Gigs / News

The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock will perform Lockout in its entirety one last time at Dublin's Unitarian Church on Saturday, February 2nd, before beginning work on their next album. 

Tickets on sale here.

"In their transformation into this hydra of guitars, what The Spook Of The Thirteenth Lock have done with ‘Lockout’ is create a sonically literate, textured and diverse ensemble piece that moves deftly through genres and time signatures, enriching its characters and enlivening an era." 
Golden Plec

"Amidst the wide-spanning and ambitious storytelling, however, The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock’s aptitude as musicians should not be overlooked. Pairing the soundtrack – be it the shimmer of scene-setting guitar, the trad-folk rumble of the ordinary man’s tale, the light, toe-tappy cadence of a gentle interlude or Blighe’s stoic vocal as he becomes another character in the fascinating narrative, they prove themselves masterful musical storytellers. From start to finish, a remarkable piece of work." The Irish Times

"Lockout proves to be a serious and often extremely powerful artistic statement about a crucial moment in Irish History" Hot Press

"Lockout is perhaps as far from easy listening as you can get, but it's a seriously impressive piece of work that pushes the boundaries of what music can achieve" Sunday Business Post

The Spook will bring "Lockout" to Belfast on Saturday, August 11th with a performance at The Duncairn as part of the Alternative University “Activisms in 2018 Belfast” event.

Check out "The Trams Are Stopped" taken from "Lockout":

Following the success of their sold out St Patrick’s Festival show, The Spook head out on a short tour around the country in support of their acclaimed "Lockout" album.

9th June - Dolan's Warehouse, Limerick (Out on a Limb Records 15th anniversary show)
13th June - Roisín Dubh, Galway
14th June - Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar
15th June - De Barra's, Clonakilty, Co. Cork

Released this March, "Lockout" tells the story of the 1913 Lockout and the struggle of Dublin workers against exploitative conditions led by Jim Larkin and James Connolly’s ITGWU union. Inspired by the recent centenary, “Lockout” blends the band’s traditional influences with a powerful wall of electric guitars, climaxing with Larkin’s immortal call to arms: “The great only appear great because we are on our knees: Let us arise!”

Named after a poem about a haunted canal lock, The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock trace a line from the Irish 60’s folk revival through progressive, kraut and post rock, winning them praise from all quarters. The band released their self-titled debut album in 2008, followed by The Brutal Here and Now in 2012 and have toured Europe, Japan and the US.

“They prove themselves masterful musical storytellers. From start to finish, a remarkable piece of work” - The Irish Times

“An extremely powerful artistic statement about a a crucial moment in Irish history” - Hot Press

“A seriously impressive piece of work that pushes the boundaries of what music can achieve” - Sunday Business Post 

“A sonically literate, textured and diverse ensemble piece that moves deftly through genres and time signatures, enriching its characters and enlivening an era” - Golden Plec

The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock expand to an 18-piece electric guitar orchestra on their third album “Lockout”.

We will release our third album "Lockout" on March 16th, 2018. The album will be available on vinyl, CD as well as on all digital and streaming formats.

The launch will be on the same day at 7:30pm at The Pepper Canister Church as part of the St. Patrick's Festival with a full orchestra performance of the album. Tickets are €13.50  and available here.

See more details about "Lockout" here

Pre-order details to follow soon. Check out the video for "The Hare and The Fraternity" taken from "Lockout - Movement III":

We will launch the 12” of our 1916 piece “The Bullet in the Brick” with a special performance in Whelan's on Thursday, December 1st. This will be a performance with electric guitar orchestra, featuring 18 musicians.

Recorded ahead of ‘Lockout’, our multi-movement work set for release in early 2017, "The Bullet in the Brick" explores various aspects of the Easter Rising such as the bombing of Dublin by the British gunship "The Helga", the murder of activist Francis Sheehy Skeffington and its attempted cover-up, and finally the Proclamation of the Irish Republic. 

Tickets are €10 including booking fee and are available online from the WAV Tickets (Lo-Call 1890 200 078) or Tickets.ie

The 12" is available to pre-order now and will be released on November 25th.