KÍLA

[Ireland]

18/O7

Main stage

The Kíla group, which performed at Globaltica in 2012, was remembered as an exceptionally energetic band that won the hearts of the festival audience with a spontaneous, lively jam session played together with the charismatic artist Dobet Gnahoré from the Ivory Coast, who also performed that evening. To celebrate our anniversary, the Irish are returning to Gdynia with new music and even greater stage energy.

Kíla is an Irish band from Dublin, which has been consistently developing its own, extremely original style since the late 80s – combining traditional music with elements of rock and improvisation. The band members, raised in an Irish-speaking environment, are keen to reach for the local variety of Gaelic (Gaeilge), which gives their songs additional cultural and emotional depth. Their music is a combination of Celtic heritage with openness to new sounds – lively, intense and full of character.

The band’s sound is deeply rooted in tradition – you can hear folk instruments typical of Irish music, such as the bodhrán, uilleann pipes and thin whistle, but the band does not hesitate to reach for more unusual means of expression, drawing inspiration from Africa, Asia and Australia. Thanks to this, their songs gain exceptional rhythmic depth and colour, while remaining faithful to the spirit of Celtic music.

On stage, Kíla is a pure energy – the band’s concerts are an intense experience, full of pulsating rhythms, improvisation and trance, which is instantly transmitted to the audience. The group is known for its openness to cooperation with other artists (they have played with such aces as U2, Sinead O’Connor, Shane McGowan and The Chieftains) and projects – they have created music for award-winning animated films such as The Secret of Kells and Secrets of the Sea.

Kíla is one of the most interesting phenomena on the contemporary Celtic music scene – their work combines a deep respect for tradition with the courage of musical experimentation, and the extraordinary stage energy makes their concerts memorable for a long time.

Musicians:

Antonis Antoniou – electric tzouras / vocals / electronics
Manos Stratis – bass synth / organ
Will Scott – bass clarinet
Ulaş Öğüç – drums / triggers