FUNZO

Funzo, founded by singer and songwriter Liam McDermott, have performed over 250 gigs in Ireland since 2009, most notably, Ireland’s (and Europe’s) premiere music festivals; Oxegen, Electric Picnic and Hard Working Class Heroes. In 2013, Funzo's music videos amassed over 250,000 views on Youtube. In 2008 and 2009, Funzo were invited to headline The Pogues’ Aftershow Party, where they were joined onstage by Shane MacGowan himself. In 2009, Funzo won their third national songwriting contest; Christmas FM’s ‘Search For A New Christmas Classic’, which resulted in mass national radio play and a live performance on TV3’s ‘Ireland AM’, the nation’s #1 morning programme.

In 2012, Funzo featured on and co-wrote hip-hop artist Nucent's song 'Do You Really Love Me?', which received generous airtime on fm104, 98fm, and remained in Spin fm's Top 30 Most Requested for three months running. The video for this track received 10,000 youtube hits in its first week.

Between 2009 and 2012, Funzo held monthly residencies in some of Dublin City''s hottest nightclubs, including Lillie's Bordello, the Mercantile and the Thomas House.

Funzo’s debut single, ‘This Christmas’, was released in December 2010 and entered the Official Irish Charts as the highest independent entry on two consecutive weeks. As well as being a national radio hit in Ireland, the single received vast airplay in the US, being featured on radio stations in 25 different states. The song’s official video was directed by NBC’s Lydia Robertson.

Funzo have also received widespread airplay and live airtime in Ireland; on RTÉ 2FM, Today FM, Spin FM, Newstalk, FM 104 and Ireland’s most listened to radio station, RTÉ Radio 1. Funzo have caught the attention of the national print media too, resulting in a full-page feature in Ireland’s most popular music magazine, HotPress, as well as being deemed one of the ‘Picks Of Electric Picnic’ in The Irish Times in 2009. 

Live & Radio:

• Performed at Ireland’s premiere music festivals; Oxegen (2010), Electric Picnic (2009, 2010), Hard Working Class Heroes (2010) and Castle Palooza (2010).
• Received airplay on US radio, across 25 states.
• Received airplay and live performance/interview time on national radio stations; RTÉ Radio 1, RTÉ 2FM, Today FM, FM 104, Newstalk, Dublin City FM and Phantom FM.
• Live television performances on Ireland’s #1 morning programme on TV3 and on national television station, TG4.
• Full-page feature and interview in national publications, Hot Press and Limehouse.
• Performed on the Main Stage at both The Trinity Ball (2007) and Life Festival (2008)

Awards:

• Winner of Hot Press-Tisch (NYU) Music Video Initiative (2010)
• Winner of Christmas FM’s ‘New Christmas Classic’ award (2009)
• Winner of the Trinity College Battle of the Bands (2007)
• Winner of the An Tostal National Songwriting Contest (2007) 
• Winner of the 'Demo to Breakthrough' National Songwriting Contest (2006)

Press:

“One of Ireland’s hottest rising acts…Funzo are the next Beatles” Turning Point Productions, Illinois, USA (2011)

“Funzo are an incredible Irish band - it's a little ridiculous they're not a household name yet.” David Lyons, Heineken Music (2010)

“To be producing tracks of this caliber at this stage of their career is staggering…Funzo are quite simply brilliant.” TotallyDublin.ie (2009)

"In a perfect world, all pop records would sound like Funzo's." Caomhan Keane , oxygen.ie (2009)