CONNOR WALSH AND SAM RYAN – Double Album Launch – The Sorry Head, Exeter August 26th 2017

Connor Walsh And Sam Ryan
Emma, Connor and Sam – Photograph by Jean Camp

A double whammy album launch with best friends Connor Walsh and Sam Ryan launching their EP’s to the world, The Hardest Part and The Traveller respectively at the Sorry Head in Exeter, and it was a very busy affair. They clearly have their fans and supporters as the venue was packed.

Kicking off the proceedings was Sam’s sister Anna, who has an amazingly powerful voice for a 16 year old. She was very confident and sang a mixture of cover material and her own songs. The audience loved her and she was very pleased with how she had been received, rightly so. She was joined by brother Sam with a rap song, and by Olive Simpson – and they sang one of Anna’s own songs. I was told by Sam after the gig that Anna can be found in a trio entitled Stepcoat Hill, definitely a lass to watch.

Sam then took the stage, promoting his debut EP – The Traveller. Although he did start the set with an Arctic Numbers set, just because he wanted to!

‘Men’ from his EP was aired, and all of the guys at the front just launched into audience participation of dancing and clapping. The same thing happened with the second song of the EP – ‘High’. Sam was very confident and loving the chance to air his work. So did the revellers.

Change of tempo then to ‘The Beach Of Camlann’, a sad tale of death, and then ‘Shield Wall’. A very powerful and racy number, filled with percussion of clapping from the audience who knew the song, including the shouting of “yay” in the right place. Connor was seen throughout the set supporting his friend from the audience. A couple of songs followed including one that was so new he couldn’t remember the lyrics. Great stuff! More in the pipeline! Sam graciously thanked his family and friends for their support.

A short intermission ensued after which Connor literally bounced onto the stage! He had been very excited all evening and at last had his chance to unleash his EP on the world! As he started playing, a string broke on his guitar, so had to borrow Sam’s but didn’t seem fazed at all, and continued some banter while sorting all this out.

Connor started with ‘Remember Me’, a number I don’t know but got us all in the mood, and we had an impromptu drummer who used the bar for percussion, he was clearly having a good time. Emma Mcelhinney who plays violin and bodhran on the album was on stage with Connor, and a very talented musician as she played both and the keyboard during the launch plus violin and played the Cajun drum with a foot pedal while playing something else! Sam and his friends took over the dance floor space in front of the stage and were having a great time. Again plenty of audience participation, we didn’t have a choice, and HAD to join in! Connor is a very strong presence on the stage, you don’t start playing on your mobiles while he is playing, he is too strong a personality. Emma played keyboard on a song I hadn’t heard before, ‘I Cant Go Back’, and sang too – lovely harmonies.’The Dance of Death’ fuelled the dance revellers, ‘The Call’ came next, after which Connor decided his waistcoat had to come off!

‘Hold On’ off the album slowed the tempo, Connor then played a mandolin for ‘Fellow Man’ from the album, which has an Irish feel. The last song was ‘Down The Line’ and had everyone dancing including Connor’s Grandad – Barry Walsh – who helped to sponsor the album along with Rev Hammer. Barry also was dragged into the main area of dancing and he did a very good pogo dance with plenty of stamina! Well done Barry!

Sam joined Connor on stage and gave a very heartfelt thanks to his dad – Rev Hammer for his tremendous input into the album financially and mentoring, for his faith in both himself and Connor and also thanks Barry Walsh, Alex Johnstone for producing the album, also sister Anna for opening, not forgetting Emma and The Sorry Head for allowing them to use the venue for the launch. Connor thanked his grandad Barry for all his support, they clearly have an amazing bond, also his father, his own girlfriend Charlie too for all her support, and I saw her afterwards doing the ‘roadie’ bit while the lads were basking in glory and talking to their fans.

These two are going places. Keep a good watch out for them. They are both very visual so a live gig is a must! Buy their EP and support them, as they are up and coming talented singer/songwriters.

Jean Camp

Follow Conner on Twitter: @gutterratking and Facebook: www.facebook.com/gutterratking

You can purchase the digital download by contacting Sam on his Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/sam.ryan.3720 and on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SamuelRyan8