Published: Friday, 13th November, 2009 10:00am

Up and coming local band to play Birr and release single

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Described as the sound of heart-felt indie rock, Whatever Jones are returning to the perform some of their new material in The Fighting Cock in Birr on Saturday, November 21.

It will be their first show in the county after supporting John Spillane in the Market Square at the festival last July.

The Offaly-based band has spent the last couple of months in the studio, preparing for their debut album, to be released in summer of next year.

Killeigh singer and songwriter Damian Farrell aka Farlo, has been itching just to perform some of the new songs, which had led to this gig being one of two lined up for this year.

"We have spent a lot of time writing and rehearsing, just to get the desired effect for the studio, just so we know we have pushed ourselves to get the result we wanted, but as any musician should strive to use their creativity on stage, that's where I feel at home and we all feel the same," Farlo adds.

The band consists of four members, leading from the front is Farlo on guitar and vocals, Alan Mannion on drums, Damien O'Connor on bass and Kevin Connelly on guitar.

The band's songs are about topics such as modern life, love, heartbreak and pure festival elation and other such taboo experiences that some bands tend to ignore.

The band members are influenced by the Foo Fighters, the Doors, Weezer, the Stone Roses, U2, the Cranberries, the Dropkick Murphys, Jet, Pearl Jam and Muse, just to mention a few.

It was only last April the band got a surprise message from British 80s icon John Waite who in 1984 had US and UK number one with the song 'Missing You'.

Whatever Jones had recorded an up tempo version of the song. When John head it, he loved the cover version.

Farlo holds his late sister Sylvia responsible as a huge influence on him for his early love for music. "She loved really cool and out-there music, it was unavoidable in my house and I remember her always singing and playing that song," said Farlo.

Farlo was moved to write the band's first single 'Broken' in memory of his late sister and her tragic, untimely death.

"The devastation it left behind is evident in the song, it's as honest as I can be, the whole day is still as clear as it was twelve years ago," he explained.

The band hope to release this song in early February 2010.

Check out Whatever Jones in Birr on November 21 or check www.myspace.com/whateverjonesband or bebo.com/whateverjones.