On Friday 8th August in Quaglinos another night of magic unfolded. Candlelight flickered on wooden tables, the remnants of summer air hummed with anticipation—and then, Joshua King stepped into the soft glow.
Joshua (
@joshua.king_muse ) is young in years, but ancient in soul. His words drifted across the room, each lyric like a poised whisper that belied his age. Original songs rode on his voice like well-worn stories—sure-footed and honest. Then came his tribute to Leonard Cohen’s So Long, Marianne - a moment of pure communion when the audience, enchanted, lifted their voices into backing vocals. The hush afterward felt sacred. Joshua is one to watch for sure. A remarkable talent, not only as a songwriter but also as a poet. Follow him and watch him achieve greatness.
After Joshua’s awe-inspiring performance, Blue Denim (
@blue.denim.music ) hit the stage.
Five souls, one electrifying heartbeat: Paul “Chief” Carolan and Seán Fee weaving soulful leadership, with Shane McKenna anchoring low-end grooves on bass, Sharon McArdle lighting up keys with shimmering chords, and Joe Toal on drums driving it all forward. They unleashed a funky, soulful groove that had the crowd wrapped around their fingers—feet shuffling beneath tables, mad to dance, pulses racing, every chorus felt like a communal exhale. The vibe was akin to The Commitments, but with a unique Dundalk sense of humour breathing life and character into every note, every beat.
By the end of the night, a lovely €137 was raised for
@womensaiddundalk , each euro echoing the generosity of spirit that filled the room.
What a night. We left fuller—of music, of communion, of purpose.
Thanks to all of the performers for their time and generosity with their talent. To the audience for the wonderful reception and to
@_mochara for having us.
Until next time!
Big love,
Mark xoxo
P.s. I played too but I’m not going to start waxing lyrical about myself and I have no photos of me 😂
