The Van Diemens

“Outsiders, social misfits, anti-establishment merchants posing as romantic outlaws.” A description that usually precedes the arrival of The Van Diemens. They like to think it doesn't take much imagination to know that the bad guys are infinitely more interesting than the good guys.The Van Diemens is made up of J-Healy vocals/mojo, Captain Conor Brady on guitars/spiritual guidance, J.D. Wilde on drums/social strategy, Dr Cian Boylan on piano/medicinal prognosis and Paul ‘Navigator’ Moore on Bass. All of these guys are well seasoned musicians from Irish, European and World tours in addition to countless albums they have performed on for a host of international acts including Van Morrison, Duke Special, Camille O’Sullivan, Toots and the Maytals, etc.The Van Diemens have been performing an evening of the classic Cave, Waits and Cohen songs to packed houses and tumultuous reviews over the past number of months. The show has been described as ‘a holy trinity of songwriters interpreted by their degenerate cousins.’How? you might well ask did all this come about. In the winter of 2008, J-Healy got together with his highly accomplished bunch of musical friends in a disused garage a few miles north of civilisation on the west coast. With force 9 gales blowing, leaking roofs, cold water showers and the sea roaring with the souls of all who’d drowned in it, the band started to work up original material that reflected the isolated setting. When Healy began writing songs that portrayed everything from sin, murder, love, death, regret, hope, etc the band attacked these stories with heart lifting atmosphere and a power rarely harnessed by mere mortals. Furthermore, whilst sheltering at the crossroads of misery and abandon the single golden thread that joined it all together, apart from their renegade reputations, was their shared love of songs by artists that are synonymously associated with life affirming tales, enter Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen. Their respect for the work of these gentlemen does not stop at listening admiration… you simply must experience The Van Diemens live show to feel the heaven-opening maelstrom of beauty they present.Ladies and gentlemen, The Van Diemens are the crusading dark horses that keep the mysteries of life alive, please give all the support you can to ensure that they are heard and enjoyed by as large an audience as possible.