 13 July hour-long set on the Main Stage of Oxegen 2008
in front of an estimated 50,000 people. When 10,000 people turned up to watch The Blizzards headline the free Indie-pendence
festival in August 2008, the organiser realised that the festival needed to expand the following year. A string of Irish dates was then announced for September and October 2008, taking in Naas
, Waterford
, Carlow
, Bundoran
, Castlebar
, Portlaoise, Cork
, Limerick
, Drogheda
, Dublin and Galway
. They were selected by the organisers of Hard Working Class Heroes
alongside acts such as Giveamanakick
and Heathers to play the CMJ Festival in New York
in October 2008.
The Blizzards released their second album, Domino Effect on 15 September 2008 to mostly positive reviews, with entertainment.ie
stating the album "does a concrete job in guiding the sextet through their new-found maturity". The album peaked at number two on the Irish Albums Chart
, losing out to Metallica
's Death Magnetic
. The lead single from the album, "Trust Me, I'm A Doctor
" was released on 29 August 2008, going straight to the top of the download charts and debuting at number two on the Irish Singles Chart
, again just being beaten to the top spot, this time by the Katy Perry
single "I Kissed a Girl". "Trust Me, I'm A Doctor" remained in the top ten for four weeks before dropping down to number 13 on 10 October. The second single from the band's second album was "The Reason". The video for the album's third single, "Postcards", premiered on the website of the Irish Independent
in February 2009. The song was performed live on Tubridy Tonight
on 28 February and on The Cafe
on 13 March. The band have also recently covered "Up
" by pop group The Saturdays
. On 15 March 2009, they performed at Nelson's Column
as part of the Saint Patrick's Day
celebrations in London
. The Blizzards performed at the 2009 Meteor Awards at the RDS
, Dublin on 17 March 2009 where they won the meteor for best live performance. The band performed an online gig on 27 May 2009. They did Slane Concert
in June. Their appearance at Oxegen 2009
in July saw them "confident, tight and facing a packed arena". They were also announced as a support act of AC/DC
at short notice after Thin Lizzy
cancelled when their drummer Tommy Aldridge
broke his collarbone in a cycling accident.
In the summer of 2009, the band did a regional UK tour and released their first UK single, "Buy It Sell It". In August 2009, it was announced that The Blizzards had achieved a UK record deal with Island Records
. Their "Trust Me, I'm A Doctor" single will be released there on 28 September 2009. Their Domino Effect album will be released there on 12 October 2009. Their single "And Another Thing...", written in conjunction with Eoin Colfer
's And Another Thing...
novel from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
series, will also be released in the United Kingdom.
The Blizzards took part in the Arthur's Day
events in Dublin on 24 September 2009. They played the Olympia Theatre
, Dublin on 12 December 2009, their biggest headline show to date. The show had sold out several months in advance. In January 2010, The Blizzards went on hiatus.
The Blizzards's single "Buy It Sell It" featured in episode 116: "What Are You Doin' in My Life?" of the hit US series Cougar Town
, airing 3 March 2010.
said "We were told by a few people that the first album didn't reflect the energy of the live shows, so that's what we were aiming for this time around,". After the album's completion he stated "We couldn't be happier with the end result – it's exactly what we were aiming for."
nominees and winners.
They received the award for Best Irish Live Performance at the 2009 Meteor Awards. They were nominated in the category of Best Irish Pop Act at the 2010 Meteor Awards
.
|-
| 2008
|| The Blizzards || Best Irish Pop Act ||
|-
| 2008 || Oxegen 2007
|| Best Irish Live Performance ||
|-
| 2009 || The Blizzards || Best Irish Band ||
|-
| 2009 || The Blizzards || Best Irish Pop Act ||
|-
| 2009 || Oxegen 2008
|| Best Irish Live Performance ||
|-
| 2010
|| The Blizzards || Best Irish Pop Act ||
|-
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
band from Mullingar
Mullingar
Mullingar is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act of 1542, proclaimed Westmeath a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath...
in County Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
. They were formed by Niall Breslin
Niall Breslin
Niall Breslin is an Irish singer and former sportsperson. He found success as the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter with ska-punk/pop band The Blizzards and as a co-writer and producer with 19 Entertainment....
(vocals) in late 2004, and also feature Dec Murphy (drums), Justin Ryan, Anthony Doran (bass) and Aidan Lynch (keyboards). They have achieved multiple platinum record sales and have won numerous awards.
