Musician Claire Nicolson is travelling around Ireland, performing for food, writes BRIAN O'CONNELL
A UK-based musician currently touring Ireland has set out to test the limits of local hospitality. Claire Nicolson, described on her press release as a “top London singer -songwriter”, arrived here a week ago in a vintage camper van, and has been playing gigs in return for little more than food and lodgings.
Her “Sing For Your Supper” tour runs until the first week in May, and Claire is open to all offers to play a gig in return for somewhere to park her 1987 Chevy Coachman camper and a decent meal.
Describing herself as a mix of Fleetwood Mac and KT Tunstall, she has previously played with the likes of The Waterboys and Mike Oldfield and is trying out material from her soon-to-be-released second solo album. “I’ve been doing this a lot in the UK, so I figured I’d try it somewhere else,” she explains,
Her first port of call when she arrived, on April 22nd, was Kilkenny, where she joined a traditional music night in a local bar. “We did a few songs there and it went down very well, we might be going back for a gig on May 5th. From there we played on Sherkin Island and then went on to Ballydehob in west Cork. I’ve a few days off now to regroup as I’m doing all the driving myself.”
While she has received minimal monetary payment for her efforts so far, Claire says she has been well received and the publicity will undoubtedly help her career.
“The only literal payment has been petrol money, but we’ve got lots of food and drink and it’s been great. Everyone has been lovely. We’ve stayed in people’s driveways and gardens.”
Claire has enlisted the help of a German filmmaker who is recording her experience in Ireland and she intends to post the footage online in the coming weeks. If people want to book me, I’ll stay longer. I can’t imagine we’ll starve by staying in Ireland.” For more information, see clairenicolson.com
