O’Rourke concert

CLASSY contemporary Dublin singer-songwriter Declan O’Rourke is to perform a solo show at Mareel later this year.

His honey-deep vocals were previously heard when Transatlantic Sessions came to Shetland in February 2012. Sharing the stage with illustrious names including Raul Malo, O’Rourke’s vocals proved a major hit among the sellout audience at Clickimin.

Now he will headline his own show at Mareel on Friday 25 July, with support coming from Chloe Robertson and a new name on the islands’ music scene, Shetland Times reporter Adam Guest.

O’Rourke will draw on songs from his three solo records, Since Kyabram, Big Bad Beautiful World and Mag Pai Zai, along with some newer material. The latter was BBC Radio Scotland’s album of the week on its release in 2011.

The 37-year-old’s work has been covered by a host of big name acts including Paul Weller, who described the song Galileo (Someone Like You) as “possibly the greatest song written in the last 30 years”.

O’Rourke has been lavished with critical acclaim for his soulful love ballads, playing to sold out crowds in his native Ireland and further afield.

He has performed on the same bill as Bob Dylan, as well as sharing the Transatlantic Sessions stage with vocalists including Malo, Alison Krauss and Tim O’Brien.

O’Rourke has also toured Europe in support of artists including Paulo Nutini, Snow Patrol, Teddy Thompson, The Cardigans, The Divine Comedy and Badly Drawn Boy.

His debut album Since Kyabram scored double platinum sales and garnered multiple awards in Ireland, earning a five-album recording contract with Richard Branson’s label V2.

O’Rourke’s summer show is the latest in a series of shows organised by Ragged Wood Promotions in conjunction with Shetland Arts.

Others previously announced include Roddy Hart & the Lonesome Fire on Friday 7 March and English folk singer and guitarist Martin Simpson on Friday 23 May. Several other concerts are in the pipeline for the second half of 2014.

* Tickets, priced £16 (£14 for concessions), are available from Shetland Box Office now via this link.