Their debut single, the self-released "First Girl to Leave Town", entered the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
at number 11 in 2005. The band were then signed to Universal Music Ireland
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
, and soon had two top ten singles in Ireland with "Trouble" and "Fantasy". Their debut album, A Public Display of Affection, was released in October 2006. The album achieved platinum status in Ireland, with sales of 15,000.
The band's second album Domino Effect was released in 2008. The band entered the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
at number two and spawned four singles, the top three track "Trust Me, I'm A Doctor
Trust Me, I'm A Doctor
"Trust Me, I'm A Doctor" is the lead single of the second album, Domino Effect by Westmeath indie-rock band, The Blizzards. The song was released in the summer of 2008, on the 22nd of August...
" plus "The Reason", "Postcards" and "Buy It Sell It". In 2009, they signed a UK record deal with Island Records which will see the release of Domino Effect there.
The band perform annually at Oxegen
Oxegen
Oxegen is an annual music festival in Ireland held since 2004, sponsored by Heineken. As of 2007, 2008, 2009, the festival has been cited as Ireland's biggest music festival. And by 2009, the festival is cited as the greenest festival, being a 100% carbon neutral event in Ireland. It was previously...
, have headlined Indie-pendence
Indie-pendence
Indiependence is an annual Irish indie-rock music festival, that usually takes place at or near Mitchelstown in County Cork. Indiependence is one of the "little two" music festivals in Ireland, sharing many of its acts with Castlepalooza which is held on the same weekend in Tullamore, County Offaly...
and also supported Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
at Slane Concert
Slane Concert
Slane Concert is a concert held most years since 1981 in the grounds of Slane Castle near Slane, County Meath, in Ireland. The castle is owned by Henry Conyngham, 8th Marquess Conyngham, who was the Earl of Mountcharles until 2009. Slane lies between Navan and Drogheda, about 45 km northwest...
in June 2009. Other bands they have supported include Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
, The Prodigy
The Prodigy
The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other acts, The Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s...
and AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
during their Black Ice World Tour
Black Ice World Tour
Black Ice World Tour was a 2008/2009/2010 concert tour by Australian rock band AC/DC in support of the group's 15th studio album, Black Ice, which was released in October 2008. The tour was the band's first since the Stiff Upper Lip World Tour in 2000/2001.The jaunt began in Wilkes-Barre,...
. A headline show at the Olympia Theatre
Olympia Theatre, Dublin
The Olympia Theatre is a concert hall/theatre venue in Dublin, Ireland, located in Dame Street.-History:Built in 1879, it was originally called the "Star of Erin Music Hall". Two years later in 1881, it was renamed "Dan Lowrey's Music Hall" and was renamed again in 1889 to "Dan Lowrey's Palace of...
, Dublin on December 12, 2009 was their last before they went on hiatus.
History
In May 2010 as frontman niall was away in London pursuing his career as a music producer, the other four members formed an 80's cover band entitled "House Party" playing shows in Dublin's Crawdaddy venue and Sligo's Garavogue Bar. Bass player Anto Doran and Drummer Dec Murphy can now be seen behind the bar of John Daly's Bar in their hometown of Mullingar which they now manage together.Early career
The band's independently-released debut single "First Girl to Leave Town" went to number 11 in the Irish Singles ChartIrish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
in 2005. In July of that year, the band performed at Oxegen 2005
Oxegen 2005
Oxegen 2005 was the second Oxegen festival to take place, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland....
. The following year the band signed a recording contract with Universal Music Ireland
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
with the band's second single "Trouble" reaching number six in the Irish Singles Chart in spring 2006. The single stayed in the top forty for four weeks. Follow-up singles "Miss Fantasia Preaches" and "War of Words" were released in August and October 2006 respectively. In July the following year, The Blizzards performed at Oxegen 2006
Oxegen 2006
Oxegen 2006 was the third Oxegen festival to take place, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Saturday, 8 July and Sunday, 9 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland...
, moving up the billing to perform on the NME stage on this occasion.
A Public Display of Affection
A Public Display of Affection, the debut album of The Blizzards, was released in November 2006. It was produced by US producer Michael Beinhorn, who has previously worked with Red Hot Chili Peppers, Korn, Soundgarden and Marilyn Manson, and debuted at number four in the Irish Albums ChartIrish Albums Chart
The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically...
