You might know Nick Kelly as the acclaimed writer and director of The Drummer and the Keeper, or as frontman for legendary Irish band The Fat Lady Sings - now he's embarking on a remarkable new project aimed at 'anyone interested in live music, cycling and the survival of the human race'.
Nick introduces The Song Cycle below...
I'm Nick Kelly, an Oscar-shortlisted filmmaker and Choice Music Prize-nominated musical artist.
In 2022 I decided to cycle from my home in Ireland to the Glastonbury Festival in Somerset - carrying my guitar, my tent and everything else I needed with me, and playing shows in towns along the way - to prove that it was possible to tour without driving. By doing so, I hoped to start a conversation about more sustainable ways to play and witness live music.
I'd become increasingly aware of other musicians grappling to reconcile their artistic and economic need to perform live with the harmful impact of that activity on a global environment under existential threat. I'd heard the pretty terrifying statistic that 80% of the carbon footprint of a typical major live music event is directly related to travel.
In November 2021, I had a moment of revelation when asked to perform a single song at Féile Classical, a large multi-artist event in Dublin. Realising that backstage parking at the 3Arena was going to be extremely constrained, I strapped my guitar onto my back, threw my stage-wear in my pannier, and mounted my trusty bicycle.
How can we preserve the magical communal experience of live music into the future?
That short spin inspired me to plan The Song Cycle - a sustainable tour kicking off in Dublin, then travelling by bicycle (via the Rosslare-Pembroke ferry) to gigs in Carmarthen, Swansea, Cardiff and Bristol before performing two shows at the world's most famous music festival itself.
I was accompanied by my great friend and musical partner Sean Millar - we perform and record together as Dogs - who tracked my route on public transport, and by cameraman Céin who cycled with me and filmed our adventures.
My father died at the age of 59. The day we played Glastonbury was my own 60th birthday. So, while the initial inspiration for The Song Cycle was initially around environmental sustainability, I've come to realise that this film may touch on other forms of sustainability too.
Choosing to tour in this way does require certain artistic and aesthetic compromises - few changes of clothes, one pair of shoes, no pianos. It also demands an alternative approach to filming. Travelling on bikes rules out heavy cameras and lights - but the amazing filming technology now available allowed us to create a cinematic experience with minimalist equipment.
In keeping with the grass roots nature of this whole project, I’ve decided to launch a Kickstarter campaign to raise what I need to finish my film, rather than seeking post-production funding from official sources.
I'm incredibly proud of and excited by what we’ve shot – and can’t wait to delve into the important questions that I think our journey throws up: How can we preserve the magical communal experience of live music into the future? How can we learn to adapt and grow through our own lives as artists and human beings?
And how - whatever the gradient, the traffic, the weather or the unexpected obstacles – can we somehow manage to keep pedalling?
Find out more about Nick's Kickstarter campaign to finish The Song Cycle here.
