Summer’s coming. I hope the AC is working in the places I’m playing.
My regular gigs are as follows:
Fridays
Granny Annie’s, Roosevelt Island, NYC
7-10 PM
Saturdays
The Broadstone Bar and Kitchen, Financial District, NYC
7-10 PM
Every Other Wednesday
Flannigan’s Irish Pub, Lake Ronkonkoma, Long Island
6-9 PM
One Sunday a Month
Keane's Bar & Restaurant, Katonah Ave., Bronx
8-11 PM
The dates of these two performances will be posted on Facebook
I’ll also be in Carters in Beacon on Thursday May 12th, 8-11 PM.
I post my shows weekly on Facebook and Instagram.
We’re in the final stages of checking the draft of the novel Anthony’s Aria before sending it to print. I’ll let everyone know when it’s ready to be sold.
More to come…
An Evening With Derek Dempsey
Wednesday Nov. 17th 2021
at Nancy Manocherian’s, the Cell Theatre, Chelsea NYC by Irish American Writers & Artists
Details about the November 17th performance can be found on the ticket sales website.
This coming Wednesday I'll be standing behind this faithful machine.I never named it. I just call it The Gibson.
It has served me for twenty one years of performing upwards of five thousand five hundred plus shows, from New York to Las Vegas, France to Mullingar It's served countless recordings including two albums and five singles and three official videos.
It's been played by Nathaniel Rateliff and Glen Hansard. I used to hide it under the bed in the early days because I hated how it restricted my phrasing as a singer. I rarely played guitar on stage before living in America.
it has bounced off the ground, been driven over in its case and hit my face. It's got the sacred triumvirate of blood sweat and tears soaked into the wood. It's been searched for drugs at airports countless times.
I was behind it when I got punched, got a dart flung at me, had a piece of pool chalk thrown at me, had a woman sing naked behind me, and had another woman keep her hand firmly gripped for a whole song on my package.
I almost gave up performing with it when I had a gun pulled on me in Mosholu Avenue in the Bronx by an off-duty police officer. It was the August before 9/11. Incidentally it was the night before traveling to Florida on a work holiday. I'd forgotten my passport but was allowed to fly based on the cover of my Jesus Fever album. Hard to believe I know.
I wrote An American Sings His Song on it, Breathing Like An Alien with Kery and my mother in law Barbara, I wrote Every Christmas on it, and most of the songs I'll be singing this coming Wednesday at The Cell Theatre in Chelsea Manhattan 7-10pm.
I'll be singing all but four originals.
One of the non originals is a song written especially for me by my childhood friend Mick Fab McDonnell. We had had a long phone conversation after years of being out of touch. I told him my leaving Ireland for America story. The next day he sent me the demo of the song. It's absolutely brilliant.
I can't imagine what my vocal chords have endured in tandem…
Please don't bring a dart, chalk, an angry fist or a gun on Wednesday. Thanks.
"Throughout my career, if I have done anything, I have paid attention to every note and every word I sing – if I respect the song. If I cannot project this to a listener, I fail."
Frank Sinatra
Standing room only tickets remaining - click the link for ticket purchase.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening-with-derek-dempsey-tickets-175895988637
An Evening With Derek Dempsey
Wednesday Nov. 17th 2021
at Nancy Manocherian’s, the Cell Theatre, Chelsea NYC by Irish American Writers & Artists
Details about the November 17th performance can be found on the ticket sales website.
My debut novel Anthony's Aria - The Story of a Working Class Opera God is in the process of being published by Boann Books and Media. I am writing my second novel Perfidious Albert - The Story of a Saxon Psychopath.
You can find my short stories, micro-fiction, political and social-commentary pieces on the soon-to-be new writings page.
Performance News
I perform at Iggy's on the Upper East Side every Thursday at 9.30pm.
I perform every Saturday at The Broadstone Bar and Kitchen in the Financial District. 7pm-10pm (soon we will add Sundays and possibly Thursdays to the Broadstone schedule).
The Gibbon's Home in Maspeth on Friday October 8th.