. Although critical responses to the album were generally positive, the album remained in the top fifty for only three weeks. However, the band's growing popularity saw the album re-enter the charts in early 2007. A Public Display of Affection reached number 21 in the Irish Albums Chart and remained in the top fifty for 18 weeks from January to June 2007. Two further singles, "Fantasy" and "On the Right Track" were released in 2007 before a Main Stage appearance at Oxegen 2007
Oxegen 2007
Oxegen '07 was the fourth Oxegen festival to take place, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Saturday, 7 July and Sunday, 8 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland. The festival was headlined by Muse and Snow...
.
Domino Effect
In late June 2008, the band confirmed via their official website that work on their second album had been completed. Produced once again by Michael Beinhorn, Domino Effect was released on 12 September, with a single entitled "Trust Me, I'm A DoctorTrust Me, I'm A Doctor
"Trust Me, I'm A Doctor" is the lead single of the second album, Domino Effect by Westmeath indie-rock band, The Blizzards. The song was released in the summer of 2008, on the 22nd of August...
" released in July. The single, alongside other new and old material as well as a cover of Sam Sparro
Sam Sparro
Sam Sparro is an Australian singer-songwriter, music producer, and former child actor. His stage name was derived from a family nickname, which in turn was inspired by the Dagenham radio mascot Sammy Sparrow...
's "Black and Gold
Black and Gold (song)
"Black and Gold" is the lead single from Sam Sparro's eponymous first album. The song has been remixed by Max Sanna and Steve Pitron, Paul Epworth, Al Usher, Kings of the Universe, Kromatik and Russ Chimes. The original version of the single was made available on iTunes on 23 March 2008, with the...
", was performed during their 13 July hour-long set on the Main Stage of Oxegen 2008
Oxegen 2008
Oxegen '08 was the fifth Oxegen festival to take place, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Friday 11 July, Saturday 12 July and Sunday 13 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland. For the first time the festival...
in front of an estimated 50,000 people. When 10,000 people turned up to watch The Blizzards headline the free Indie-pendence
Indie-pendence
Indiependence is an annual Irish indie-rock music festival, that usually takes place at or near Mitchelstown in County Cork. Indiependence is one of the "little two" music festivals in Ireland, sharing many of its acts with Castlepalooza which is held on the same weekend in Tullamore, County Offaly...
festival in August 2008, the organiser realised that the festival needed to expand the following year. A string of Irish dates was then announced for September and October 2008, taking in Naas
Naas
Naas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
, Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
, Carlow
Carlow
Carlow is the county town of County Carlow in Ireland. It is situated in the south-east of Ireland, 84 km from Dublin. County Carlow is the second smallest county in Ireland by area, however Carlow Town is the 14th largest urban area in Ireland by population according to the 2006 census. The...
, Bundoran
Bundoran
Bundoran is a town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in the north of Ireland. The town is located on the N15 road near Ballyshannon, 3 hours drive from Dublin and around two and a quarter hours drive from Belfast...
, Castlebar
Castlebar
Castlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town by population. The town's population exploded in the late 1990s, increasing by one-third in just six years, though this massive growth has slowed down greatly in recent years...
, Portlaoise, Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
, Dublin and Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
. They were selected by the organisers of Hard Working Class Heroes
Hard Working Class Heroes
Hard Working Class Heroes is an Irish music festival for emerging bands. It has taken place in Dublin on an annual basis in and around September of each year since 2003...
alongside acts such as Giveamanakick
Giveamanakick
Giveamanakick—typeset as giveamanakick and abbreviated as GAMAK— were an Irish rock music duo from Limerick. The two band members were Stephen Ryan , the vocalist and guitarist, and Keith Lawler , the drummer.Giveamanakick performed regularly in Ireland, toured the United Kingdom with...
and Heathers to play the CMJ Festival in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in October 2008.
The Blizzards released their second album, Domino Effect on 15 September 2008 to mostly positive reviews, with entertainment.ie
Entertainment.ie
entertainment.ie is a Dublin-based Irish website which provides extensive cinema, TV, live music, theatre, comedy, exhibition and festival listings for free, as well as celebrity gossip, music and movie news, movie and DVD reviews, CD reviews and up-to-date lottery results.The site was developed in...
stating the album "does a concrete job in guiding the sextet through their new-found maturity". The album peaked at number two on the Irish Albums Chart
Irish Albums Chart
The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically...
