Singer/songwriter LARISSA TORMEY celebrates the launch of her LARISSA album at the famous Bewley's Cafe Theatre venue in Dublin...the night before Garth Brooks came back to town!

One might be forgiven for thinking it would surely take a certain amount of courage for any artist to schedule the launch of their new album on the same weekend that one of the biggest names in global entertainment finally made his long-awaited return to Ireland. But singer/songwriter LARISSA TORMEY could never be accused of lacking courage, so that's exactly what she did in September, officially celebrating the arrival of her self-titled LP onto the musical landscape with a special listening-party in Dublin the night before the first of five Garth Brooks concerts in Croke Park.

However, as Larissa herself is the first to admit, Garth was the last thing on her mind as she planned on writing her own page of history by becoming the first singer/songwriter to perform at the famous Bewley's Cafe Theatre on Grafton Street. And as it turned out, the Kilbeggan based artist had nothing to worry about, with a full-house joining her to welcome LARISSA into the world.

"We actually just forgot all about the fact that Garth Brooks was coming back to Ireland when we set the date for my listening-party!", laughs Larissa. "It just never dawned on us at all, which is really kind of funny now! We were so focused on what dates would work for everyone involved, and for the venue, that we didn't even think about what else might have been happening around the same time. Then, a couple of weeks beforehand, we realised that my launch night was right before his first night in Croke Park, and we were a little bit like, 'Oh oh...! [Laughs]. But it was grand, we had a wonderful night."

The Larissa album is a collection that its creator has described as being, "the ultimate me". It features nine songs from Larissa's own catalogue; an epic international co-write in the form of Dolce Far Niente that connects Italy, the US, Norway, Russia, and Ireland; and a beautiful - and poignant - cover of the song Macushla. With the eleven tracks effortlessly criss-crossing genres, moving between contemporary pop, blues, and jazz, with elements of Larissa's classical training also evident at times, it sees Larissa step away from the country style for which she has become so well-known in Ireland.

And while Larissa has no plans to bid farewell to her country fanbase, this album - and this launch night - was something her inner artist needed to bring to life...

"I can honestly say that this listening-party was one of the most beautiful and memorable nights of my entire music career, and for that, I must thank everyone who came along. There was so much good energy in the room, so much positivity from everybody right from the very first song. As an artist, this is always what I try to give to my audience. When you get that back from the audience as well, it's such a powerful and memorable experience. The energy flows from the stage down to the everyone in front of you, and then it's like it's reflected off their souls and comes right back to you in a wave of emotion. That's what this night was like for me. The perfect introduction to the world for my new album. I will never forget it."

Larissa continued, "And I must give special praise to my band on the night, Kevin Whyms and ???, because their spectacular talents meant that there was a vibrant, exhilarating energy flowing around the stage as well, between the three of us. Always controlled and precisely measured to the needs of each individual song, but still with a sense of freedom that should always exist with 'live' music."

While Larissa decided to launch her Larissa album in the nation's capital, fans around the midlands won't have to wait too long to catch her 'live' in action again. Larissa will join the Sheerin Family Band with fellow guests Cliona Hagan, Johnny Brady, and the Rabbette Family for Culture Night concert at Moate's Tuar Ard Theatre on October 27th. Tickets for that event are just €18 and are on-sale now, available from www.tuarard.ie, or by calling 090-648-2042.