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Tomorrow week, Wednesday 13th March the Moscow State Opera’s production of Carmen will open at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin. It’ll run until Patrick’s Day and playing the lead role as Micaëla will be Celine Byrne who was here to give us a taste of what to expect.

His parents are neuroscientists who read him Huxley at bedtime. No wonder Josh Ritter has a way with words – now adopted as one of our own – his latest album called ‘The Beast in it’s Tracks’ has just been released and I’m delighted to say he’s with us this morning. It’s a very personal album about the breakup of his marriage but it’s not a dark album. He came into talk to us and play us a tune this morning.

Ed Romanoff’s 2012 self-titled debut is a gritty masterwork of melancholic and atmospheric Americana. The album evokes the solo work of Mark Knopfler, the swampy mysticism of New Orleans, and the kind of redemption you find at the end of an introspective night with a good bottle of whiskey. He has been touring around and were delighted to welcome him with Mia Sunshine Bloomfield on cello.

Following their sold out comeback show, the newly reformed and new look PictureHouse have released their new single Hello this week.

Hundreds of fans crammed into The Village last Friday to welcome Dave Browne and his band back as they played some songs from their new album amongst all the hits from the bands back catalogue. They were over in Studio 8 this morning to give us the full band sound.

By the age of seven, Rachel Austin had already recorded three full-length cassette tapes of her own music. She’d also handwritten a book of short stories and created portraits of townsfolk of characters that she and her siblings played with instead of dolls.

Rachel’s music was born in Virginia but now calls Belfast home. Rachel has just returned to Ireland following a December / January tour of her native America. She spent 6 weeks touring around promoting her EP Age of Reason and she came into studio this morning.

Track(1) Don't Call Me, Track(2) Baby Doll.

It’s time for Eddi Reader’s annual Irish tour and it kicked off last night in Antrim and Eddi came into us this morning.

Track: Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

Galway band We Banjo 3 are simply the hottest Irish roots act on the scene today. Featuring 2 sets of brothers the band have racked up a host of awards in 2012 including : Irish Times Album of the Year for ‘Roots of the Banjo Tree’. "Best New Group" by the Irish American News.

Enda & Fergal Scahill and Martin & David Howley are among the most celebrated and distinguished young musicians in Ireland today. Playing banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, vocals and percussion, We Banjo 3 combine Irish Music with Old-Time American and Bluegrass influences to reveal the banjo’s rich legacy and roots.

The Old Crow Medicine Show, based out of Nashville, Tenn., has been rocking the old-time, folk, stringed band genre for over 14 years, but really caught their break nationally when they released their hit-single, “Wagon Wheel,” in 2004.

Old Crow Medicine Show got its' start busking on street corners in New York state and up through Canada, winning audiences along the way with their boundless energy and spirit. Well they play Vicar Street tonight and it promises to be a great night and to give you a taste we had the boys over in Studio 8.