, losing out to Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
's Death Magnetic
Death Magnetic
Death Magnetic is the ninth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on September 12, 2008 through Warner Bros. Records. It was the band's first album to feature bassist Robert Trujillo and the first to be produced by Rick Rubin, making this Metallica's first album...
. The lead single from the album, "Trust Me, I'm A Doctor
Trust Me, I'm A Doctor
"Trust Me, I'm A Doctor" is the lead single of the second album, Domino Effect by Westmeath indie-rock band, The Blizzards. The song was released in the summer of 2008, on the 22nd of August...
" was released on 29 August 2008, going straight to the top of the download charts and debuting at number two on the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
, again just being beaten to the top spot, this time by the Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
single "I Kissed a Girl". "Trust Me, I'm A Doctor" remained in the top ten for four weeks before dropping down to number 13 on 10 October. The second single from the band's second album was "The Reason". The video for the album's third single, "Postcards", premiered on the website of the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
in February 2009. The song was performed live on Tubridy Tonight
Tubridy Tonight
Tubridy Tonight is an Irish chat show hosted by Ryan Tubridy that aired for five series on RTÉ One between 2004 and 2009. The programme featured guest interviews , audience participation and live music from both a guest music group and the house band...
on 28 February and on The Cafe
The Cafe (chat show)
The Cafe was an Irish chat programme aimed at youthful persons. It was broadcast on RTÉ Two as part of the TTV strand each Friday evening at 19:00, having switched from its previous location in the Thursday scheduling from 7 November 2008....
on 13 March. The band have also recently covered "Up
Up (The Saturdays song)
"Up" is a song performed by British-Irish recording girl group The Saturdays from their debut studio album, Chasing Lights . It was co-written by the track's producers, Josef Larossi and Andreas Romdhane of Quiz & Larossi, in collaboration with Ina Wroldsen...
" by pop group The Saturdays
The Saturdays
The Saturdays are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London, United Kingdom. The group consists of five members Una Healy, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White and Rochelle Wiseman. In 2007 the band were formed through Fascination Records which gave them an instant record deal with...
. On 15 March 2009, they performed at Nelson's Column
Nelson's Column
Nelson's Column is a monument in Trafalgar Square in central London built to commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The monument was constructed between 1840 and 1843 to a design by William Railton at a cost of £47,000. It is a column of the Corinthian...
as part of the Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick , the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of :Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion , the Eastern...
celebrations in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The Blizzards performed at the 2009 Meteor Awards at the RDS
Royal Dublin Society
The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
, Dublin on 17 March 2009 where they won the meteor for best live performance. The band performed an online gig on 27 May 2009. They did Slane Concert
Slane Concert
Slane Concert is a concert held most years since 1981 in the grounds of Slane Castle near Slane, County Meath, in Ireland. The castle is owned by Henry Conyngham, 8th Marquess Conyngham, who was the Earl of Mountcharles until 2009. Slane lies between Navan and Drogheda, about 45 km northwest...
in June. Their appearance at Oxegen 2009
Oxegen 2009
Oxegen 2009 was the sixth Oxegen festival to take place since 2004. It took place on the weekend of Friday 10 July, Saturday, 11 July and Sunday, 12 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland...
in July saw them "confident, tight and facing a packed arena". They were also announced as a support act of AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
at short notice after Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
cancelled when their drummer Tommy Aldridge
Tommy Aldridge
Tommy Aldridge is a veteran heavy metal and hard rock drummer. Aldridge is noted for his work with numerous bands and vocalists, most notable being Black Oak Arkansas, Pat Travers Band, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Whitesnake, Ted Nugent and Thin Lizzy.Self taught, Aldridge was inspired by Cream,...
broke his collarbone in a cycling accident.
In the summer of 2009, the band did a regional UK tour and released their first UK single, "Buy It Sell It". In August 2009, it was announced that The Blizzards had achieved a UK record deal with Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
. Their "Trust Me, I'm A Doctor" single will be released there on 28 September 2009. Their Domino Effect album will be released there on 12 October 2009. Their single "And Another Thing...", written in conjunction with Eoin Colfer
Eoin Colfer
Eoin Colfer is an Irish author. He is most famous as the author of the Artemis Fowl series, but he has also written other successful books. His novels have been compared to the works of J. K. Rowling...
's And Another Thing...
