Fresh from a successful UK tour with Waterford dance act King Kong Company, Hot Press’ ‘Hot For 2017’ pick Susan O’Neill – aka SON – is playing a solo show in Monroe’s Live tonight, Friday November 17th. In a coup for the award-winning Galway venue, it has just been announced that the acclaimed, Clare-born, singer-songwriter will now be supported by the legendary Julie Felix, who’s probably best known as the woman who taught the late Leonard Cohen how to arrange his poems into songs.
To the uninitiated, Julie Felix was born in California, and in the 'early 60's hitched around the world with a duffle bag and a guitar. During her travels she met a then relatively unknown poet and singer named Leonard Cohen in Greece. Julie taught Leonard how to play guitar and how to arrange his poems into the form of songs.
Julie arrived in the United Kingdom in 1964 and became the first solo folk performer signed to a major British record label (Decca),who released her first single and album that year. In 1965 she was the first folksinger to fill the Royal Albert Hall, and was described by The Times as "Britain's First Lady of Folk".
In 1966 Julie became the resident singer on the BBC television programme The Frost Report, hosted by David Frost, and from December 1967 to 1970 she hosted her own shows for the BBC, including the series Once More With Felix. Among those featured on her show were The Kinks, Leonard Cohen, and Led Zeppelin's lead guitarist Jimmy Page. Julie also performed at the Isle Of Wight Festival in 1969, where her friend Bob Dylan performed his only show that year.
Julie's most famous song remains ‘Going To The Zoo’ and she also had U.K. hit singles with ‘If I Could (El Condor Pasa)’ and ‘Heaven is Here’, and over the years has continued to release numerous acclaimed albums.
Julie now lives in England, and is still recording and performing at the same high standard as ever, despite unbelievably approaching her 80th birthday.
In February this year she appeared at the tribute to Leonard Cohen at St James’, Picadilly, London, and recently released a new live album In The Spotlight, her first live album since Live From The Q.E.H, recorded live at her 60th birthday concert at The Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, in June 1998.

In the time between the two live albums, eight studio albums have also been released, including 2005's astounding double album Starry Eyed and Laughing – Songs by Bob Dylan. Supporting musicians included Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones, John Renbourn and double-bass legend Danny Thompson (both of Pentangle), Kiki Dee and U.K. folk maestro Martin Carthy, who plays on 'The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll' - this track was engineered by Fairport Convention's Dave Swarbrick.
All in all, the combination of Felix and SON, a living American music legend and an Irish music legend in the making, should make for a truly memorable night. Tickets are still available at the unfathomably cheap price of €10. Julie Felix is onstage at 8.30pm, while SON will play at 9.45pm.
Susan will be returning to Galway on December 2nd for a King Kong Company show in the Roisin Dubh. Unfortunately, tickets are already totally sold out.