Seafoam Green’s Dave O’Grady To Play The Parlour On October 27

Dublin-born musician Dave O’Grady brings a soulful approach to . His music is adorned with steel guitar twangs and acoustic guitar strums. There’s also a faint psychedelic aura that’s encompassed within his sound to provide a unique flair. O’Grady’s artistry is shown through his band Seafoam Green, who’ll be putting out their highly anticipated album Topanga Mansion in November. Rustic tones are abundant from track to track and the ears will gravitate toward a listening experience with a groove.

Produced and co-written by Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes, there’s a sense of the flowing throughout Topanga Mansion. Tracks like “Down The River,” “Runaway” and “Lowly Lou” bring a certain amount of grit while “Home,” “Sister” and “Far From Golden” resonate harmonious vibes. It’s a testament to O’Grady’s songwriting versatility. The result is each track offering something different for the listener. There’s nothing boring about the upcoming release and the quality is pleasant, to say the least.

O’Grady will rol through The Parlour in Providence as part of his current solo tour of the United States on October 27. He’ll share the stage with a stripped-down edition of the psych-folk act Viking Jesus, singer-songwriter John Faraone and a trio of keyboardist Matthew Odabashian and guitarists Matt Zajac and Steve Serra. Before this acoustic extravaganza, I had a chat with O’Grady about how he and Robinson met, playing in the United States versus playing in Europe, his musical upbringing and what he has planned for the coming months.

Rob Duguay: How did you and Rich Robinson meet and what was it like to work with him in the studio?

Dave O’Grady: We met in Nashville in 2011, I had just finished touring with a British artist and Rich was producing their next album. They invited me along, as I’d never been to the United States, to hang out and meet people and be part of the process. I wasn’t really aware of The Black Crowes at the time or Rich himself, so we were just two dudes who met and became friends from it. He invited me to open on his European Union tour the following January and that was that; he has been gracious enough to invite on most of his tours since.

RD: That’s great to hear. It’s nice to see an established artist like Rich giving an up and comer like yourself a bunch of great opportunities. Do you live in the United States now or do you still live in Dublin? DO: Yeah, agreed. From the moment I met Rich he has been nothing but positive and educational with me. Since I met him he always sends me books and Youtube videos of certain songs and bands to check out and digest. I live in Liverpool, England, and have done for 10 years, but I’ve been lucky enough to be able to tour the States for three, four and sometimes five months a year for the last number of years. So I kinda live here half the year, just not in one place.

RD: So when it comes to playing in the United States versus playing in Europe, do you notice any similarities or differences between the crowds you play to and the venues you play at?

DO: The shows are a lot bigger in the United States because I’ve been focusing more time and effort over here as well as the luxury of tour supports with Rich. Although I’ll be hitting France and I think Holland in January for the first time in a while, so I’m really looking forward to that. England has a different culture with venues. There are a lot of “listening bars” that when you arrive, it doesn’t look like the people are there very much for the music. Same in Ireland.

RD: Now what was your musical upbringing like when you were growing up in Dublin? The new album definitely has a country-tinged soulful bluesy sound.

DO: My dad is a big music fan, so he always had vinyl records from the ‘60s and ‘70s filling the house as I grew up. I was listening to lots of Creedence Clearwater Revival & John Fogerty as well as The Band, John Martyn and Neil Young. I didn’t have to travel far to find good music when I was young. The new album I feel is a great representation of what I wanted to say under great guidance of someone who has contributed massively to the world of music and for that I am very grateful. It has allowed me to grow massively as a writer.

We had no restrictions for a sound when we made the record. There was no previous material that I had to live up to and there was no major label thinking about radio play or keeping songs less than four minutes. It’s a proper record.

RD: I can tell and that’s fantastic. After this current tour of the United States and the upcoming shows in Holland and France, do you have anything else planned for the coming months?

DO: After the Irish tour from November 5 to the 14, myself and my full band are recreating the Last Waltz in the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. It’s something that I have dreamed about for years until my friend and label boss Dave at Mellowtone Records called me and said he booked the venue, so I have to do it now (laughs). We have a bunch of friends coming and sitting in, so it’s gonna be a great night! Regarding touring, I’m always planning shows about six months ahead, it’s a cyclical life pattern. I plan to hit the United Kingdom and Ireland and the rest of Europe next year as well as coming back to the States for another considerable amount of time. I love playing and touring and I haven’t got any kids yet so I don’t want to stop.

Check out “Sister” via Youtube: .com/watch?v=bdhnnQc4Ktw; RSVP to the event page for October 27 @ The Parlour on Facebook: facebook.com/events/356166874718475; Seafoam Green’s Website: seafoamgreenband.com