And Another Thing... (novel)
And Another Thing… is the title of the sixth installment of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "trilogy". The book, written by Eoin Colfer, author of the Artemis Fowl series, was published on the thirtieth anniversary of the first book, 12 October 2009, in hardback. It was...
novel from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...
series, will also be released in the United Kingdom.
The Blizzards took part in the Arthur's Day
Arthur's Day
Arthur's Day refers to a series of music events which were first organised in 2009 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Guinness brewing company by its owner Diageo plc....
events in Dublin on 24 September 2009. They played the Olympia Theatre
Olympia Theatre, Dublin
The Olympia Theatre is a concert hall/theatre venue in Dublin, Ireland, located in Dame Street.-History:Built in 1879, it was originally called the "Star of Erin Music Hall". Two years later in 1881, it was renamed "Dan Lowrey's Music Hall" and was renamed again in 1889 to "Dan Lowrey's Palace of...
, Dublin on 12 December 2009, their biggest headline show to date. The show had sold out several months in advance. In January 2010, The Blizzards went on hiatus.
The Blizzards's single "Buy It Sell It" featured in episode 116: "What Are You Doin' in My Life?" of the hit US series Cougar Town
Cougar Town
Cougar Town is an American television sitcom that premiered on ABC on September 23, 2009. The series focuses on a recently divorced woman in her forties facing the often humorous challenges, pitfalls and rewards of life's next chapter, along with her son, ex-husband, and friends who together make...
, airing 3 March 2010.
Style
The Blizzards are a self-described pop band and although critics often refer to them as very bad examples of indie-pop, lead singer Niall Breslin, said that "I don't think Indie exists anymore. I just think Indie is gone. Everyone who gets played on daytime radio is a pop band. Indie was around for Oasis. Indie was around for Blur. There's none of them bands left." When writing their second album, lead singer Niall BreslinNiall Breslin
Niall Breslin is an Irish singer and former sportsperson. He found success as the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter with ska-punk/pop band The Blizzards and as a co-writer and producer with 19 Entertainment....
said "We were told by a few people that the first album didn't reflect the energy of the live shows, so that's what we were aiming for this time around,". After the album's completion he stated "We couldn't be happier with the end result – it's exactly what we were aiming for."
Television/Radio appearances
| Date | Appearance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | The Late Late Show The Late Late Show The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ... |
Performer ("Trouble") |
| 2/12/06 | Tubridy Tonight Tubridy Tonight Tubridy Tonight is an Irish chat show hosted by Ryan Tubridy that aired for five series on RTÉ One between 2004 and 2009. The programme featured guest interviews , audience participation and live music from both a guest music group and the house band... |
Performer ("Fantasy") |
| 21/12/06 | The Cafe The Cafe (chat show) The Cafe was an Irish chat programme aimed at youthful persons. It was broadcast on RTÉ Two as part of the TTV strand each Friday evening at 19:00, having switched from its previous location in the Thursday scheduling from 7 November 2008.... |
Performer ("Fantasy") |
| 21/11/08 | The Cafe | Performer ("The Reason") |
| 28/02/09 | Tubridy Tonight | Performer ("Postcards") |
| 04/03/09 | The Ray Foley Show (Today FM Today FM Radio Ireland Ltd, trading as 100-102 Today FM is an Irish commercial FM radio station which is available nationally. The station, which commenced broadcasting on Saint Patrick's Day in 1997, can be received nationally and carries a mix of music and talk... ) |
Guest |
| 04/03/09 | The Will Leahy Show (RTÉ 2fm RTÉ 2fm RTÉ 2fm, or 2FM as it is more commonly referred to, is Raidió Teilifís Éireann's second national radio station. It broadcasts popular music programming aimed at a young Irish audience.- History :... ) |
Guest |
| 05/03/09 | Fully Charged with Ryan and Tracy (Spin 1038 Spin 1038 Spin 1038 is an Independent Local Radio station in Dublin, Ireland. It is owned by Denis O'Brien's Communicorp group and broadcasts under a sound broadcasting contract with the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. Despite their name, they do not broadcast on the medium wave band , but on 103.8 FM... ) |
Guest |
