About this concert
DUKE SPECIAL
By nature, Duke Special (aka Belfast's Peter Wilson) is a curious
person. He is curious about music, theatre, books, poetry, art, love, life, redemption, death and 78RPM records. All of this is evidenced by the variety of musical adventures throughout his career. He has released 14 albums and EPs, toured all over the world and has been involved in a diverse array of other projects, including writing the music for Deborah Warner?s critically acclaimed 2009 production of Mother Courage and Her Children at London?s National Theatre and being commissioned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to write a series of original songs based on photographs for their exhibition of the photographers Stieglitz, Steichen and Strand.
In the world of theatre, since Mother Courage, Duke has written music for four shows with Andrew Doyle: Gulliver?s Travels (BYMT, 2015), Paperboy, (BYMT, 2017), Huckleberry Finn (Lyric Theatre, Belfast, 2018), and Breadboy (BYMT 2022) and with Bob Kelly: Breakfast on Pluto (Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival, in development).
Performing live is still one of Duke Special's main passions, and over the years he has played to captive audiences across the world. Whether he performs solo, as a duo with his long-time friend and percussionist Chip Bailey, with a full band, a string quartet or full orchestra, a Duke Special show is always a unique experience.
www.dukespecial.com
THIS IS A SEATED SHOW .....
Show More
Find a place to stay
Upcoming concerts from similar artists
Bandsintown Merch
Circle Hat
$25.0 USD
Live Collage Sweatshirt
$45.0 USD
Rainbow T-Shirt
$30.0 USD
Circle Beanie
$20.0 USD
Easily follow all your favorite artists by syncing your music
Sync Music
Share Event
Duke Special Biography
Duke Special, a.k.a. Peter Wilson, is a Belfast artist with an unique sound, often referred to as 'vaudeville'. His songs are shaped by an omnipresent piano, harps, brass, strings and - his trademark on stage - an old gramophone. The result are very romantic and passionate little hymns with the Duke's soft vocals. A quite antique sound, but never old-fashioned.
Music was all he ever wanted to do. He learned piano as a child and sang traditional Irish songs in churches and community centres with his sisters. Soon he began writing his own songs and played in some local rock bands with little success.
Under his pseudonym 'Duke Special' he recorded two limited EPs (Lucky Me, My Villain Heart) and sold them at hundreds of concerts across Ireland, the UK and Germany. He supported Aqualung, Rufus Wainwright, Paddy Casey, Gemma Hayes, cDavid Ford, The Divine Comedy Snow Patrol and many others over the last years. More than 6,000 copies of the EPs were sold, and Duke re-released the two EPs as an album (Adventures in Gramophone). In 2005 the "Your Vandal"-EP was released.
Special credit must be given to his onstage partner Chip Bailey, who greatly amuses with self-made percussions formerly known as kitchenware.
Duke Special's second album (and debut on V2 Records) Songs From The Deep Forest is out now and received very good reviews. A limited vinyl box set with six heavyweight 7" in a lovely wooden box is also available. The first single from the album was "Freewheel".
A special two disc edition of "Songs From the Deep Forest" was released on October 1st 2007. Amongst other bonus live tracks is the latest single "Our Love Goes Deeper Than This" with Neil Hannon (The Divine Comedy) and Romeo Stodart (The Magic Numbers).
Read MoreMusic was all he ever wanted to do. He learned piano as a child and sang traditional Irish songs in churches and community centres with his sisters. Soon he began writing his own songs and played in some local rock bands with little success.
Under his pseudonym 'Duke Special' he recorded two limited EPs (Lucky Me, My Villain Heart) and sold them at hundreds of concerts across Ireland, the UK and Germany. He supported Aqualung, Rufus Wainwright, Paddy Casey, Gemma Hayes, cDavid Ford, The Divine Comedy Snow Patrol and many others over the last years. More than 6,000 copies of the EPs were sold, and Duke re-released the two EPs as an album (Adventures in Gramophone). In 2005 the "Your Vandal"-EP was released.
Special credit must be given to his onstage partner Chip Bailey, who greatly amuses with self-made percussions formerly known as kitchenware.
Duke Special's second album (and debut on V2 Records) Songs From The Deep Forest is out now and received very good reviews. A limited vinyl box set with six heavyweight 7" in a lovely wooden box is also available. The first single from the album was "Freewheel".
A special two disc edition of "Songs From the Deep Forest" was released on October 1st 2007. Amongst other bonus live tracks is the latest single "Our Love Goes Deeper Than This" with Neil Hannon (The Divine Comedy) and Romeo Stodart (The Magic Numbers).
Singer
Songwriter
Folk
Hobo-chic
International
Alternative
Irish
Follow artist