Whenever and wherever you come across the Blarney Brothers you are sure to find a great big, foot-stomping sing-along party. Perhaps it is just because they simply play for the audience. Making music they know everyone will love. It is all helped along with a liberal flavouring of genuine Irish Blarney and humour because the Blarney Brothers are as Irish as shamrock and poteen.
Their music is a mixture of Irish ballads, foot tapping pub songs, popular newies and the occasional Irish jig.
It is a tribute to their popularity that 30 years after their first performance, at the Astra Hotel in Durban, they are still one of South Africa’s top five acts. In fact their history goes back even further as they served their musical apprenticeship playing in the Irish ‘Showbands’ for 10 years before arriving on South African soil.
The Blarney Brothers established their enduring and endearing name by playing at ‘The Barn’ in The Athlone Hotel, Durban every Wednesday and Friday for 13 years. Since finishing there in 1991 they are now travelling further and further afield, often driving more than 10,000 kilometers a month all over South Africa and neighboring states such as Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and even as far as Malawi.
The Band has also performed internationally with great success. They have played in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Macau, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Australia and the UK.
The Blarney Brothers’ six part television series, ‘You don’t have to be Irish’ was filmed on location in Ireland and screened on South African television on two occasions in 1994 and 1995. In February, 1999 the Blarneys were the feature Band on South Africa’s number one television program ’Noot vir Noot’ and on St. Patrick’s Day, March 1999, they had a spot on ‘The Kelly Show’ screened in Ireland.
The Band have also made guest appearances on the Dali Tambo Show and The Tony Sanderson Show.
They have made 11 albums of their popular sing-along, party and Irish songs, the latest three, which are only available on CD are called ‘Showtime’, ‘Party Collection’ and ‘Dancing on the Tables’
Be sure to catch this popular party band, live at Carnival City on Thursdays, starting Thursday, 28th of September to Thursday, 26th of October. Entrance is free.