| 06/03/09 | Seoige Seoige Seoige was an Irish television chat show. The show, hosted by sisters Gráinne and Sile Seoige, was broadcast live on weekdays at 16:30 on RTÉ One, with a hiatus in the summer months. Episodes were repeated at 08:20 the following weekday morning on the same channel.The programme was originally... |
Guest (Niall Breslin Niall Breslin Niall Breslin is an Irish singer and former sportsperson. He found success as the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter with ska-punk/pop band The Blizzards and as a co-writer and producer with 19 Entertainment.... only) |
| 13/03/09 | The Cafe | Performer ("Postcards") |
| 18/03/09 | 2009 Meteor Awards | Performer ("Trust Me, I'm A Doctor Trust Me, I'm A Doctor "Trust Me, I'm A Doctor" is the lead single of the second album, Domino Effect by Westmeath indie-rock band, The Blizzards. The song was released in the summer of 2008, on the 22nd of August... ") |
| 2009 | Xposé Xposé Xposé is an Irish entertainment/celebrity gossip programme, broadcast weekday evenings at 6pm on TV3, with a repeat the following day at 12:50pm on TV3 and again at 6.30pm on 3e .-History and format:... |
Interview (Niall Breslin Niall Breslin Niall Breslin is an Irish singer and former sportsperson. He found success as the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter with ska-punk/pop band The Blizzards and as a co-writer and producer with 19 Entertainment.... Only) |
| 16/10/09 | The Late Late Show | Performer ("And Another Thing...") |
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Label | IRL # Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | A Public Display of Affection A Public Display of Affection A Public Display of Affection is the debut album from Irish band The Blizzards. All lyrics were written by Niall Breslin and all the music was by The Blizzards.- Track listing :# "Freaky"# "Miss Fantasia Preaches"# "Trouble"# "Fantasy"# "War of Words"... |
Universal Music Ireland | 4 |
| 2008 | Domino Effect | Universal Music Ireland | 2 |
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart position |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | "First Girl to Leave Town" | 11 |
| 2006 | "Trouble" | 6 |
| 2006 | "Miss Fantasia Preaches" | 9 |
| 2006 | "War of Words" | 25 |
| 2007 | "Fantasy Fantasy Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common... " |
16 |
| 2007 | "On the Right Track" |
— |
| 2008 | "Trust Me, I'm A Doctor Trust Me, I'm A Doctor "Trust Me, I'm A Doctor" is the lead single of the second album, Domino Effect by Westmeath indie-rock band, The Blizzards. The song was released in the summer of 2008, on the 22nd of August... " |
2 |
| 2008 | "The Reason" |
|
| 2009 | "Postcards" |
24 |
| 2009 | "Buy It Sell It" |
Awards
The Blizzards are multiple Meteor AwardMeteor Music Awards
The Meteor Ireland Music Awards are a group of music awards in Ireland...
nominees and winners.
They received the award for Best Irish Live Performance at the 2009 Meteor Awards. They were nominated in the category of Best Irish Pop Act at the 2010 Meteor Awards
2010 Meteor Awards
The 2010 Meteor Music Awards ceremony took place on Friday February 19, 2010 in Dublin. They were presented by Amanda Byram. The launch took place in La Stampa on January 7, 2010 and was attended by The Coronas and Danny O'Donoghue from The Script....
.
|-
| 2008
2008 Meteor Awards
The 2008 Meteor Music Awards ceremony was held in the RDS, Dublin on Friday, 15 February 2008. Nineteen awards were presented. It was the eighth edition of Ireland's national music awards. The event was later broadcast on RTÉ Two on Saturday, 16 February at 21:00...
|| The Blizzards || Best Irish Pop Act ||
|-
| 2008 || Oxegen 2007
Oxegen 2007
Oxegen '07 was the fourth Oxegen festival to take place, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Saturday, 7 July and Sunday, 8 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland. The festival was headlined by Muse and Snow...
|| Best Irish Live Performance ||
|-
| 2009 || The Blizzards || Best Irish Band ||
|-
| 2009 || The Blizzards || Best Irish Pop Act ||
|-
| 2009 || Oxegen 2008
Oxegen 2008
Oxegen '08 was the fifth Oxegen festival to take place, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Friday 11 July, Saturday 12 July and Sunday 13 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland. For the first time the festival...
|| Best Irish Live Performance ||
|-
| 2010
2010 Meteor Awards
The 2010 Meteor Music Awards ceremony took place on Friday February 19, 2010 in Dublin. They were presented by Amanda Byram. The launch took place in La Stampa on January 7, 2010 and was attended by The Coronas and Danny O'Donoghue from The Script....
|| The Blizzards || Best Irish Pop Act ||
|-