Culture Club is proud to present ‘These Are the Waves: A celebration of the music of Conway Savage’, a series of events dedicated to the life, music, and legacy of Conway Savage, and his unique connection to Dundalk. The centrepiece is a concert of his music at The Spirit Store on Friday September 12th, featuring a stellar line-up of musicians who worked closely with Conway throughout his career. Among those confirmed to perform his songs are Mick Harvey (Birthday Party, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds), Suzie Higgie (Falling Joys), Terry Edwards (PJ Harvey), Jim Yamouridis, Robert Tickner (Conway’s band). This promises to be a very special show.
Conway Savage was the pianist/keyboard player and backing vocalist with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds from 1990 until his untimely death in 2018. He contributed to so many acclaimed studio albums including Henry’s Dream, Let Love In, Murder Ballads, The Boatman’s Call, No More Shall We Part, and created memorable vocals on tracks such as ‘When I first Came to Town’, ‘The Willow Garden’ and ‘Right Out of Your Hand’. Beyond his work with the Bad Seeds, Conway was a fiercely independent and highly regarded solo artist. He released eight records on his own label, Beheaded Communications. This year sees the long overdue release of his back catalogue on streaming services and an anthology collection on vinyl. The time has come for his work to be rediscovered and re-appraised.
Conway’s relationship with Dundalk began back in September 2000, when he performed at the newly opened Spirit Store, alongside fellow Australian musician Suzie Higgie, playing songs from their recent collaboration ‘Soon Will Be Tomorrow’. This concert marked the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship with Mark Corcoran and Dundalk. Over the next decade, Mark released Conway’s back catalogue in Ireland via Country Gent Records, organised numerous tours nationwide, and brought Conway’s music to new audiences. Conway loved playing here and loved Dundalk. He recorded many times at Derek Turner’s Tumbleweed Studios, where with Derek, he mixed his live album appropriately titled, Live in Ireland in 2008, producing Mark’s second album, The Moon is X-raying the Earth and where he made his final record, Pussy’s Bow in 2009. It is fitting, then, that Dundalk and The Spirit Store, should now host this long overdue celebration, honouring Conway and his extraordinary musical legacy.
Photo Credit: Bleddyn Butcher
This project is supported by the Arts Office of Louth County Council