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“They were awesome: straight-up rock with a country accent, courtesy of the banjoist Taidhg Burke and ... thanks to Noel Maguire’s effortless voice…the whole room hummed with enthusiasm and pride. I was part of something. Maybe this was a moment that, years from now, I’d remember as a big one." Matt Gross, The New York Times Overwhelming praise for any band, not to mind a group of lads called The Calvinists from Bantry in West Cork, who were unaware that such esteemed company was in their midst at local haunt The Schooner on that fateful night just a few weeks back. Matt Gross’ New York Times review has sparked the kind of industry and media attention that most bands spend years upon years grappling for. A dream come true or a double edged sword for a band of simple pleasures and lashings of passion from the rebel county? Both, if truth be told, but stranger things have happened… Taidhg Burke, Frank Wieler, Noel Maguire and Daragh Coakley came together as The Calvinists in the early part of this year. Before that, each had been in numerous outfits, playing a veritable smorgasbord of sounds from hard rock to rockabilly, indie to blues, all hardworking band members, eking out a living in these recessionary times. Career highs and lows included Daragh’s narrow escape from death as a young teenager in front of a heaving crowd of three, when he crashed from his cajon after an overly enthusiastic epic crescendo, along with Frank and Taidhg’s legendary Blues Brothers tributes, replete with suits and shades, to an adoring home crowd in any living room that would have them. However, it was when they got together in the den at the end of Taidhg’s Ma’s back garden to play records and argue about music, that one strand of communal love shone brighter than the rest: country blues – Woodie Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Jeff Buckley, Tom Waits et al, blared from the battered Argos stereo and the jamming commenced. Jamming turned into writing and soon the lads became a band, with heaps of original material and not a bean to record it with. There was only one solution – gig and save. They needed a name though and, aptly for a band of codgers from the rebel county, they landed on a kick ass, anti-homage to religious reformist and general all round party pooper John Calvin, who believed music was the work of the devil. The Calvinists were sprung on the world and oh how Pastor Calvin must have rocked and rolled in his grave… Like every other band starting out, The Calvinists set to work rehearsing and honing their skills, grabbing every chance to play in front of a crowd by the skin of their teeth, playing each gig like it was their last. With Noel on acoustic guitar and lead vocals, Taidhg on bass, acoustic guitar and anything with strings, Frank on lead guitar and banjo and Darragh banging it out on percussion, they spent their evenings gigging and their days practicing and getting their own material together. Their gigs were a mix of originals and Calvinist style covers, a concoction often sniffed at by musical hierarchy, but a realistic concession for most working bands starting out. When the article by Matt Gross appeared in the New York Times, the band were totally unaware of it. Soon it was brought to Noel’s attention and suddenly the floods gates opened and the phone calls came hard and fast from across the world. Initially flummoxed at the sheer volume of calls and emails and posts, the foursome soon realized that an opportunity like no other had landed at their feet. The burning question now was what to do with it. The other issue firmly in their minds was the realization that hype is fleeting and that in a world of vipers, ready to pounce and put down, it wouldn’t be long before some sort of backlash would hit. They understand they need to prove themselves and are eager to do so. Most bands who manage to bag an international review have already released a record (or four), performed at prestigious industry showcases abroad, had their music featured on One Tree Hill or managed to buy their way onto a support tour slot with some higher beings. The Calvinists haven’t performed outside of Cork yet and while they are sitting on a body of work that they are more than happy with, there is nothing actually recorded and feck all in the kitty to pay for studio time. But thanks to long, firm family friendships and good karma, celebrated songwriter Donagh Long and sound engineer Marc de Zoeten have come on board to record and produce the debut LP. The most important elements for the band now are to make the best recording they can and to play as many gigs as they can - to prove to potential critics and begrudgers, that they really are worthy of a rave, albeit somewhat premature, review in The New York Times. So The Calvinists remain grounded and are eagerly working ‘round the clock to bring out their first LP, hopefully early in the New Year. The lead single Anchor is in the bag and is free to download. Hype may be fleeting, but The Calvinists are firmly here to stay. Mr. Gross, there’s a few pints of Murphy’s awaiting you in Bantry on your return.