Hothouse Flowers

Formed in Dublin in 1985, Hothouse Flowers began as a street band centered on Liam Ó Maonlaí and Fiachna Ó Braonáin, soon joined by Peter O’Toole. The group developed a repertoire that blends alternative rock and folk rock with Celtic overtones and elements of soul, gospel and Irish traditional music. This combination gives Hothouse Flowers a warm sound, driven by Ó Maonlaí’s voice, prominent backing vocals and songwriting that alternates between rock energy, acoustic ballads and folk-inspired motifs. After their debut album People in 1988, they followed with Home in 1990 and Songs from the Rain in 1993, while touring extensively and appearing at festivals such as Reading and Glastonbury. In the late 1980s and early 1990s they also collaborated with the Indigo Girls, The Dubliners and Def Leppard in the one-off project The Acoustic Hippies From Hell. The band split in 1994, returning in 1998 with Born, followed by The Vaults Vol 1 (2003), Into Your Heart (2004) and Let’s Do This Thing (2016). Since the reformation, Hothouse Flowers have continued to perform live with a core lineup including Liam Ó Maonlaí, Fiachna Ó Braonáin, Dave Clarke, Martin Brunsden and, once again, Peter O’Toole.