MacD on Music: Cora Harkin to headline Derry gig

Somehow, we’re into the second week of September. Following a summer filled with brilliant gigs from the likes of TRAMP, The Marra and the late Parker, autumn is already showing that it can hold it’s own. Announced so far, we’ve got CHERYM (October 29th in Sandino’s), Shasma (this Friday in Bennigan’s. More on that later) and, the subject of this week’s column, Cora Harkin.

Cora has been a regular feature of these fine pages, starting all the way back in column #3 (available to read via my Instagram @domhnallmacdermott) and since then has released a string of entirely self-penned singles, the most recent, ‘Record’s Over’, coming out a few months ago. Next Friday (September 19th) she will be playing a headline gig with her band in the Nerve Centre. I caught up with Cora to talk about the gig:

“We will be supported by a band called Reflect who are very, very good. They came to my HMV gig in Belfast and we asked them face-to-face and they were so excited to do it. They’re also female fronted, so that was a massive appeal for me. I’ve got a really good set-list going for it and I’m going to have a new original song played at it so we’re looking at a new release either shortly before or shortly after.”

“It’s my third headline and it’s going to be in the big room so it’s going to be a pretty awesome night. We’ve got the full band, we’re going to have merchandise, it’s going to be pretty lit. I’m very excited for it and so are the band. In my band we have Aaron Diamond on lead guitar, then Jacob Robinson who’s also on lead guitar, because I have to be quirky and have two lead guitarists and I play rhythm. Then we have Amy Hughes on bass and Jack Orr on drums, and they are incredibly talented so I’m really excited to be sharing the stage with them again.”

Next, we talked about her [as of this writing] newest single, ‘Record’s Over’: “It’s been doing amazingly. I think it’s been doing the best of all my singles so far. It’s been picked up by BBC Introducing, Q Radio, Highland Radio, Finn Valley FM, I was the up and coming artist of the week on Q Radio, so they played it every night for a full week.

"It was Cushlá Rice and Noel Bradley and they really pushed it. They were so, so lovely about me the whole week so I have them to thank for that. I was actually in Spain that week and we even tuned in from the hotel room to listen. Out of anything I’ve done it’s got the most radio play. I’m trying to hit it on TikTok a bit more now but radio wise it’s doing really well. People seem to like listening to it.

"It’s a very listenable track. I’m not saying that any of my other tracks aren’t, but ‘Record’s Over’ is kind of easy to just have on, as opposed to the rest of them in my opinion. It’s one of my favourite tracks by far. The production, the sound, everything, and I love the chord progressions in it as well.”

I asked Cora about any other local bands she’s into at the minute: “I look up to CHERYM so much. I think they’re an absolutely amazing female-fronted band in Derry. They’re a huge inspiration to me. Also, I love TRAMP. They’re really good. Lavengro as well, they’re awesome. I feel like they’re some of the only artists on the Derry scene that produce pop music.

"All the guys in my band are in other groups too. Aaron and Jack would be in Sensory Overload and Aaron’s in Seventh Heaven. Another band who are up and coming recently are my friends in Intuition. They’re female fronted as well and they’re the nicest girls so I’m wishing them all the best. Aaron’s in every band going. He’s crazy talented. He’s in this band called Pseudonym too.”

We closed with some more upcoming gigs: “I’m supporting Hothouse Flowers on December 27th in the Guidhall. I would say this is the biggest deal so far. That’s going to be really exciting. I’ve got a pretty good set in mind for that. It’s a solo gig, no band, so I’m really, really excited for it.”

And that’s it from Cora. Tickets for her headline gig in the Nerve Centre on September 19th are available at nervecentre.org for £5 plus booking fee and doors are at 7pm.

READ MORE: MacD on Music

Now, onto other business. This Friday (September 12th) will see the launch of Shasma’s music video for their song ‘Employee of the Month’ in Bennigan’s. The gig will is an alternative variety show with performances from most of the cast, including Shasma themselves, Frank Rafferty, GRIM17, Miss Mary Jane, Robert Peoples, Leah McDaid, Shazz White, Margo Carr and myself. Tickets are £7 online or £10 on the night with doors at 8pm.

Finally, time for the socials. Shasma can be found on Instagram @shasma.music and Cora on Instagram and TikTok @coraharkinmusic.