The Trinity Restaurant in Floral Park for the transfer of management from the wonderful Mike Mcguire to the new owners, Date to be announced
I return to The Brew House in New Hyde Park, Long Island on October 29th (to be confirmed).
Locally (Dutchess County), I am in talks with The Mill Creek on 376 in Hopewell Jct., for a special Christmas performance.
With Broadway now opened I expect to return to The Mean Fiddler 47th street Times Square, on Monday nights very soon.
As far as plans go I’m reluctant to plan too far ahead, as we cannot be sure where we will be in this strange and ever evolving time.
In politics, world events, and this seemingly rapid moving collective will to move towards even greater division as a species.
A lot of the songs in my NYC showcase deal with these very topics.
The Cell Theatre show will be recorded audio and video with the hope of finally recording my album The People Always Pay. We have already recorded two songs for the album, Breathing Like An Alien, and Every Christmas.
I will be entering the studio later this year with the incredible Eric Starr to record a song he wrote specially for me, what an honor. It is entitled Josephine.
News on Derek Dempsey's Celtic Soul is that all of our festivals were cancelled in 2020.
It's a big project to get off the ground but we are working on our set for 2022 and we are also seeking a new fiddler.
Check back here for updates in 2022
in Family News
Lisa and I welcome our soon-to be-daughter in law Hazel Afroilan into our family next year on October 7th 2022 when she will marry our son Michael.
Kelsey and Nicki are working with a great nursing agency in NYC. Kelsey and her husband Fernando are living in the Lower East Side, Nicki is living in Weschester.
Lisa and I plan to travel to Europe for three weeks at the beginning of 2021. Here's hoping…
The dogs are still dogs.
With Ron English at the NYC Alloushe Gallery opening of his incredible work. We are talking about collaborating on our respective Alien creations… stay tuned.
"To write is to whisper your soul into the ear of eternity" - H. Horace Walpole.
The Christmas Song Every Christmas.
The single from the forthcoming album "The People Always Pay".
Available NOW at: CD Baby
On stage in NYC at The City Winery.
Performing a classic Bowie song with two guitar legends, Gerry Leonard from David Bowie band, and Vernon Reid of Living Color.
Wham Bam Thank You GLAM!
I am feeling more elated and optimistic than ever, now that I have released the best work I've ever created.
Breathing Like An Alien is now available on YouTube, Instagram and many other platforms. We will keep our supporters informed right here on derekdempsey.com in the coming days when Breathing Like An Alien is available to purchase on iTunes.
I say OUR, because I have a team of amazingly talented and dedicated people who have given me more than I probably deserve. I cannot express in words how grateful I am.
Two people in particular on the creative side are Jeff Mooney and Al Hemberger. They have both worked on the project for so many hours, hours that amount to a sum unable to be counted by any man, woman, or machine.
Breathing Like An Alien will make its New York City, Time Square debut this Friday November 3rd at O'Briens West 46th. This is phase one of the 'Midtown, Downtown, Uptown' Alien Invasion.
The event begins at 7.30pm till 9.30pm and will continue with Derek's usual live performance downstairs until late...
The launch is part of the nationwide Alien Invasion which will take in New York City, Washington D.C. and Las Vegas between November and February of 2018.
There are plans under way to bring The Alien Invasion to Los Angeles, Canada, Ireland, France and other regions in Europe.
The 'Midtown, Downtown, Uptown' launch takes place over three days in New York City's Time Square.
Starting with the invite only party at O'Briens of Time Square where we will screen the video of Breathing Like An Alien and present the Alien merchandise.
Saturday's Alien show is at The Mean Fiddler on 47th street, from 8-11 and the last of the Midtown launch performances takes place at the Pig and Whistle on 46th. We will play the video of Breathing Like An Alien on the 15 TV screens at the Mean Fiddler on the night.
Details of the Downtown and Uptown launches to follow, as well as Washington D.C. and Las Vegas Alien Invasion and launches.
We will introduce our mascot, Silàne the Alien. Silàne is green, friendly and nine foot tall
Share the the video on your Facebook and Youtube accounts and become part of our Alien universe.
Well, you already are...