Alban Fùam (from the Gaelic "celebration of light and sound") is an Italian band that describes Ireland by performing captivating Irish and Celtic songs skilfully rearranged with a rather modern flavour and unique taste. Their music blends together folk, country, jazz and Celtic traditions, producing tunes punctuated with frantic virtuoso violins and nostalgic Irish pub ballads in a riveting multicultural melting pot.
The band was formed in 2009 and, after many recordings and live gigs in Italy and Ireland, Alban Fùam had the honour to perform a live concert with violinist Frankie Gavin and singer Michelle Lally, in front of a large audience. The show was sold-out and the following year three of the songs from that live performance were released. At that time, they realized that Irish music was their true love.
The album, produced by the label Maxy Sound, includes songs like "The fields of Athenry", probably the most popular song about the Great Famine which raged over Ireland from 1845 until 1849. The main character of this song is a poor man awaiting transportation to the penal colony Botany Bay for stealing corn in order to feed his children. While imprisoned his thoughts wander off to the fields of Athenry, a small village just east of Galway Town.
"Whiskey 'n beer" includes other well-known tunes such as "The Star of the County Down" which tells the story of a young farmer who courts the girl he fell in love with and " The Irish rover" a sailing ship and her riveting (though improbable) adventures. The album then flows into the heart-wrenching melody of "Molly Malone" (also known as "Cockles and Mussels" or "In Dublin's Fair City"), which has also become the unofficial anthem of Dublin City, where the ghost of a young fishmonger is brought back to life, thanks to the deep and warm timbre of Pietro, the lead singer.
In "Whiskey 'n Beer" the Alban can express all their energetic vibe, drawing the audience into an astounding entrancing experience where folk tales, history and endless Irish landscapes come alive while the listeners can enjoy, dance and sing along, ideally in front of a nice pint of Guinness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut2i1MSGvys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvRJ6om0SYw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfZAZ9ToPg8
